slab coffee table

[sawguy21]

That table is beautiful, a real show piece. Well done.

[OneWithWood]

sweeeet  8)

[Dodgy Loner]

Aaaahhh, I see.  You had a helping hand.  I'm not so lucky :-\

Ian- that's about the slickest trick I've seen for surfacing wide panels.  Now all I need is a nice mill like you've got! ;)

[DWM II]

Thats real slick spinner. Were you able to kiln dry the slab, and if not what kind of M/C % is it at now?

[WDH]

Metalspinner, you are one ferociously creative dude (to employ such fine help) ;D

[metalspinner]

Were you able to kiln dry the slab, and if not what kind of M/C % is it at now?

DWM,
The slab stopped losing weight, so i figured that was good enough.  I could have put it in the solar kiln, but I figured something that thick (10/4) would have degraded to much.  The top is basically just sitting on top of the legs, so any movement should not be noticable.  If it checks a bit, that's OK, too.

WDH,
That is my sister.  She is putting in some sweat equity for her future furniture projects. :D  She is moving to town and needs to fill her house with some furniture.

[WDH]

If that is the case MS, you come from some smart stock :D.

[metalspinner]

Did I mention these slabs came off Teenswinger's Peterson?  He cut them for me a couple years back.  He's kind of shy, so I'm trying to draw him out. :D

[Furby]

Yeah, that boy young man sure don't say a whole lot round here does he. :-\

[brdmkr]

That is a true piece of art.  WOW.

[TexasTimbers]

ms I missed this thread. Nice work. I love the look of that table.  I have many slabs waiting for me to apply these techniques you used. Thanks for the lessons.

[metalspinner]

I have many slabs waiting for me to apply these techniques you used

How is that large RO crotch piece holding up that you free handed with the chainsaw?  I know it's been a bit wet in your neck of the woods, so maybe it hasn't dryed too much yet.

[TexasTimbers]

I think I allowed them to dry too fast actually. One of them looks like the dihedral wing of a glider at the pith, but the others are staying fairly flat. I have quite a few walnut crotches still in the log, and of course that huge red oak one that will take every bit of the 6' bar to slice into.

I can't wait to get around to them. This winter I am sure. I need to go back and read this thread i am sure you described how you finished it. I have ruled out polyirethanes i am going to stick to oils and maybe lacquers for the slabs. But I am also real intereted to use some of that thick pour-on bar topper stuff as well and see how I like it.

[turningfool]

metalspinner..master craftsman! great looking table

[Greg]

gorgeous

[WDH]

I had to scroll back and look at that table again.  Looked better than the first time ;D.

[metalspinner]

Thanks again, guy's!

The table has been in the house for three months now.  A couple of hairline cracks opened up a bit in the extreme crotchity areas.  Also, the epoxy that I used to fill the large cracks from the drying defects or bark inclusions have shrunk(?) a bit.  The shrinking looks more like little pits than anything.  Having said that, those issues are extremely minor and add to the "look" of the piece.  The slab has stayed flat as far as my eye can tell.  Winter is coming , however, and this table is right in front of the fireplace.  Sooo.... my fingers will be crossed. :-\

[WDH]

How is the slab table holding up through the winter?

[metalspinner]

WDH,
I just looked at that today!  We have a large fireplace in the livingroom.  It looks like The Cracker Barrel in there.   I am happy to report that the table survived the first winter in excellent shape.  Very minute checks opened in a couple of places in the crotch areas, but nothing most people would notice.   The table even survived an extended stay by my family over the holidays.

We have lots of visitor's to our home each month.  Meeting type things...boy scouts, parent groups from school, etc.  Most people just don't understand different woods.  Of course, this table sparks lots of conversations that give me a chance to point things out.  There is a genuine disbelief in some people that different trees can produce different colors of wood.  It's just something they never had thought about until they came to visit me.   I guess that is just good marketing by the finishing and furniture industries that color comes from a can. :'(

[WDH]

Yeah, to many people, cherry is a stain .  I am glad the table is acclimating well.  A piece like that will become a beloved friend.