| Project by Michael Brailsford | posted 464 days ago | 685 views | 0 times favorited | 12 comments |  |
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This is a table I built for my sister-in-law. She had a very specific idea in mind for my to build. She wanted a table that looked old and somewhat care worn. This was a style that was not something I had much desire to work in. However after I got into it I ended up enjoying the project very much. The wood came from a 100+ year old share croppers house in a rural section of North Carolina that was being torn down. I culled out as much wood as I could from the house, being careful to not bring home any of the termites infesting this house. Getting the wood into a useable state took a great deal of time. The number of nails were unbelievable. They were old cut nails. Many did not want to come out. Even after getting what I believed was all of the nails out I still did a number on my planer knives. I do think that in the end the results were worth the aggravation. I left as many imperfections as I could. The nail holes, knots, checks, all added to the character of the table. I am not a big fan of pine, but this very old southern yellow pine that had been seasoning for a hundred years was another story. It was hard and close grained. I used a hand drill with a flap sander in it and went over all of the parts to give is an uneven and worn look. I then uses a flutter sander to soften all the edges. I used an unusual stain. I used roofing tar. I used the kind in the tube. I squeezed a little out and took a rag soaked in mineral spirits and worked it into the table. I think it made the table look more “aged” than stained. After all was said and done I enjoyed this project very much and would not mind at all working in this style again, especially since my sister-in-law says it is very fashionable right now. I have enough of the wood left to do one more table not quite as big as hers.
-- Michael A. Brailsford
12 comments so far
jeanmarc
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1750 posts in 595 days
posted 464 days ago
Very nice work
-- jeanmarc manosque france
CharlieM1958
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posted 464 days ago
This type of stuff usually ends up looking very not-genuine. But you’ve dome a great job…. I never would have guessed that this was not a really old table.
-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"
jm82435
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502 posts in 620 days
posted 464 days ago
excellent job. I would have to say you succeeded in making it look old. Sorry to hear of the planer blades.
-- A thing of beauty is a joy forever...
Chris
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1454 posts in 870 days
posted 464 days ago
Outstanding work. What was the biggest challenge; Wood prep or design & build?
-- Chris
Dick, & Barb Cain
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6991 posts in 1178 days
posted 464 days ago
It does look real old, nice job.
I suppose you’ll have to get some more planer blades for the next 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
Michael Brailsford
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212 posts in 472 days
posted 464 days ago
chris- prep was the biggest challenge. you would think you had a piece nail free and then run it through the planer and BAM there is a shiner. The biggest challenge of the build, or rather the most exausting, was using the hand drill with the flap sander. That wore me out.
Dick- a job like this one you have to go into it knowing you will be sacrificing blades to the nail gods.
-- Michael A. Brailsford
Dusty56
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3401 posts in 566 days
posted 463 days ago
this is just awesome ! great job indeed…..any “fragrance” left behind from the tar ?
-- You know you're getting old when you know the difference between you're (you are) and your (belonging to you) AND how to use them in a sentence .
Michael Brailsford
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212 posts in 472 days
posted 463 days ago
Dusty, Oh yea. big time
-- Michael A. Brailsford
Michael Brailsford
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212 posts in 472 days
posted 463 days ago
Dusty, No sorry I misunderstood. Not from the roofing tar, but when I was working on it the old pine tar was very strong.
-- Michael A. Brailsford
miles125
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1414 posts in 884 days
posted 463 days ago
Great project for that old wood!
-- miles125, Alabama.."Architecture is frozen music""
Dusty56
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3401 posts in 566 days
posted 460 days ago
I’d much rather the smell of pine than roofing tar !! LOL thanks for the feedback and once again , she’s a beauty !
-- You know you're getting old when you know the difference between you're (you are) and your (belonging to you) AND how to use them in a sentence .
Grumpy
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14852 posts in 729 days
posted 454 days ago
Very authentic Michael.
-- Grumpy - "Always look on the bright side of life"- Monty Python