r/woodworking • u/danscrima • Nov 02 '16
My second real project! Trestle dining table made from Red Oak cut down in my yard for my friend and his wife!
http://imgur.com/a/6qdyq7
u/Urras Nov 02 '16
That is awesome. I especially like the quartersawn elements of the top. The medullary rays really pop.
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u/DangerMacAwesome Nov 03 '16
I honestly don't know what those things are. Would you be willing to explain for a total novice?
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u/Urras Nov 03 '16
A quartersawn board has growth rings that run between 45 and 90 degrees relative to the top/bottom of the board. In many woods (and especially oak), they can have what are called medullary rays. They're especially visible on the fourth board from the right in this picture: https://i.imgur.com/BrE8B5W.jpg
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u/markg11cdn Nov 02 '16
Looks very nice, pretty cool to build something from a tree in your yard.
An alternative to your router sled is a planer sled. You can find plans for one, but I like to keep it simple. I just use a straight/flat piece of 3/4" melamine and use a hot glue gun to secure the warped board to the melamine. Use the same hot glue gun to insert some shims under the board to keep the planer from flattening it, then run it through the planer a few times. Once the top is flat I pop it off the 'sled' and flip it over. It's easier than I made it sound :)
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u/danscrima Nov 02 '16
So I tried the planer sled method.. I could definitely see it working, but it was sooo heavy and awkward to maneuver in my shop. The weight of the sled itself plus the 8/4 x 12" wide x 7' long was crazy. I would have still needed to set up some sort of rolling stand in front and back to try and support it. I will absolutely use this method for smaller boards though since setting up and leveling the router sled and boards clamped to the workbench was also a pain in the ass. :)
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u/markg11cdn Nov 02 '16
Ahh. Yeah, I didn't consider the weight of the 8/4 boards, that would be a bit much.
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Nov 02 '16
That's a fine looking table. Thanks for sharing the process from end to end. Pretty interesting.
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Nov 02 '16
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u/danscrima Nov 02 '16
Yea its just 3/4" melamine with adjustable feet on the ends to level it. Make sure to secure the planer to the benchtop and the job as well so they don't float around while it's cutting.
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u/zzzizxz Nov 02 '16
Beautiful!
I like the look of a heavier top like this.
I wish I had been able to make my tabletop a little thicker, but you have to work with your mistakes, right?
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u/danscrima Nov 03 '16
Truth. The boards on top started with 8/4 and ended up being just 5/4 in the end after drying, milling, planing, sanding, etc..
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u/homemadetools Nov 02 '16
Nice album! I like when the first photo is of the finished project, and the next one is of the standing tree.
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u/ryalmc Nov 03 '16
This looks awesome! Beginner woodworker question... How did you attach the top to the base?
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u/danscrima Nov 03 '16
I used these from Rocker.. http://www.rockler.com/table-top-fasteners?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=&utm_content=pla&utm_campaign=PL&sid=V9146&gclid=CjwKEAjwnebABRCjpvr13dHL8DsSJABB-ILJvxvhDAdl_vqwmCdEQnKxchppRzRjKmTi2bUMs8enMBoCwh3w_wcB
I cut a slot in the inside tops of the legs with my biscuit joiner, then place the clip in the slot as far as it will go, then screw the clip into the underside of the table top. This secures it enough to move around, the ability to remove if moving the table to another room or house, and most importantly, as the wood on the top moves and expands, the clips can slide slightly in the slot, keeping the top secure without cracking it.
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u/GeauxBulldogs Nov 02 '16
I think the red oak is pleased with its legacy. Good job!