Table Idea could use input

[locustoak]

Making a 6-person dining table for a family member, and have some slabs that I love the figure on. However they aren't quite the right size. The small end each slab is only ~16" wide. So, if I rip as little as possible off one side to glue them together, that will leave me with only ~29" on the small end. The rest of the table would be around 33-36" wide. It's just the last 18 inches that would be too narrow, about 29-30" wide. Doing this would also leave some voids in between that I would fill with black epoxy. (This will be a bookmatching live edge table.)

The sticks laying on top mark the end of the table, where I would cut it to length, to show you the length of table I'm talking about.

Would a narrow 29-30" end to a dining table be acceptable, or would you find different slabs to use? Should I just stick with my idea and use it despite having a narrow end?

[btulloh]

Based on a personal experience with a similar situation, I'd avoid having a narrow end if possible. The narrow end would probably be a continual annoyance.

Another suggestion is to mock up a usable table out of poplar that replicates the general shape and try it for a while. Maybe a narrow end can work for you, but a test drive will answer the question for sure. Mock-ups are a good design step and really pay off.

[doc henderson]

or get a third slab and put it down the center with the book matching on either side, and you can straight cut the inner of the outer two slabs so the overall width is the same over the length of the table.  It is nice to be proportioned.  how long is the table?  our table is 48 inches wide.  room for food in the center and a row of plated down each side.  and my brother cannot reach to take food off my plate.  

[WDH]

How a customer of mine resolved the same issue.....



 

[firefighter ontheside]

If you're going to use resin anyway, why not just hold the narrow ends far enough apart that you get the width you want and then fill in with resin.

[Ianab]

Along the lines of WDH's suggestion, what about a couple of bits of live edge trimmed to roughly fill the gap, then epoxy it all together. Would then only use a fraction of the epoxy, and the sliver of matching live edge in the middle won't look out of place.

[tule peak timber]

People are always asking us for live edge tables at a particular dimension. We achieve it in a couple of different ways. Here are 2:
1. We will take a number of narrow slabs, hopefully sequenced from the same log, and carefully cut along the grain lines, putting them together in parallel for the width we need. This is done with a reciprocating saw, very carefully and a small amount of sanding. The photo below shows 6 different mesquite slabs jointed together in this manner to achieve a rectangular table from basically wiggly boards. It takes a bit of thought in layout and sometimes a template or 2 to make sure that the cut will work. You only get one shot.

 Another way to achieve shape or size is to chisel out along the grain wedge or pie shaped pieces and bring the outside of the slab into dimension. The pic below started as an L shaped slab, natural edge on one side. We split the slab, glued it back on itself, and started removing long wedge shaped pieces to get the L shape pulled in to an oval, with equal dimensions at both ends of the table. It takes a lot of time, a lot of hammering and a lot of patience, but you end up with a table that has natural edge on the long sides and a little bit of carving on the ends to complement the sides. This table is canyon live oak, probably the hardest wood we have in CA. 

 

[SwampDonkey]

Cool tables. You southern boys like'm big and rugged. :D

[kantuckid]

Lacking a live edge piece for the center I'd choose a contrasting color board down the center similar to WDH's pic or parallel the entire length. Walnut I've got on hand there's plenty of them much darker than the others. I did natural edge walnut shelving for a son's kitchen re-do but was easier as the back edge was a wall, so the glue-on's allowed using some of my smaller natural edge cuts up front with an 8/4 glued onto the back for width adjustment. 
Another solution (much depends on what you've got on hand) might be a partial wedge which would have enough long grain to allow a proper glue joint. Sort of like the fat end only of WDH's pic., or it could be a contrast piece too.    

[John357]

Have you considered flipping one of them on end?  The ends would be one short side and one wide side each.   Of course youo would lose the bookmatching, but give the owner a reason to describe and talk about the table, by highlighting that it is almost bookmatched; reverse bookmatched?

John

[Ljohnsaw]

This is some Incense Cedar I cut for my niece and she wasn't bothered by the narrow part.  The 3D grain ripple is amazing.  I just cut, glued and planed it flat.  She did all the sanding, filling and finishing.


 

 

 

[kantuckid]

The flip idea has potential once you see how they might nest together? Big & small on each end. The original pics it seems you've flipped them w/o that in play. 
Also, what's the plan for the long bark inclusion area?  Keep it and key it (butterfly wedges) to the main cut or remove it? 
Lots going on there the longer you look! 
The Incense Cedar table is beautiful!
 But I remain not a fan of beautiful wood tops & benches with factory steel underneath for support which is so common in this time of natural slab mania that's given us wider sawmills and many who try to make a business of slabs. A great tabletop deserves wood underneath or some artsy steel at least. 
I do mean well with this comment, not bashing anyone's work at all.   

[Ljohnsaw]

I do mean well with this comment, not bashing anyone's work at all.

None taken.  I will add that my niece is an interior designer and her husband is a graphic designer.  They are very particular about how things look!  He is for a more simple, clean look.  Those iron legs have little leather booties on the feet so they don't scratch the floor.  The room was remodeled and now matches the level of the rest of the house (raised up ~8") and 2" golden oak floor throughout.  Their house and style is the MCM that is going on now.

[Crusarius]

I have something very similar to what you are working on. I planned on flipping one slab end for end since my slabs are 17" trunk up to a crotch. I figure if I flip one of the slabs I should be able to keep the table pretty consistent for width.

[kantuckid]

I do mean well with this comment, not bashing anyone's work at all.

None taken.  I will add that my niece is an interior designer and her husband is a graphic designer.  They are very particular about how things look!  He is for a more simple, clean look.  Those iron legs have little leather booties on the feet so they don't scratch the floor.  The room was remodeled and now matches the level of the rest of the house (raised up ~8") and 2" golden oak floor throughout.  Their house and style is the MCM that is going on now.

I get that with the tables owners who were after a look they liked and it's great that were not all alike anyway!
 I do see slab mania mostly on FB groups and so many slabbing and making "stuff" w/o any woodworking efforts to place the beautiful slabs on a wood base of some type. My notion of slabs dates back to when I was a subscriber to Fine Woodworking magazine from issue #1 and read about George Nakashima in PA who was an early slab designer. I think his daughter still does that work.
  MCM is/means what? 
My walnut slab stash has plans to become a pool side, under roof, patio table and/or bartop at a son's house in TN-depending heavily on his wife who tends to paint everything. The walnut I got free for a tree removal job where a huge tree fell over and made it hard for this lady to mow around in here yard. I'd hoped for some walnut gunstocks from the roots but this tree had grown over a rock shelf in the edge of her yard and tap root turned sideways many years ago so sort of a weird (for a walnut) pancaked affair. 
My big ERC/cedar slabs will go into my cabin project as counters and maybe a headboard in the loft. One will have a hand hammered copper sink I bought cheaper than metal scrap! on ebay sunk into it.   

[Ljohnsaw]

MCM is/means what?

Mid-Century Modern.  AKA, crap from the late 50's up into the mid-70's.  You know, avocado green appliances, Formica tables with chrome legs, Danish modern furniture with the pencil legs and thin cushions.  The stuff of my childhood.

[tule peak timber]

When possible I strive to make my joinery almost invisible, or at least to trick the human eye. Making wood wider, or longer, changing the shape of a natural edge slab and having a person look at a tabletop and have no idea at what happened is a goal for me.
 Just a note on MCM ; Lots of folks asking for it lately.

 

 

 

  

[Walnut Beast]

Looks awesome !!

[Larry]

Very nice Rob. 8) 8)

I think I'm MCM.  All one has to do is prowl 1st Dibs to experience sticker shock. 

[Stephen1]

Your WW is spectacular. I like window shopping when you post your pics!  :D