Dining Table #1: A Depressing Table

You could bash it a bit with a ring full of old keys or clean chain to give it a distressed worn look.

-- Growing older but not up!

I’ve seen guys use chains also a different color of paint or stain underneath and sand through the top coat around normal wear areas like the edges were one would bump or rub against the table over 100 years.

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop Southern Oregon

The good thing and the bad thing about commission pieces is that it makes you work outside of your comfort zone. The vanity base I made went against a lot of the design choices I normally make, and in the end I loved it.

With regards to distressing your lumber, I seem to remember somebody going randomly at a slab with a small drill bit to give it a worm wood look. Possibly a wood burner tip to give it an aged look.

-- You can't control the wind, but you can trim your sails

If the lumber is cut on a circle saw, I’ve always thought if you were to just sand it or skim plane it, it would leave the circle saw marks on the board but still be smooth a little dye might help bring them out also. This would not look as good on band sawn lumber. Any type of scuff mark would be enhanced by a little dye and sanding, like a swirl mark from your orbital sander.

-- There's many a slip betwixt a cup and a lip.--Scott

Distressing is a talent. There is much more to it than just beating it with a chain. (no offense Jim)
You need to use several tools such as screws, bolts, handles on wrenches, small punch to make holes, scrapers to make scratches. The point is to make different looking marks. Also you need to make the marks in the right places. You don’t want evenly spaced marks over the entire table but more marks around the edges and then sporadically in the field of the table. Start off slowly with a few marks, step back and look at it, continue with a little more taking small steps and adding marks until you think it looks right.

try using some old reclaimed wood with authentic “enhancements” like powder post beetle holes, ant/termite holes, nail holes (wood turns black as the iron oxidizes). a word of caution: go over this lumber with a magnet and visual inspection before running it thru the planer or you’ll damage your blades. its wise to use some old nicked up blades to start with. using real antique lumber and timeless joinery will produce a killer piece. what ever wood is locally available will work. here in ohio, i use lots of old reclaimed oak, maple and popular, and occasionally walnut or wormy chestnut.
good luck !!