| Project by JamesVavra | posted 213 days ago | 1612 views | 6 times favorited | 18 comments | ![]() |
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I’ve finally finished my new coffee table.
It’s made from 6/4 book matched slabs of walnut. The base is steel: 2” angle, 2” square tube, and 3/4” square tube. The table is approximately 54” long, 23” wide, and 18” tall. The slabs are mounted on 1/2” ply that was painted black.
I had to fill one crack and one knot with epoxy. I left it clear, and I think it’s looks kind of cool that way – you can see down through it if you get close enough (the crack is only about 1/4” at its widest).
The steel was patinaed dark and then clear coated with a semi-gloss lacquer. The wood was oiled, then I hit it with a few coats of waterborne poly. After I knocked the shine down with steel wool, I waxed it.
I plan to fill the void with a loose aggregate. Some small, polished stones – or maybe I’ve finally found a use for all of those little wooden beads that everyone has been making (myself included, although I never posted my version of the wooden bead making machine).
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18 comments so far
DTB
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2 posts in 213 days
#1 posted 213 days ago
Really like it! I’m a fan of “industrial” type of look with the steel and wood. Great work!
whitebeast88
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1864 posts in 358 days
#2 posted 213 days ago
very nice.thats a beautiful table!!!!!
-- It don't have to be straight,it's just a suggestion!!!
gfadvm
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6625 posts in 858 days
#3 posted 213 days ago
That’s a unique design with the black ply backing. Filling the center space with epoxy and your stones/beads would be interesting but too late for this one. But I like it just as it is. The loose aggregate will probably lokk neat. I’d have to worry about my granddaughters eating it though!
-- " I'll try to be nicer, if you'll try to be smarter" gfadvm
bvdon
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454 posts in 1183 days
#4 posted 213 days ago
i like it!
-- http://woodwork.me
Jonathan
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2568 posts in 1218 days
#5 posted 213 days ago
Solid and sturdy, for sure, yet beautiful and graceful at the same time…an intriguing combinations of materials. Keep us posted on any additions to the void, bei it aggregate, wooden beads, or something else.
-- Jonathan, Denver, CO "Constructive criticism is welcome and valued as it gives me new perspectives and helps me to advance as a woodworker."
indianwoodchipper
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12 posts in 215 days
#6 posted 213 days ago
Wow!! really nice looking. Did you leave any gaps at the edges to allow for movement? Any specific surface preparation for the steel especially at the weld locations
-- With ambitions always far exceeding my skill
Lee A. Jesberger
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6494 posts in 2147 days
#7 posted 213 days ago
This is really beautiful. Great job on the design and execution.
Lee
-- by Lee A. Jesberger http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com http://www.ezee-feed.com
david38
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535 posts in 511 days
#8 posted 213 days ago
nice looking table
vakman
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#9 posted 212 days ago
Excellent work, this is a very attractive piece. I’d be inclined to fill the center void with mixed nuts to snack on.
If you’re looking for something more permanent, loose ball bearings would make for a neat finish when epoxied. Relatively inexpensive, and consistent in terms of materials.
-- - Power is not revealed by striking hard or often, but by striking true. -
Jonathan
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2568 posts in 1218 days
#10 posted 212 days ago
vakman,
I like your ball bearing idea, and will have to keep that in-mind for the future!
-- Jonathan, Denver, CO "Constructive criticism is welcome and valued as it gives me new perspectives and helps me to advance as a woodworker."
JamesVavra
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255 posts in 1484 days
#11 posted 211 days ago
Thanks for the comments, all.
@indianwoodchipper – I left about a 16th all the way around. I didn’t do anything special to the corners; the wooden insert is rounded over on the inside edges to make it easier to drop in and to account for the very small radius on the inside corners of the steel.
Re: the loose aggregate – I originally wanted to use some crushed sea shell that I have that loose like a really coarse sand, and then add some small stones in keeping with the dry riverbed theme. However, I’m concerned that one of my wife’s cats might use it as a litterbox if I go that route. So I’m still going to use small stones or maybe tumbled chunks of sea glass, but I’ll keep it a bit larger then the litter they are used to.
StephenSchaad
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201 posts in 346 days
#12 posted 211 days ago
Use whatever loose aggregate you want and fill over it with epoxy resin. A bar here has sand and shells under epoxy on the bar top. No worries about cats! haha
JamesVavra
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255 posts in 1484 days
#13 posted 210 days ago
I missed the questing about surface prep. I used a darkening patina from Sculpt Nouveau (http://www.sculptnouveau.com/Details.cfm?ProdID=34&category=6) before I lacquered it. The nice thing about that product is that you really don’t need to do any prep. It colors the welds, miscolorings, etc. to be exactly the same.
HorizontalMike
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4930 posts in 1082 days
#14 posted 169 days ago
Wow! Nice combination of materials. This looks like a natural match. Well done!
-- HorizontalMike -- "Woodpeckers understand..."
CalgaryGeoff
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496 posts in 650 days
#15 posted 140 days ago
Wow, Great table. I like the look.
-- If you believe you can or can not do a thing, you are correct.
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