December 4, 2009

Two tables

The desk project is done, and now it's George Nakashima table time!



I've got eight planks of Garry oak which are a mix between stunning, and badly checked (cracks). I bought the planks about two and half years ago from boat builder Paul Gartside. Great guy, I'd visit him daily. His boat shop was in the same complex where i ran a Weinig 6 head moulder. It was a terrible job, loud and dull. Paul's shop was the perfect lunch break refuge: calm and engaging. It was the first time i was around someone who loved their craft.

My jointer and planer don't have the capacity to handle these planks. So to flatten them i am using the router and a large sliding jig with rails.



I like using a center clean plunge bit. I'd go with the largest diameter you can find. I'm using a 2 1/4 hp router, it's a little whinny for a job like this, but its all i got.



With this technique you get great results. Zero tear out if your paying attention, slowing down for the tricky grain and knots.





I think these planks will work really nice. There's some nice spalting in the sapwood. I'm keeping the live edge, but I'll have to scribe the two pieces together removing most of the crevice in the middle of the table.

Here's the massive desk and shelf project i finished last week, i should have taken photos before they moved in.







-tyler

5 comments:

  1. Great looking planks! Cant wait to see what ya do with them!

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  2. Beautiful desk! I bet the planks turn in to something beautiful too!

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  3. Oooh, can't wait to see what you turn the wood planks into.
    And love the desk too!

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  4. The planks look great and the desk to. Curious to know how you attached the shelves to the wall. They appear to float. I would like something similar in my home but haven't figured out how to attach the shelves so that they can hold lots of books.

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  5. I had a friend fabricate some metal posts. I build the shelf around the posts, then the posts get attached directly to the studs.

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