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Thread: Live edge coffee table

  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2011
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    ny
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    834

    Default Live edge coffee table

    A customer gave me this cutoff to make a table he had in his garage for over 20 years, moisture check was around 10 percent it was a sugar maple. I rough flattened with a chainsaw then surfaced on the bot.

    As I was surfacing I saw old tap bores several show on the top.
    Did through mortises for the legs the top is 3-1/2 inches thick.

    For the mortises and tenons I used a 5/8 dado bit mounted in 1/2 drill rod. A inexpensive way to make a long bit.

    Rubbed it down with a coat on linseed last night will rub several coats of thinned poly satin with a rag next. Decided not to spray it, I think a thin rubbed finish will look better on this piece.








  2. #2
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    May 2011
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    ny
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    Default

    Some more pictures the legs are red Oak.








  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
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    Kennebunkport, Maine
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    4,419

    Default

    WOW Factor is high, and the tapping history provides a good history read
    Had to search a little for through tenons in the finish pic....Excellent!
    Should last a couple centuries, but would Hate to move it around much
    What thickness slab, and a guess at how much it weighs?
    Your typical "Good Feeling" workpiece!
    Lucky man to choose you to do it
    Congrats Brian!
    scott
    scott P.
    2013 Desktop/spindle/VCP 11.5**
    Maine

  4. #4
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    Its a good shin banger I guess it weighs around 75 lbs or more. I like the fact the tenons do not jump out on this one, a lot to discover on this top.

  5. #5
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    Jan 2004
    Location
    Jasper, TX
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    Default

    What Scott said.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Brooklet, Ga
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    187

    Default

    Beautiful. Can you give us the tip on the process to make that long bit?

    A friend of mine has an "oak cookie" about that size that he was commissioned to build a coffee table from. It came from a tree that was 100+ years old that blew down in a storm. He had it milled down flat to about 2" thick with an Alaskan chainsaw mill. He routed out most of the rotted bottom to replace/stabilize with 3/4 plywood and to mount the metal legs to.
    2006 PRTalpha 96x48
    3hp SEV spindle
    Vcarve Pro8
    Always eager to consume large amounts of info, tips, and techniques!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    ny
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    Default

    I bore out the drill rod on a metal lathe a very nice tool to have in the shop. clean all oil out of the hole with a bit of acetone and compressed air.

    I scratch up the shank of the bit I use a 1/4 shank bit with some sandpaper and glue it in with Cyanoacrylate glue Been doing this for many years have never had one come out.

    If you chip or damage the bit some heat from a torch will pop it out to reuse the shank. Just soak it in acetone to dissolve any remaining glue.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Brooklet, Ga
    Posts
    187

    Default

    Handy tip. Will definitely try that. Thanks.

    On the thru tenons on your live edge furniture, do you cut them proud and then sand or cut them off flat on top of the piece or do it some other way? That's some great stuff.
    2006 PRTalpha 96x48
    3hp SEV spindle
    Vcarve Pro8
    Always eager to consume large amounts of info, tips, and techniques!

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2015
    Location
    Alberta
    Posts
    109

    Default

    The pictures suggest that the tenons are proud. Do you cut the tenons off and then rout the tenons to the same level as the table? It would save some sanding?

    I like the finish. It pops the wood texture.

    Nice work, it will be a nice conversation piece in someone's home.

    J

  10. #10
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    May 2011
    Location
    ny
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    I did make a jig for my hand router though these tenons were not that high so I just zipped off the wedges with a oscillating saw and sanded them down with my angle grinder and bosh 6" random orbital.

    The top itself is hard as a rock took more time to sand out the router bit marks.

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