Trestle kitchen island

[Just Bob]

This is based, very loosely, on Marc's sculpted trestle desk.  My wife's back was broken in 2012 and now can't stand for more than 20 minutes without a lot of pain.  So to cook, which she loves, she needs to sit.  She asked that I design an island that she could sit at and be able to rest her feet.  Since I like to eat, this is what I made.  It is 48"x24"x37" (ish).  Wood is sapele, the legs are sculpted, or mutilated, depending on your point of view.  The lower stretcher and foot rest, has a 45 degree chamfer, to protect the wood, from nasty shoes, (mine not hers), I milled a 1/4" thick by 1" piece of aluminum flat bar to fit the chamfer.  The aluminum is being powder coated and hopefully closely matched in color.  I pick it up next week.  Finish is sprayed gloss lacquer over shellac, (SealCoat), I rubbed out the final coat with a 2000 grit pad and some mineral spirits.  I will put a couple coats of paste wax on it in a week or two.

By the way Kev, @TIODS,  suggested the lacquer finish, I wasn't sure so I made 6 sample boards with finishes from water borne, to the lacquer over shellac  I put all of them side by side and told my wife to pick one.  She immediately pick the lacquer/shellac.  Not sure what that means...

Still in the shop:

and where it belongs.

Now I need to make a stool.....

[wtnhighlander]

Looks great, Bob! That sapele is beautiful.

[bleedinblue]

Outstanding!

[pkinneb]

That top is amazing!!

[wdwerker]

Elegant solution to the need . Beautiful execution !

[..Kev]

That Sapele is amazing Bob!  Beautiful job!

[RichardA]

Hell of a job for a damn good reason!

[shaneymack]

The sapele is awesome ! I agree Lacquer was the way to go. Did you use waterborne lacquer or solvent based? Pre cat? What manufacturer? Did you thin it out at all? What did you spray with?

Great job on the table Bob!

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[Just Bob]

Thanks all for the comments.

1 hour ago, shaneymack said:

The sapele is awesome ! I agree Lacquer was the way to go. Did you use waterborne lacquer or solvent based? Pre cat? What manufacturer? Did you thin it out at all? What did you spray with?

Great job on the table Bob!

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The lacquer was a complete fiasco.  I spent more time trying to find it than finishing!  All of the paint stores I went to either did not carry it or would only mix 5 gallons.  I went to a auto paint store positive I could find it there, and was told it was a special order product and it cost $100.00 a pint!  I ended up with Watco's brushing lacquer.  I thinned the first coat to 70/30 (thinner to lacquer) and the remaining 3 coats to 50/50.  I wanted to use pre cat, I am not sure how this is going to hold up.  For spraying a I bought a Warwick gravity fed gun at the auto paint store.  It was on sale and is a much better gun than the HF gun I used to paint a couple trucks years ago. 

[shaneymack]

Thanks all for the comments.

The lacquer was a complete fiasco.  I spent more time trying to find it than finishing!  All of the paint stores I went to either did not carry it or would only mix 5 gallons.  I went to a auto paint store positive I could find it there, and was told it was a special order product and it cost $100.00 a pint!  I ended up with Watco's brushing lacquer.  I thinned the first coat to 70/30 (thinner to lacquer) and the remaining 3 coats to 50/50.  I wanted to use pre cat, I am not sure how this is going to hold up.  For spraying a I bought a Warwick gravity fed gun at the auto paint store.  It was on sale and is a much better gun than the HF gun I used to paint a couple trucks years ago. 

Next time check here if they have a distributor near you

http://www.acromapro.com/distributor-locator?

I used to buy 5 gallons buckets from them. Now I only buy a gallon here and there and they are cool with it for most products. I just bought a gallon of the intro 25° pre cat for 60$. Self sealing, super easy to use stuff. Try it if you get a chance

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[Just Bob]

Thanks, but no go.  Kev said he is able to buy gallons at Sherwin Williams, but the store I tried refused.  Seems like everybody thinks I am going to destroy the worlds climate.  Might have to find a black market supplier.

[shaneymack]

Thanks, but no go.  Kev said he is able to buy gallons at Sherwin Williams, but the store I tried refused.  Seems like everybody thinks I am going to destroy the worlds climate.  Might have to find a black market supplier.

By no go you mean you have no dealers near you?

With Sherwin williams it depends on the location. Some don't carry the lacquers. I called one location and they told me to try another one. I tried another and they had them.

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Edit: I just got what you said....they HAD the lacquer but didn't want to open a 5g to make a 1g for you....got it.

[wtnhighlander]

What's the deal, Bob? You live California, or something? ?

[Just Bob]

2 hours ago, wtnhighlander said:

What's the deal, Bob? You live California, or something? ?

Not yet, but they are trying very hard to catch up. If it weren't for grandkids we would be gone.

[Coop]

Beautiful table Bob. As the top is 24" wide, your initial boards were at least 12" wide? Did you buy them milled? I've never used sapele, great looking wood.

[Just Bob]

21 hours ago, K Cooper said:

Beautiful table Bob. As the top is 24" wide, your initial boards were at least 12" wide? Did you buy them milled? I've never used sapele, great looking wood.

The top started as a rough cut 4/4 x 13"x12'.  Cut in half then skip planed it to get it kind of flat and do the grain matching.  Matched planed two  edges at the bench.  Glued it up and finished flattening both sides with a LAJ and a No. 7.  Then squared one edge and cut it to final size one the table saw and a track saw.  It is really nice wood to both look at an work.