lildesertwoodshop Posted August 13, 2013 Report Share Posted August 13, 2013 Hi all, I have been approached to Build a Live Edge Black walnut Hall Table Top (60" x 25" x 2" thick ish) with a metal stand / legs still in the design stage. So I know 0 about Slabs as I have never been involved with ones use in a project. I would welcome any insight to working on this prior to me diving into the pool blind. I have found a Vendor that deals in these so I guess my fist needed information is what I need to ask them for my purchase. Then after it arrives where to go from there. Ill start with that . Thanx all your knowledge and advise is much appreciated!! LILDWS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom King Posted August 14, 2013 Report Share Posted August 14, 2013 Find someone with a wide belt sander, and pay them to dress it. I have all sorts of tools, but no wide belt sander, and that's what I would do. After that, I'd probably still hand plane it for final finish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted August 14, 2013 Report Share Posted August 14, 2013 The saw mill that I use for large slabs like this planes them for me.. Not sure if you can find an option like that where you are but, it sure makes my life much easier! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted August 14, 2013 Report Share Posted August 14, 2013 I have dressed slabs with my drum sander, Peformax 16/32, started with 30 grit sandpaper . I made a cradle and shimmed the slab to level it, then ran the whole thing thru the sander. Had to keep the total height under 3" cause that is the max height to sand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRBaker Posted August 14, 2013 Report Share Posted August 14, 2013 Lildws, in answer to your first question, ask the supplier if he can show you what slabs they have, and if they are air dried or kiln dried. If they are rough sawn, you may not be able to see the grain very well, but you should be able to note any of the major character in the slab (knot holes, shape, splits, crotch cuts, etc.) If they have the capabilities, you may get them to surface one side so you can see the grain as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bombarde16 Posted August 14, 2013 Report Share Posted August 14, 2013 Ask yourself how many more of these you intend to build. If you see yourself welcoming more rough slabs into your shop, it may be worth your time to build a router sled and rails to dress them. If not, pay somebody else to get this one flat and then smooth it by yourself. Rob Bois just v-logged the build of a live edge walnut table and his work would certainly be worth a review. http://theboisshop.blogspot.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lildesertwoodshop Posted August 14, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2013 Ok so the common tone to start with is getting the top prepped Sanded/ Planed. Got it. I have a few Vendors Im looking at and will inquire if they offer that service.. TRB, when you say Kiln or Air dried what is the difference for my needs. And associated with that, A question on my mind is the drying out factor that again I have 0 knowledge on for slabs. Is there a basic time line? , do I need to purchase a moister content meter? I am Located in AZ and as its the middle of the summer things tend to dry quickly here. It seems all the venders have pics so I can at least see the basic vibe of the slabs, but yea as noted seeing fine detail would be hard and I think that its still a bit of a roll the dice sorta thing on that. I will inquire as to how they address that issue , as Im sure its a question they are asked Regularly. Ill be making some inquires to the vendors and go from there. Again thanks All!!! LILDWS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRBaker Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 Lildws, since you live in Az, you have your own set of rules. I believe Marc is out of town, on vacation, or something, but when he gets back, he could answer your questions better than I about the moisture content problems y'all have. It's my understanding that most people have humidifiers in their homes in your area, which will be pumping moisture back into any wood you put inside. We don't have that problem here on the Gulf coast. Our problem is just the opposite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lildesertwoodshop Posted August 15, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 TRD, yea " Its a Dry Heat" as they say and really true, In my shop ( three car Garage) this time of year I run a "Swamp Cooler" Basic Fan sucking in ambient air and passing it through water soaked filter filters with a small pump re soaking filters.IE: returning cooling Moisture / Humiity to the air. Its a larger unit on wheels and will with all three doors wide open ( and they need to be as if not it turns into a rain forest of humidity) drop the temps in the shop 10-15 Degrees and works quite well. However have always wondered how everything wood is effected in the shop over the summer as when its turned off and doors closed the shop is an oven ( my thermometer goes to 120 and is pegged by noon this time of year in the shop before i open up and start the swamp cooler) and as im working daily the work day is humidified for 10 ish hours and then dry as can be for the rest fluctuating back and forth every day. Any way to simplify , importing a slab with an extent of moisture content into my arid temperatures would it turn into a hockey stick with curving and bending / movement without knowing the proper moisture content prior to starting to work on it? Again thax all for any Info To be continued ... LILDWS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bombarde16 Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 Ultimately, where is the piece going to live? If what's worked in Arizona stays in Arizona, then all's well. Problems arise when what's worked in Louisiana travels west through Arizona on its way to Hawaii... This is a single piece of wood that will sit on a metal base. Realistically, how much mischief can it cause? We're not talking doors or drawers binding. Assuming that it's bolted to the base with screws passing through elongated holes, a bit of side to side movement isn't going to kill it. The worst thing that can happen is that the expansion would be accompanied by a twist. That's something you'll discover as the piece acclimates to your shop. Take detailed measurements the day it comes in the door and then keep an eye on it for a week or three. Worst case, if the piece has to be delivered somewhere wet (say, Illinois!) perhaps you'd do well to pony up for multiple slabs. Buy three or four and keep an eye on them as they acclimate. Build them all into tables and deliver the most stable slab to your out of state client. Sell the rest in Arizona and Bob's your father's brother. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted August 15, 2013 Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 Moisture meter is a good idea. Find out what it reads when you get it and how fast it changes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lildesertwoodshop Posted August 15, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2013 wdwerker, yea its a tool I really should have and this seems like the project to warrant purchasing one. ROB , thanx that was what I was looking for as some guideline information. The slab is going to come from The south, Tenn. Be built here in AZ and Stay i AZ. Ok so I did speak to some of the vendors , and was quite happy with what I learned. The one vendor that I spoke to was very helpful and will most likely be my choice. So The slabs that they have are in fact Kiln dried and most are at least 2 years from being sawed. Also for a very small fee ($20 ) they would Plane one side for me (on a slab 60" x 18" ish). As far as the fine detail issue. If I found a slab that they have pictured on the web site , they would go and re examine it taking more detail pics or if I send them some guidelines of what I wanted they would hunt the lot for option pieces , as they stated the pics they have on the site are just a portion of what they have in stock. Shipping , the size Im looking for only just fits into the regulation size for UPS Ground shipping so that wont be crazy doe. OK again thanx all , Ill post up more info and some pics when decide on a slab and get it here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
osgw380 Posted August 16, 2013 Report Share Posted August 16, 2013 I purchase most all my boards from local saw mills and they are usually slabs. I usually like them to be sawed for a year or so air dried. I have never messed with kiln dried so I don't know much about that. One more thing to consider since your doing a live edge table is to pay attention to the variation in width of the boards some slabs get wider and narrower quit a bit depending on the shape of the tree. I think back a year or so ago Fine Woodworking had an article on a router jig to level top and bottom of a large slab (no. 222). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lildesertwoodshop Posted August 17, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2013 allenc, Yes we dont here in the desert have any mills doing this type of cutting as per the lack of available timber to cut, There are a few vendors of slabs about locally but they as well import their stock from elsewhere & attach a large markup on price for their service. With regard to the variance in width, this is something that My client has put forth in that as a live edge / Natural look he would not mind the variation and welcomes that feature , so thats a plus on my side for selecting a slab. And as My query for the surface prep returned a cost effective solution from the vendor , Im going to have them do it , saving me a bunch of time and seems like the general consensus agrees with this. Thanx for the info !! I appreciate it !!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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