daviddoria Posted March 3, 2019 Report Share Posted March 3, 2019 I got this cool slab that I'm going to make into a coffee table top. I wanted to get some opinions - do I: 1) leave it as is, accepting that the lower right part of the live edge has been cut straight or 2) cut it as shown by the red line in the attached picture so that the live edge extends along the whole edge (but losing the crotch/'Y'), making the bottom edge parallel to the top edge I'd hate to lose the crotch, but I also feel like the non-continuous live edge will drive me crazy ("if only I had waited for a different slab..." haha). Which would you guys consider the lesser of the two evils? Thanks! David 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted March 3, 2019 Report Share Posted March 3, 2019 Crotch is the best part. If it bothered you try and make the cut follow the line of the live edge so it doesn't form a corner and then under bevel it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnDi Posted March 3, 2019 Report Share Posted March 3, 2019 Keep the crotch. What would you think about cutting the other side square to match the other? nice slab! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardA Posted March 3, 2019 Report Share Posted March 3, 2019 Do a short cut on the other side of the live edge to match the other one, then do whatever you have planned. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riqmar Posted March 3, 2019 Report Share Posted March 3, 2019 OR, you might consider a different sort of crosscut; is you leave the left and right ends of the red line approximately where they are and then drop the center of the line by several inches then the two outer points could be reconnected by either a line that curves down to the new, lower centerpoint OR by two straight lines that meet at the centerpoint [thus forming a shallow V rather than a curve]................have fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Chet Posted March 3, 2019 Popular Post Report Share Posted March 3, 2019 I think I would do a little power carving to the straight cut. Round it some so it isn't so straight and then do some shaping to match the rest of the edge after you remove the bark. Its a bit of a challenge to get the bark to stay on down the road so it is usually best to remove it right now. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted March 3, 2019 Report Share Posted March 3, 2019 Turn the flaw into a feature.. It wasn't your cut that made that edge. Leave it as is and enjoy the table. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curlyoak Posted March 3, 2019 Report Share Posted March 3, 2019 I love, honor and obey all crotches. It is the main feature on that board. As long as the cut and the entire top is sanded carefully to a very fine grit it has to be beautiful. It is walnut. What is the base? Sometimes the art is in the wood. All we have to do is expose it and polish it. And non woodworkers give us a little more credit than is due. Especially with figured material... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treeslayer Posted March 3, 2019 Report Share Posted March 3, 2019 I think you have the consensus David, keep the crotch, cutting it off would be a shame. whats your plan for legs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daviddoria Posted March 4, 2019 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2019 Thanks guys. I figured "keep the crotch" would win. Now I just have to decide what I want to do about the straight part of the crotch on the outside right bottom... I was going to use some 1.5" steel tube U-style legs. I guess that's why I'm obsessing about this cut - because there really is hardly any work/design involved haha. "Hey look I screwed this piece of wood onto these legs" had better not elicit a "yea but what the heck is this straight part?" for a viewer :). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted March 4, 2019 Report Share Posted March 4, 2019 Double waterfall it if it's long enough.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Coop Posted March 4, 2019 Popular Post Report Share Posted March 4, 2019 It’s darn hard to get a live edge on all four sides. I agree with Chet above. I had a similar delima with my slab. I ended up softening the straight cut a bit. Great looking piece btw. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
difalkner Posted March 4, 2019 Report Share Posted March 4, 2019 I have a couple that I'm still deciding what I want to do with but I'll probably do something similar to what Coop did and just soften the edge and straight cuts. David 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted March 4, 2019 Report Share Posted March 4, 2019 Keep it as-is. If the log were not so flared at the crotch, I'd suggest ripping it down the center, and flipping the bark edges inward to form the banks of a river. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drzaius Posted March 4, 2019 Report Share Posted March 4, 2019 Keep the crotch. Man, I love me some crotch. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krtwood Posted March 4, 2019 Report Share Posted March 4, 2019 Cut diagonally across that limb. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted March 4, 2019 Report Share Posted March 4, 2019 15 hours ago, treeslayer said: I think you have the consensus David, keep the crotch, cutting it off would be a shame. whats your plan for legs? I think this is important because we never have a consensus on anything. I'm the one guy that thinks these are wasted for table tops. Cut the edges off saw veneer and use it for drawer fronts, door panels, or small box lids ect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drzaius Posted March 4, 2019 Report Share Posted March 4, 2019 39 minutes ago, Chestnut said: I think this is important because we never have a consensus on anything. I'm the one guy that thinks these are wasted for table tops. Cut the edges off saw veneer and use it for drawer fronts, door panels, or small box lids ect. I agree with this. Especially after seeing your latest dresser build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curlyoak Posted March 4, 2019 Report Share Posted March 4, 2019 How thick is it? If it is thick enough I would Cut the sap off of the right side in picture and leave the crotch in place. Then I would re-saw the slab and glue together for a match grained with some crotch and sap and live edge on both sides. Finely polished walnut is beautiful. No matter what you do...wire brush the live edge... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post daviddoria Posted March 26, 2019 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted March 26, 2019 Thanks for all of the suggestions and discussion! I've attached how it ended up - I like it! Now if only the finish made the crotch figure look like Marc's (also attached)... (I even used the same finish and technique (though apparently not haha)!). 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted March 26, 2019 Report Share Posted March 26, 2019 I'd bet that yours looks close. The difference is the lighting and camera he uses to take project pictures. Also editing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denette Posted March 26, 2019 Report Share Posted March 26, 2019 Well, I'm late to the party, but a good practice is to ask yourself what would work best for the function of the piece. Would a smaller but more simply-shaped table be better for its purpose? Or would the natural rawness of the slab serve it better? There's rarely a pat "this is right" answer when it comes to design. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Byrdie Posted March 26, 2019 Report Share Posted March 26, 2019 I'm not, personally, a big live edge person but I think the overall outcome is nice and well executed. Nice piece. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curlyoak Posted March 27, 2019 Report Share Posted March 27, 2019 What kind of finish did you use and how many coats? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daviddoria Posted March 27, 2019 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2019 Minwax Wipe On Poly (glossy), 4 coats, applied with a rag. Lightly sanded with 400grit between the first 3, and 600 grit before the last one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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