One of my first ideas for this challenge was to make a “green” table – as in recycled, not painted. After weeks of pondering, and ultimately ignoring the problem of where to begin, and more importantly, what to use, I remembered that I had this door sitting in my shed.
It may have been original to the house, but has been collecting dust for the past 5 or so years since we bought the house and replaced the exterior doors – this one had dog door cut out of it and was patched with 2 pieces of luan and some 1” brads.
I begun dismantling to save as mauch of the rails and stiles as I could, happy to say I didn't break any of the glass, just the one stile at the doorknob.
Transitioning from door to table, from left to right, legs, apron, rails and the lower shelf. Yes, it's even painted green - one more layer of "green" on this Greene and Greene project but that's all coming off.
I couldn't tell what the wood would be. I've previously stripped an interior 4 panel door to find it was oak underneath, this looked like it could have been a hardwood, but more likely pine.
I started in on milling the legs, thinking I'd get two out of each side of the door, and the 4 aprons from resawing the widest rails. Looking more closely at the table plans, I was surprised, but pleased to see that the table legs were only 1 1/4" square, (the door was about 1 3/8th). If I stuck to the plan, I wouldn't have to glue up stock! I was also surprised to see how tall (or rather short) the table really was, It looked big and blocky in print, now it seems low - and appropriatley sized to go beside our sofa, and seems light and well proportioned.
Now, I'm sure the material is pine, ripping my legs from the stiles, I find that I could easily make two tables - but I'm short in the apron dept... believe it or not all this wood matches really really well. The long grain is clear and straight, the face grain however contrasts glaringly. I'm going to have to use some of the "extra" legs to cut a veneer face so I can have quartersawn looking legs (I also need to do this to hide the mortises from when the door was pegged together. Found some bits of a translucent and shiny looking glue - kind of like hardened sap in the bottom of some mortices.
Oh how nice to be starting with straight, flat, stable stock. With such a nice tight grain that you could not get at the big box store today (and would be hard pressed to find at the lumberyard) and it was "free" to boot! Initially I was going to put this table up for sale or auction, but now that its being made, quite literally, from my house, here it will remain.
Now I'm getting somewhere.
-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso -- http://blanchardcreative.etsy.com -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/
17 comments so far
Karson
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25873 posts in 1300 days
posted 951 days ago
Scott. ANother great start.
Are you ever going to finish any of them. LOL
-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †
RobS
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1244 posts in 1206 days
posted 951 days ago
A recycled door and free child labor. All right Scott, that’s the ticket. Seriously, good job reusing the old door. Can’t wait to see the outcome.
-- Rob (A) Waxahachie,TX
scottb
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3402 posts in 1226 days
posted 951 days ago
Finish? yeah, thats always a problem for me…. I’m still like DaVinci in that respect, more excited about what’s next than what’s now. My house is a great testament to that fact). But the past month has seen more completed projects than last year, so maybe I’m turning a new leaf?
-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso -- http://blanchardcreative.etsy.com -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/
Dick, & Barb Cain
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7047 posts in 1199 days
posted 951 days ago
It’s nice to see you found some material. I’ve scavenged some nice boards from old doors. they usuallly are made from select lumber. Good luck in your WIP.
-- -** 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
frank
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1503 posts in 1105 days
posted 951 days ago
Hi Scott;
—-from door to table, now there’s a great transition for you! I like what your doing here, or better yet how the wheels of your mind are turning and churning. Maybe it’s also the result of spring has finally hit the landscape up here?
Great looking wood there!
GODSPEED,
Frank
-- --frank, NH, http://frank.wordpress.com/
Hawgnutz
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522 posts in 976 days
posted 951 days ago
Thanks, Scott. I was wondering just what type of wood I would use for the legs on my table. (I am using totally reclaiomed wood from my old barnwood stack.) I have some old doors that I salvaged for the hardware, but now I will use them as the legs. I have some old oak 3/4” T&G flooring I wil use for the top and the stretchers and aprons.
Good luck on your build. I will look forward to seeing the completed project!
Fencing, fencing, fencing,
Hawg
-- Saving barnwood from the scrapyards
MsDebbieP
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14188 posts in 1060 days
posted 951 days ago
yippee—decision made, first steps complete… it’ll be done in no time at all !!
-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
scottb
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3402 posts in 1226 days
posted 950 days ago
I don’t think Spring has exactly sprung… inside of one week the crocuses came up (the first flowers to bloom in our yard) and we were still pulling wood in off the firewood pile to keep warm, and now it’s 85 degrees!
Things should move along now for the table though…. it’s nice and cool in the shop. Already sunburned from going out yesterday.
-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso -- http://blanchardcreative.etsy.com -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/
RobS
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1244 posts in 1206 days
posted 950 days ago
Where a hat next time.
-- Rob (A) Waxahachie,TX
scottb
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3402 posts in 1226 days
posted 950 days ago
thanks.
-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso -- http://blanchardcreative.etsy.com -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/
Ethan
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751 posts in 1073 days
posted 950 days ago
Where? not on his head!
-- Ethan, http://greystonegreen.blogspot.com/
RobS
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1244 posts in 1206 days
posted 950 days ago
ha, Sorry Scott could not pass it up.
-- Rob (A) Waxahachie,TX
Karson
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25873 posts in 1300 days
posted 950 days ago
He’d have to use a rubber strap under his chin to keep it on.
-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †
Obi
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2191 posts in 1136 days
posted 950 days ago
Make sure OSHA doesn’t find out that your slave labor is not wearing safety glasses, hearing protection and gloves…
Great start. Recycled lumber… works for me
-- http://ye-olde-cabinet-shoppe.com/
oscorner
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4572 posts in 1210 days
posted 950 days ago
That is what dismantling looks like! Looks more like destroying! LOL. Great way to make use of that door. Cute kid, must take after your wife. LOL. The challenge is heating up!
-- Jesus is Lord!
scottb
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3402 posts in 1226 days
posted 950 days ago
Can’t get burned on my head, the sun just bounces off – hence the razor instead of a comb!
Os – Actually, i’d say the door was already destroyed when the bottom 2+ panels were cut out to fit a dog door – the patch job of luan and paint would have kept out a burgalar for about 10 seconds. Hence the new doors when we moved in. If I was destroying, the glass would have broke.
-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso -- http://blanchardcreative.etsy.com -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/
oscorner
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4572 posts in 1210 days
posted 946 days ago
I stand corrected. You skillfully dismantled the door, right? LOL.
-- Jesus is Lord!