| Project by scottb | posted 556 days ago | 1815 views | 2 times favorited | 21 comments |  |
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Some projects require a trip out to get new materials, others are made from what you have on hand at the time, for the better – or more often – the worse.
After deciding to throw my hat into the Thorsen Table contest ring, I only intended to make my interpretation as “green” as possible. I wouldn’t be buying any new materials, and hopefully I wouldn’t regret that desicion (and in the end, I surely don’t!)
I like the arts and craft style, and I really like the Japanese influence on it. Ironically, while I like much of the G&G work, I don’t care so much for the cloud lift detail. It’s a little “art deco” for my taste.
My first design decision was to find a new spin on that detail. Perhaps something with a natural edge, or a little rustic. I had a couple of boards in mind, however I wasn’t able to find a way to put it together that I liked, or that I could figure out the logistics of (with the materials and tools I have on hand).
After weeks of pondering, lots of research, and several sketches, I was struck with the reminder of a door I had stored away in the shed. It could have been oak, turns out it was fir (I think). I was happy to have enough of the stock I would need, and that all of it was nice and dead flat. This and some of the slate I had would make a nice table all out of reclaimed materials.
All the lumber in this table, the legs, aprons, rails, lower shelf and even the corner glue blocks are all cut from the old door. No other lumber is mixed in. The aprons are all quartersawn (or rift-sawn), the legs are quartersawn, with veneer hiding the two plain sawn faces.
I used the plan dimensions in the size and contruction of this table, though pulled a little inspiration from the original. While I may have eliminated the cloud lifts, and cut outs of the inspiration piece, I kept the authors addition of ‘quirks’ on the legs, rails and aprons. I also added them to the wood frame that supports the slate top, partially giving the illusion that the top is floating a bit above the surface.
The legs are a hair thinner than the original, and the aprons are thinner, and an inch or more shorter, as well. Overall the piece looks nice and light, though well proportioned and sturdy. The scale of the apron comes right from the rail of the door, the shelf on the bottom is the same size, though I did add supports to the back of those rails so a larger slate shelf could be added. After using a handsaw (see blog) to cut the top, I’m not in a rush to do that again. I’m happy with how the table looks as is, but now that I know there is an easier way…. a larger shelf may prove more functional in time.
The slate top, a little over 14” square, is cut from a piece of salvaged chalkboard roughly 1/4 thick. This was sanded and waxed. The slate is attached to a 1” frame that overhangs the legs by about an inch, which looks to be more than the original – which virtually the same overall size as mine.
The top is waxed, the wood – coats of boiled linseed oil and Howards feed and wax.
I mentioned in the project blog that I was surprised how small this table ended up being overall, though it is just the right size to go next to a couch or chair in our living room. From a table I’m likely to never have made, to a great addition to our house – made from the house!
-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/
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21 comments so far
WayneC
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5684 posts in 637 days
posted 556 days ago
Looks great. It shows well. Nice job.
-- We must guard our enthusiasm as we would our life - James Krenov
MsDebbieP
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12282 posts in 701 days
posted 556 days ago
Well done, Scott… well done.
love that last line: “From a table I’m likely to never have made, to a great addition to our house – made from the house!”. That really makes this one exceptionally wonderful project.
-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
Bill
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2524 posts in 701 days
posted 556 days ago
Bravo!
I just hope the kids don’t think the top is a chalkboard and write all over it!
-- Bill, Turlock California, http://www.brookswoodworks.com
scottb
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3064 posts in 867 days
posted 556 days ago
- Hence the rough side up Bill. I’d write on the smooth side ;)
Thanks all!
-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/
Karson
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14323 posts in 940 days
posted 556 days ago
Great completion Scott. And days to spare. Good job there was a three day weekend.
Kind of like Taxes, It sneaks up on us, while in January we know we have lots of time.
A great table, Congratulations on the design and completion.
-- Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †
Bob Babcock
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1807 posts in 626 days
posted 556 days ago
I really like it Scott…very clean…like you I’m not a big fan of the cloud lift…..seems to stray from the clean lines idea. The slate is a very nice touch….the float makes it look lighter. I also like the whole door idea.
Nice use of recycled materials. I just stripped 4 doors and they are all quartersawn as well…great lumber if I wasn’t refinishing them.
Great design and execution….congrats on finishing.
-- Bob, Carver Massachusetts, Sawdust Maker http://www.capecodbaychallenge.org
dennis mitchell
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3057 posts in 854 days
posted 556 days ago
Nice and simple design. I like the slate.
-- http://www.woodsongsfurniture.com
jockmike2
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4506 posts in 787 days
posted 556 days ago
Very nice Scott, you might have added another shelf though, more room for your trophys. But a very good build. You should be proud. jockmike
-- Mike. Profisher50@yahoo.com
mot
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4863 posts in 576 days
posted 556 days ago
That did come out great. It’s been a good read, following it’s progress!
-- You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. (Plato)
Dick, & Barb Cain
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5399 posts in 839 days
posted 556 days ago
Beautifully done Scott,
That old door was waiting a long time for something like this. A nice table hiding under that old paint.
That’s what we need, more recycling.
-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1
MsDebbieP
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12282 posts in 701 days
posted 556 days ago
what’s wrong with writing on the slate? (says the teacher in me??)
I’d be putting it beside my bed with some chalk and when I wake up in the night with a brilliant idea I could just reach over and jot it down… then it would be there in the morning for me!! :)
-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
Sawhorse
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273 posts in 980 days
posted 556 days ago
Nice job, Scott
-- Sawhorse - Sulphur Springs, TX - www.sawhorseworkshop.com
PanamaJack
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4452 posts in 617 days
posted 556 days ago
Scott, this is a great piece of woodworking art. Nice job. Greater because of it being made of recycled materials.
-- Carpe Lignum - Seize The Wood,
fred
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257 posts in 638 days
posted 555 days ago
The clean lines make this an elegant table. Congratulations.
-- Fred Childs, Pasadena, CA - - - Law of the Workshop: Any tool, when dropped, will roll to the least accessible corner.
schroeder
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479 posts in 665 days
posted 554 days ago
Scott, that looks great!- very nice work! I to am a fan of using re-claimed wood, but man you took it to a whole new level. I really enjoyed your blog and watching this come together!
-- The Gnarly Wood Shoppe
Obi
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2157 posts in 777 days
posted 554 days ago
I know that the ppl at Pop Woodworking are gonna have a hard time picking a winner.
-- http://ye-olde-cabinet-shoppe.com/
furnitologist
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170 posts in 553 days
posted 553 days ago
Hi Scott:
I like your being Green and Green. Last weekend I attended the International Contemporary Furniture Fair and the theme of most exhibiting designers was being Green. This also include creating designs based off of expected cut-off from primary design. Really interesting.
Excellent…...............Neil
Dick, & Barb Cain
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5399 posts in 839 days
posted 128 days ago
Scott,
A great job of recycling a previous contest entry. LOL
Its still a beautiful table.
-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1
Tim from Iowa City
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152 posts in 140 days
posted 128 days ago
Very nice. I like the incorporation of slate to the project. Wood grain is beautiful. Nice job.
-- Tim from Iowa City, IA
SteveKorz
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1419 posts in 254 days
posted 127 days ago
Nice table, I like the old chalkboard top! Great job on this!
-- As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)
Grumpy
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6735 posts in 391 days
posted 122 days ago
Great job. Good luck in the contest.
-- Grumpy - "Always look on the bright side of life"- Monty Python