I noticed on one of the random photos that pop up, that someone had made a plant stand out of what looks like a tree stump or a tree section with branches cut to create a base. My question is, what wood works for this? Do you power wash it then coat it with varnish? Are they a stable base? I have a few walnut slabs that I've finished, and they are real pretty, and I've always envisioned this type of base for them, for a coffee table type look, but I just don't know how to go about doing it. ::)Any advice will be appreciated. Thanks.
Patty was it one of these pictures?
(https://forestryforum.com/images/YaBBImages/userpics/slabtable.jpg)
(https://forestryforum.com/images/YaBBImages/userpics/cedartablebase.jpg)
Both of these are Northern White Cedar. Peeled by hand. I have never put anything on them but a light whipe with mineral oil. They still look like they do in these old forum pics only they weigh about 25% of what they did.
That top picture looks really, really cool Jeff. Looks like a $600.00 item around here.
EZ
The bottom one is the one I like.
It may never get a top. it holds a beverage and a paper plate the way it is. ;D
This picture shows the stump over a year later and 10 minutes ago. Top trimmed level and legs trimmed to even to the floor
(https://forestryforum.com/images/04_01_03/cedar_table_base.jpg)
VERY NICE tables Jeff. They are exactly what I was talking about. Now more questions.... ;D...when you dug up the root ball how did you keep the roots intact? Norm & I tried digging up a rootball from the red cedars we took down awhile back. Everytime he broke off a root, it stripped up the side of the tree, causing all sorts of damage. Dig you dig it up by hand, or was it one that had fallen over exposing the roots? Another question, how did you attach it to the base of the table? Did you let it dry for awhile first? Did it shrink much or get a bunch of cracks in it while drying? (I don't see any signs of cracks) Can we use any type of tree for a base? If you attached it to the base before it dried, did it loosen at all, causing the slab on top to wobble? So many questions...you can tell I am a real rookie when it comes to wood crafting. I am working on a front door to my house right now; just putting on the finish has been an eye opener. I put a coat of Interlux Goldspar finish on, and in between the 1st & 2nd coat I just wrapped the brush in film wrap. That worked OK, but the brush was a little stiff. So between the 2nd & 3rd coat I washed the brush out with paint thinner, but when I went to put on the 3rd coat, The first two coats came off in wads :o. Bummer. I finally called Interlux and they told me I need a special brush cleaner specific to their products. Who knew? So now I need to sand down to the bare wood and start over I guess. Trial and lots of error seems to be the way I have to learn...any helpful hints would be appreciated from those of you with more experience. :)
Patty, if it won't be more than a day or two in between coats, wrap your brush in plastic and stick it in the freezer (this is for solvent based finishes). The brush comes out kinda cold, but still soft.
I don't use brushes for finishing anymore. I always get brush marks, and I can never clean the brush out good enough anyway ::) I don't know if this method would work with spar varnish or not (I've never used the stuff), but for oil based polyurethane it works great:
Sand the finished piece to 220 grit. Thin the poly with paint thinner so you have a 50/50 mix. Get a clean cotton rag, soak it in the poly, (ring it out) and wipe the poly on your project. This coat will be dry in about half an hour, repeat the application once this first coat is tack free. Repeat a third time when the second coat tacks off. Let dry over night, then lightly sand with 400 grit sandpaper, and use a tack rag to remove the dust. Repeat the three coat application (just note it may take a little longer for each coat to dry...like an hour or so). Let these coats cure overnight and then sand with 1200 grit sandpaper and tack it off. Two or three more wipe on coats and you're done :) After this is dry you can also sand with 1200 or finer to remove any dust that may have settled in the finish. I used this technique on the bottom of my cherry hutch, and it turned out really nice....and smooth ;D
Oh yeah...you should still wipe with the grain :)
Ohsoloco,
Your tips are appreciated. I am going to try what you said as soon as I get my mess sanded out. This Interlux is supposed to be great stuff for wood exposed to weather. My front door will face north and be exposed to all weather...here in Iowa we get snow, wind, rain, heat, humidty, etc.; so this will be a good test for this varnish. After all my effort, I sure hope it does its job.
Don't forget to test on some scrap prepared the same as the door first.
Do we get to see the door when it's finished? ;)