Mesquite & Pecan Dining Table #1: Getting started

I am putting together a hunting camp and the bunkhouse needs a dining table. The space will fit a 48” square table nicely (I’m a little apprehensive about trying a round table, so square it is).

This is my first project that I consider “furniture”. I’ve been limited to shop fixtures, cutting boards, pens, etc.

I live in Abilene, Texas, and we have a great mesquite supplier – Lankford Mesquite. I ended up with beautiful 4/4 boards for $12/board foot. They were around 13” wide & 7’ long. I had some pecan that I had been saving.

Here’s the initial layout:

I don’t have a jointer, so I dimensioned the boards on the table saw/miter saw. Then I planed to uniform thickness.

3 separate glue-ups to make it easier for me.

I was worried that the 1” thickness wouldn’t be visually proportionate, so I added a pecan trim.

Then lots & lots & lots of sanding to get to this point.

To be continued…..