ronaldtibbs Posted February 5, 2011 Report Share Posted February 5, 2011 Last year we moved into an amazing 100 year old farm house and we've been keeping ourselves busy with small projects to put our stamp on it. I'm retired and have recently decided to add woodworking to the list of things I do to keep myself busy when I'm not stretched out on the couch. From a Noob woodworker's point of view I guess I could say I live in paradise. This region is loaded with 18th and 19th century barns and structures that have been neglected and I've already reaped some reward. A couple of piles of old growth ash and fir planks and oak beams have made their way into my basement and garage. They were salvaged from an old saw mill that collapsed under last winter's heavy snow. We have a rather large dining room and we wanted a table that wouldn't be swallowed up. Luckily for me my fiancée wanted this table to be rustic and weathered so the barn floor planks I chose needed little work. The fact that I own only a few hand saws, a hammer, a drill and an assortment of sand papers made the planning quite simple. I left as much of the character as I could, (spike holes, etc..) just knocking off the sharp edges and splinters before many hours of sanding. I finished it with a teak colored stain and two coats of a water based lacquer. It's 3.20 meters long, 1.10 meters wide and 73cm tall. The top consists of 3 planks 5cm thick that I secured to 3 cross boards underneath, one toward each end and one in the center. The base is a simple 4 post leg plan with cross beams and a runner down the center. I pinned the whole thing together with 27mm dowel pins dry hammered into 25mm holes. This table is hardware and glue free. The top weighs a ton and is just resting on the legs. It's not going anywhere. I think it's time to invest in some decent hand tools and turn my basement into a nice little workshop. I'll keep you posted on the shop build. I apologize for some of the pics, I took them with my mobile phone but I think you will be able to make out the rough cut milling saw marks, live edges and spike holes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmykx250 Posted February 5, 2011 Report Share Posted February 5, 2011 Wow. What a georgous table. You should be proud of that. It goes to show you that if you have the drive you dont nessarily need ALL the tools. Nice stash of lumber too nice that you get that stuff for free! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben H Posted February 5, 2011 Report Share Posted February 5, 2011 Awesome table. I'd like to think this is the kind of table Kings dined at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beechwood Chip Posted February 5, 2011 Report Share Posted February 5, 2011 It's beautiful, and fits the room wonderfully. It's like something out of a storybook. I hate to mention this since you're all done, but when you fastened the top three boards to the three cross-boards, did you allow for the wood to expand and contract with changes in humidity? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vic Posted February 5, 2011 Report Share Posted February 5, 2011 Very nice! A perfect old style trestle table!! I got a warehouse with a bunch of old barn wood, too. I don't have nearly as much as you seem to have, but I'm gonna use mine for a Roubo style bench. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayWC Posted February 6, 2011 Report Share Posted February 6, 2011 Thumbs up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChetlovesMer Posted February 6, 2011 Report Share Posted February 6, 2011 I hate to mention this since you're all done, but when you fastened the top three boards to the three cross-boards, did you allow for the wood to expand and contract with changes in humidity? I have to admit the same thing ran through my head. Either way, many it turned out great. Makes me think of what I pictured the Mead Hall tables to look like when I first read Beowulf. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronaldtibbs Posted February 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 6, 2011 Thanks for the compliments everyone! It was great to be able to have so many members of the family around the same table for Christmas. It almost makes me wish I'd added another 50 or 60cm to the length. Chip and Chet: I considered expanding the holes in the cross boards to more of an oval shape to allow for some lateral movement but the planks are so old with small growth rings I'm hoping they will be stable enough. It is a bit of a gamble of course. I'm certainly open to other methods of connecting the top planks and will probably make the next one a bit more refined with jointed and glued edges and a narrow rail to cover the grain on each end. I'm new to projects of this scale and I've been able to find plenty of inspiration on the internet. I expect to get some great advice and support here as well. Vic: Good luck with your Roubo bench. I'll be sure to look for any updates you post on its progress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Bennett Posted February 6, 2011 Report Share Posted February 6, 2011 Thanks for the compliments everyone! It was great to be able to have so many members of the family around the same table for Christmas. It almost makes me wish I'd added another 50 or 60cm to the length. Chip and Chet: I considered expanding the holes in the cross boards to more of an oval shape to allow for some lateral movement but the planks are so old with small growth rings I'm hoping they will be stable enough. It is a bit of a gamble of course. I'm certainly open to other methods of connecting the top planks and will probably make the next one a bit more refined with jointed and glued edges and a narrow rail to cover the grain on each end. I'm new to projects of this scale and I've been able to find plenty of inspiration on the internet. I expect to get some great advice and support here as well. Vic: Good luck with your Roubo bench. I'll be sure to look for any updates you post on its progress. Great table. I make a lot of big tables though not often as 'rustic' as this one. However it fits the room perfectly and that what makes a good piece of furniture into a Great piece of furniture. Fit for purpose. Looking at your old planks I would say that as long as you don't allow the humidity in the room to change too much you should be OK. However, if you are planning on doing more like it I definitely would stay away from cleated ends (breadboard ends) they have little real use if every thing else is right and good clean end grain to me at least is less offensive. If you make a decent under frame and button the top to it it will stay as flat as its ever going to and is free to move in and out at lesure without ever leaving steps either inward or outward where the cleats join. I made a ten feet by five feet table two years ago and the client insisted on cleats despite all I could say. Last summer I took nearly 3/8" inch off each end to bring them back in line with the top. Think 3/8" is a lot? It equates to 1% of movement on a table of this width, and 1% is nothing in real terms. Something you would never have noticed had the cleats not been there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayWC Posted February 7, 2011 Report Share Posted February 7, 2011 Great table. I make a lot of big tables though not often as 'rustic' as this one. However it fits the room perfectly and that what makes a good piece of furniture into a Great piece of furniture. Fit for purpose. Looking at your old planks I would say that as long as you don't allow the humidity in the room to change too much you should be OK. However, if you are planning on doing more like it I definitely would stay away from cleated ends (breadboard ends) they have little real use if every thing else is right and good clean end grain to me at least is less offensive. If you make a decent under frame and button the top to it it will stay as flat as its ever going to and is free to move in and out at lesure without ever leaving steps either inward or outward where the cleats join. I made a ten feet by five feet table two years ago and the client insisted on cleats despite all I could say. Last summer I took nearly 3/8" inch off each end to bring them back in line with the top. Think 3/8" is a lot? It equates to 1% of movement on a table of this width, and 1% is nothing in real terms. Something you would never have noticed had the cleats not been there. I'm glad I'm not the only one that feels this way. To me, breadboard ends are good for breadboards. They're small in width meaning they won't show that much difference (not nearly 3/8", but maybe 3/32 at most) and tend to be thin enough to warrant the stability the end provides. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Bennett Posted February 7, 2011 Report Share Posted February 7, 2011 I'm glad I'm not the only one that feels this way. To me, breadboard ends are good for breadboards. They're small in width meaning they won't show that much difference (not nearly 3/8", but maybe 3/32 at most) and tend to be thin enough to warrant the stability the end provides. At last a friend who understands. Thank you. You would not believe, this guy had been told (by another furniture maker apparently) that the end pieces would stretch and contract with the rest of the table! Trouble is he believed it, until now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Fogarty Posted February 7, 2011 Report Share Posted February 7, 2011 Brilliant Table WS. Just on breadboards, Im a bit different here, as I love the atheistic look of large breadboard ends on tables. If constructed correctly, and most important, taking into consideration the time of year and wether conditions the timber is stored and constructed, movement will be minimal. But that’s what makes woodworking so great, everyone is different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klousiajp@gmail.com Posted February 8, 2011 Report Share Posted February 8, 2011 Mycket bra Ron. I'm a huge fan. Can you tell us about the joinery for the legs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayWC Posted February 8, 2011 Report Share Posted February 8, 2011 Brilliant Table WS. Just on breadboards, Im a bit different here, as I love the atheistic look of large breadboard ends on tables. If constructed correctly, and most important, taking into consideration the time of year and wether conditions the timber is stored and constructed, movement will be minimal. But that’s what makes woodworking so great, everyone is different. The movement will be what it is no matter what time of the year you make the table; however, I understand that the humidity levels at the time you size the breadboard end will affect how much error can be concealed. Ideally, when a breadboard end is made, you'd be at the median point of humidity. That way when the table dried out or saturated, it would shrink or grow half of the total movement. Perhaps the owner of the table mentioned above could have lived with 3/8" movement if it was 3/16" short during the humid months and 3/16" long in the dry months. Playing this game is a gamble. Also, I have nothing against breadboard ends. I just think they have limited uses when true craftsmanship is being factored in the design... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayWC Posted February 8, 2011 Report Share Posted February 8, 2011 Brilliant Table WS. Just on breadboards, Im a bit different here, as I love the atheistic look of large breadboard ends on tables. If constructed correctly, and most important, taking into consideration the time of year and wether conditions the timber is stored and constructed, movement will be minimal. But that’s what makes woodworking so great, everyone is different. Also...and this is a complete joke with you (not at you) so please don't get upset...I think you meant aesthetic not atheistic. The first is about how it looks. The second is whether or not you believe in God (or other ethereal beings). LOL. Have a good one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
decibel Posted February 9, 2011 Report Share Posted February 9, 2011 Nice job, this looks like something my wife would love. Pretty stout legs there too you guys plan on eating a dinosaur I'll have to show here this and see what she thinks she had me make a table with 4X4 legs and she digs it so, as long as she's happy I get shop time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronaldtibbs Posted February 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2011 Thanks for the continued comments and compliments. The feedback about the breadboard ends has given me much to think about, especially since I'm new to building furniture. I suppose it's like everything else in life... You never stop learning. J.P. : I wanted to use through mortise and tenon joints and pin them through from top to bottom. Unfortunately while practicing a mortise on a scrap piece of post, I realized I was in over my head or at least trying to exceed the ability of my small chisel set. I don't have mortise & tenon chisels yet and will probably have to find some larger framing chisels if I want to tackle joints this size. So, what does every stumped hobbyist in Sweden do at this point? I turned to Ikea for inspiration. I used 10cm long sections of 27mm diameter dowel rods to peg the joints together like the small wooden dowel pins used to assemble Ikea furniture. I drilled the holes completely through the legs and used two pins on the inside of the joints. Then I cut smaller pieces of the dowels to cap the holes on the outsides of the legs to make it look like they are pinned all the way through. One of the many reasons I consider this my 'prototype' build and I will be looking for alternative methods of construction from others more experienced at this stuff as I move forward with additional tables. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Bennett Posted February 11, 2011 Report Share Posted February 11, 2011 Brilliant Table WS. Just on breadboards, Im a bit different here, as I love the atheistic look of large breadboard ends on tables. If constructed correctly, and most important, taking into consideration the time of year and wether conditions the timber is stored and constructed, movement will be minimal. But that’s what makes woodworking so great, everyone is different. I have been making tables for more than forty years and I can tell you I definitely construct them correctly. But, 1% movement is about as minimal as you can ever hope for. But on a table that is 1500 mm wide that is 15mm, which is, in real money, almost 5/8" that was my real point concerning the table I talked of. Breadboard ends may look pleasing, but timber has virtually no movement in its length. The 60mm thick by 200mm wide quarter sawn Oak that I used was at 9% EMC which is normally good for here in France. The boards could just as easily expanded 1%. Instead, the client has probably the fiercest Central heating system I know of and they shrank. When I put my meter on the boards after 12 months they showed less than 6%. Which is too low for comfort, as far as I'm concerned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noumenon Posted February 13, 2011 Report Share Posted February 13, 2011 Love the old thick massive barn wood. Good choice in stains too. The only thing visually I would change would have been using a apron to support and mount the top too rather than the cross pieces underneath. Others that don't have a lot of tools should take great inspiration from this because you don't need perfectly milled lumber and a shop full of tools to make good looking furniture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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