This is our first project for a new client and we are super excited because of the collaboration on design approach and the slab of wood we decided to use for the project. The table will have a live-edge walnut top roughly 21″ x 26″ and a clear-coat metal base to highlight the patina of the metal.
The wood for this project comes from a urban plot in Kansas City and was rescued from the landfill in 2017 in collaboration with at tree service. We decided to start with the top so that we could allow the maximum amount of time for the finish to cure while we worked on the legs.
The first step was to slice the slab into the width we needed for this project. To do this we snapped a chalk line and took a quick pass through our bandsaw leaving us with our board and a little scrap.
With the piece cut to the width we needed, the next step was to flatten one side. To do this, we used our brand-new 12″ jointer (very excited) and a process called face jointing. Once we had a dead-flat reference surface we took several passes through a thickness planer to get the board to uniform thickness with both faces parallel to one another.
With the faces of the board now flat, we needed to create an edge that was both flat and perpendicular to the surface in order for the boards to be glued together. This is done once again using the jointer. The board was then cut in half.
Before we talk about the glue-up, a word on why we were so excited about this board. There were two things we liked. First, was the curvy nature of the figure in the wood. The darker lines running along the surface had some uniqueness versus standard walnut with straight lines. Second, yet most importantly, we saw something interesting in the wood… the potential for curly figure or what is called fiddle-back. No-one is quite sure what causes fiddle-back (which gets it name from the high-priced wood they use on the backs of upper-end violins). One theory is that the tree is continuously hit with a strong wind from one direction causing the annular growth rings to compress and expand disproportionately. In the end, we have no idea why, but we know it looks amazing. It takes a keen eye to spot fiddle-back in rough lumber or even in rough planed lumber (can you see it in the first two pictures). To highlight the pattern, we sprayed it with a little bit of water to give a glimpse of what is to come when we apply the finish.
The next step was to join the two halves together to produce the top. We used floating tenons made with our Festool domino machine to help with strength and alignment. The pieces then sat clamped overnight.
Once the glue had set, we removed the clamps and trimmed the top to it’s final length. We then mixed up some black epoxy to fill/stabilize any surface imperfections such such as cracks or knots. The epoxy was then sanded smooth and left behind a nice accent in the walnut.
We then cleaned the live edge using a sander making sure to remove the outer dirt, but leave enough of the patina and contours to accentuate the live edge.
After roughly an hour of sanding all the faces, we applied the first coat of our house finish and watched as the grain pattern exploded onto the surface. We couldn’t be happier with how the fiddle-back looks.
While the first coat of finish was drying we began cutting the raw materials for the legs. The client working in collaboration with their designer had come up with a custom approach for the base so we set off to make it a reality. The individual pieces were cut and pre-drilled and prepped for welding.
The next day welding operations began. Things came together pretty smoothly and we were able to have phase one of the assembly complete in a day.
The final step before clear-coating the base was to add the threaded nuts that will hold the levelers, grind them smooth to the legs. We did a quick test and the levelers fit like a charm. The total height of the table with the top attached and the levers installed will be 23 inches.
Up Next… one final coat of finish for the top, a clear-coat application to the base and then final assembly.