New kinda worklog for my next project - a waterfall coffee table from a single slab

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caustic meatloaf

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  • #1
    So, I've just start work on my next project. I have a 8' long, 24" wide, 5/4 thickness live edge Black Walnut slab that I'm going to make into a waterfall coffee table. I originally got it from a guy out in the 'burbs (who sells planks), it was planed,but I've not had the opportunity in the past 6 months to actually get time to work on it. Yesterday, I stopped by a local woodworking shop that had a large enough sander to take off a few 64ths for me - the plank had cupped every so slightly, and I didn't want to make crosscuts on it until after I knew it was flat. That went rather well, and this Sunday I'm stop by a local woodworking co-op that has a sliding panel table saw that will allow me to make my cross cuts and 45 degree angle cuts.

    Once THAT is done, I have some corner clamps that I'll use with epoxy to join the pieces, and use some artful lag bolts to really make sure they're securely fastened.

    Here's the first photo - the flatness of the plank after coming home with it.
    o2y4nAQ.jpg
     
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    caustic meatloaf

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  • #3
    Got back from the woodshop co-op a couple hours ago, the slab has now been cut! Had to go out to get it cut because I don't have a saw that is both precise enough and with a sliding table so that I could cut this here in my basement. Fortunately, the shop's saw was more than up to the task. The width of the final table will be about 50 inches, and stand about 14 inches high. I'll put up a photo of the cut pieces tomorrow.

    As a summary, the cuts are two 45 degree cuts (for the waterfall style sides), and then a couple cross cuts to take away the short ends sections which had checked during the curing process for the slab. The wrap is looking GOOD when I dry fit the pieces, so I'm cautiously optimistic.

    Either tomorrow or Tuesday, I'll clue the ends in place and clamp them down, and then once that's dry, I have a couple pieces of scrap walnut from that slab that are perfectly cut so that I can put them into the elbows on the bottom side of the table, which will allow me to put in some screws to both pieces - offering strength for the final table. I didn't do dominio joints or a miter because there is a slight bow to the plank (even after I had it sanded flat, it bowed up about 1/32"), and while the cuts match up nice and tight, I didn't want to futz with tools I'm not familiar with on this project.

    Once that's done, I'll use some epoxy filler with some crushed malachite mixed in to fill in a couple voids, finish sand it, and then put on a few coats of shellac to provide a nice finish. Then rub it down with some steel wool to give it a satin finish so that it's not too glossy.
     
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    caustic meatloaf

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  • #5
    Correct - straight crosscuts at 45 degrees to cut out a wedge on each corner. The grain wrap looks pretty good! There is a SLIGHT misalignment, because the kerf of the blade making two cuts ends up taking out a fair amount of wood.

    Here's a view of the wrap around one of the corners:
    zpiUgBy.jpg


    I didn't really consider doing a more beveled drop, because of three reasons.

    1)I figured the fewer cuts I have to make, the less likely I'll screw up on something
    2)Kerf of the cuts will keep taking out material, making matching up harder and harder.
    3)I can't clamp effectively if there are multiple pieces in there to glue up - I don't have a domino biscuit jointer (and that would have been too small a piece to effectively domino anyway, between the top and side).


    Here's the table this morning, flipped over to show the face:

    I5r5gLX.jpg


    Next steps will be to use my cut out wedges from the initial slab cuts. I'll glue them into the under-elbow on each side, and secure with screws. Then I'll fill in the voids with epoxy with malachite mixed in, sand it all down, Bendite for hardening the wood, and wrap it all up with a beeswax finish.

    I'll probably round the corners a little bit, not only to hid the small imperfections from the cutting, but also because those corners are SHARP, and I do not want to gash my leg when I accidentally bump into this table.
     
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    AmigaPhreak

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  • #9
    caustic meatloaf said:
    I paid $280 for it, and that was for an 8 foot long 22-24 inch wide, and 1 3/4" thick live edge slab that had already been cured and planed.
    Click to expand...
    I'm not up on my "raw wood" lingo. I assume you mean that it was 1 3/4" inch when cut green, then it became a 5/4 piece of wood after it was dried and surfaced. So, after taking the cupping out, you are now approaching something that is truly around 1" thick?
     
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    caustic meatloaf

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  • #10
    Most likely it was cut at 2" green (8/4), and then after drying and planing it was down to about 7/4 (1 3/4") - I measured that before getting the cupping taken care of. After getting it sanded down, I lost about 1/8" on each side (it was cupped on one side, bowed on the other), and that took me down to about 6/4 currently.
     
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    caustic meatloaf

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  • #11
    OK, yesterday I installed the adjustable feet on the bottom, and also filled some small voids with Epoxy that had crushed malachite mixed in. One thing that surprised me was how the epoxy actually flowed really well (albeit very slowly) into the voids. I didn't anticipate needing as much as I actually ended up using, because I didn't realize how deep the voids went. But it all turned out OK in the end.

    There is still a void on one side at the bottom that I need to fill, but since it's out of view, I'm going to use a faster curing epoxy to fill it.

    pictures later tonight of the progress.
     
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    caustic meatloaf

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  • #12
    OK, yesterday I installed the adjustable feet on the bottom, and also filled some small voids with Epoxy that had crushed malachite mixed in. One thing that surprised me was how the epoxy actually flowed really well (albeit very slowly) into the voids. I didn't anticipate needing as much as I actually ended up using, because I didn't realize how deep the voids went. But it all turned out OK in the end.

    There is still a void on one side at the bottom that I need to fill, but since it's out of view, I'm going to use a faster curing epoxy to fill it.
    KrgkvnE.jpg
     
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