| Project by KnotCurser | posted 1104 days ago | 2640 views | 6 times favorited | 24 comments |  |
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I created this as a gift for my Parents. They wanted to get rid of an 80’s style box shaped coffee table that is currently taking up most of their living room.
All they specified was wanting “a simple dark table in the mission / craftsman style”. They also gave me the exact dimensions for the top and the height.
I just could NOT make them a plain simple table – no way, no how! So, the “dark table” part turned into figured walnut. I did stick to the style they wanted but “dialed it up a notch” with maple plugs and thicker slats on the sides.
Still, it just didn’t cut it – something was missing. I needed to make it more personal to THEM. I began thinking about where they are from and all the maple trees that surrounded their house and decided to try inlaying for the very first time. I REALLY want to thank the Wood Whisperer for his video on inlaying – it helped me tremendously! As you can see in one of the pics, the leaves are 1/8” thick and actually set into the solid inch thick top – not an easy feat! I did five practice leaves before I felt confident enough to try this. It took over six hours of work just for the inlays. What wood did I use for the Maple Leaves? Maple, of course!
Everything actually went together very well once I drew out the plans. No big issues or problems. Finished with five to six coats of Danish Oil applied with 0000 Steel Wool. The top also has four of five coats of furniture wax. Overall dimensions are 20” Wide, 40” Long and 16” High.
Take the time to view the video on inlay – it’s WAY worth your time. Thanks again Mark!!!! http://thewoodwhisperer.com/router-based-inlay/
My folks are going to see this today for the first time and I think I am more excited than they are!
I LOVED every part of this build – Cheers!
-bob
-- Man is a tool-using Animal. Nowhere do you find him without tools; without tools he is nothing, with tools he is all. - Thomas Carlyle http://www.ffrf.org
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24 comments so far
OutPutter
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1194 posts in 2160 days
#1 posted 1104 days ago
Wow bob. I just love anything made out of walnut but this is over the top. The figure in the wood really makes the maple leaves stand out even more. BTW, what did we do before painter’s pyramids? lol
Great job,
-- Jim
toxicoval56
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148 posts in 1673 days
#2 posted 1104 days ago
Very impressive. I would like mine in QS white oak please. I really like the inlay. Very nice job. I have not had the guts to try that yet.
-- The view only changes for the leading dog.
degoose
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6594 posts in 1525 days
#3 posted 1104 days ago
You have taken this style and made it your own… well done.. Inlay is vibrant.
-- Drink twice... and don't bother to cut... @ larrysworkshop.wordpress.com For lovers of all things timber...
Kate
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390 posts in 2045 days
#4 posted 1104 days ago
Great job. The inlay looks great.
-- Kate, http://www.wooden-box-maker.com
BuilderMan
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92 posts in 1128 days
#5 posted 1104 days ago
Great looking table. The inlay makes it.
AaronK
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1365 posts in 1634 days
#6 posted 1103 days ago
love it. that figure in the center board of the top is to die for – so many colors. was this air or kiln dried stock?
KnotCurser
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1409 posts in 1238 days
#7 posted 1103 days ago
AaronK,
This was air dried over 40 years ago by a farmer in Pennsylvania. He passed away recently and his children auctioned off his estate. Bid on and won over 600 board feet of walnut (there were THOUSANDS of board feet that I wish I could have bid on as well!!!) as well as a couple of hundred feet of oak and cherry combined.
Thanks everyone for the kind words!
-bob
-- Man is a tool-using Animal. Nowhere do you find him without tools; without tools he is nothing, with tools he is all. - Thomas Carlyle http://www.ffrf.org
AaronK
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1365 posts in 1634 days
#8 posted 1103 days ago
thanks for confirming my suspicions. im finding air dried to be so much prettier than kiln.
workerinwood
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2491 posts in 1237 days
#9 posted 1103 days ago
Outstanding job!! I like the design and the detail. Job well done!!!!
-- Jack, Albuquerque
steiner
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277 posts in 1520 days
#10 posted 1103 days ago
Thanks for sharing this. Beautiful wood, design, and inlay work.
-- Scott - Katy, Texas
a1Jim
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87230 posts in 1747 days
#11 posted 1103 days ago
Wonderful The inlay works so well on this piece great job
-- W James Brokenbourgh Custom furniture maker http://artisticwoodstudio.com/
BarbS
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2181 posts in 2255 days
#12 posted 1103 days ago
Very impressive table. Your parents will be thrilled, I’m sure. You did a wonderful job, and for a first time inlay, you’ve really succeeded well. And thanks for the link to Mark’s video.
-- http://barbsid.blogspot.com/
Maveric777
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2593 posts in 1247 days
#13 posted 1103 days ago
Impressive work! You did an outstanding job on those inlays. I also love the arrangement of them on the top. Really sets off the table in my book.
-- Dan ~ Texarkana, Tx.
KnotCurser
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1409 posts in 1238 days
#14 posted 1103 days ago
By the way – my parents did in fact love the table. :-)
-bob
-- Man is a tool-using Animal. Nowhere do you find him without tools; without tools he is nothing, with tools he is all. - Thomas Carlyle http://www.ffrf.org
kosta
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946 posts in 1524 days
#15 posted 1103 days ago
looks good
-- kosta Virginia Beach, VA http://www.kostasworkshop.blogspot.com/
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