Designing a "Green" table?

Brian,

Have you considered a wooden frame and a granite top? You could use Dovetail joinery for the frame and a natural wax as the finish.

Rat

-- I love the smell of sawdust in the morning....

I would look into finding some reclaimed lumber. Search the internet and see if you can find anything locally that can work. Giving wood a “new life” is very satisfying.

I build about 90% of my projects using green methods. I get most all my lumber locally through craigslist ads. Lots of guys have trees fall on their property, get them sawed into lumber and the never use the wood. I have gotten 20+ year old airdried walnut for $.75 a bdf. As far as glue goes, regular titebond is non-toxic and does not off-gas so don’t waste your time brewing hide glue, especially if your not proficient at it. Selling a project using products your not familiar with is a recipe for disaster. Find a nice WB poly or laquer depending on what your comfortable using. I might consider a linseed oil and wax for the base, but you will need a good durable finish for the top. Unless the client wants the wax the top once a week. Good luck.

-- http://www.efcabineture.com/ You can be tired, or you can be broke, but you should never be tired and broke.

The new October Woodworker’s Journal has a large article on ‘green’ finishes. Shellac and wax is a classic finish, but not all-that suitable for a dining table top.

-- You're a unique and special person, just like everyone else.

Hi Bri,

Hot hide glue and a shellac and/or wax finish should fill the bill for your customers. Explain to them that using “non-toxic” finishes also means having a table top finish that won’t hold up quite as well as others they’ve had in past, and therefore is going to require much more maintenance on their part. They may just relent and go with a more conventional finish :).

-- Have a Good One....