Table completed

Here it is, the completed table!

I am really happy with how it turned out.

I did a final sanding up to 320 grit on it then I did a coat of Osmo Poly Oil, wiped and let it sit for 24hrs and then did another coat again.

The leg are from the local hardware shop, I decided I wanted to only have 3 vs 4. To me, it looks aesthetically more pleasing to the eye.

Little side project

Friends of ours gave us a gift of a box of cherries (they were absolutely decadent!) and came in this lovely box.

Rather than just chuck the box in the rubbish (as most often do) I decided to recycle it into a little ornamental keep sake box or nick knack box and give it back to them.

I didn't remember to take a picture of the inside where I had created a shelf.

Update on Table being worked on

 Here are some pictures of the updated table I've been working on. You can see some of the detail on the design and how it's coming together.

 

Here is a rough outline of the concept :

This shows the underlying timber color as I sand through the layers of years of dirt.

Cleaning up the cracks and screw holes of debris:

Routing out the form for the epoxy:

Most of the form complete but also used the table as a work bench for a side project:

What's being worked on....

Currently, I am working on a table that takes both my partner and I to lift as it is so heavy. 

A dear friend & work colleague of mine knew that I was doing wood working and stated he had this piece of wood that he was going to chuck out. It was being used for a work bench top and he needed to get rid of it so that he could start building his new garage/work shed.

I told him in shock horror not to throw it away! "Give it to me, Give it to me!" 

He said it was a very heavy piece of s@!# (slab) LOL, and that if I was sure, he'd bring it down to work the next day and load it up in my truck.

Insert DUH here!

  

But of course I want it. I can not, in good conscience, see a potentially good piece of timber go to waste!

So, I am currently working on it. 

Here is a sneak peek at what the timber looked like after it's first 60 grit rough sanding. I forgot to take pictures of it when it was first given to me (I am kicking myself, trust me!), but you can see the black/dark green of what it was and the holes in it.

 

More to come.

Framing Saw

I was working on the tea trays that I was commissioned to work on for Christmas, as you can see from those posts on Dec 5 marked Tea Trays and I had to do them by hand with a hand saw.

Looking back on that now, I realized that I was mad, mad, mad to do them by hand as it nearly killed my recently surgically repaired shoulder.

But alas I had no alternative at the time to cut the timber slabs down thin enough from the original thickness. 

See the timber was the off cut of the barn door on the vanity. (see Oct blog) 

And to get it thin enough to be able to be carried it had to be cut in half - length wise (in timber terms - resaw).

After surviving that, I swore (so many naughty words) but also that I would not do that again and that there had to be a better way.

Google comes to the rescue again.

It's called a Frame Saw and it's a method used since apparently the 1380's though there is a picture in a manuscript showing Jesus with his father Joseph at work in his workshop sawing a plank with a fixed frame saw.

So I decided that instead of paying approximately $350-400 for one, that I could make one version of it myself.

And that's what I did.

 

 

 

It actually turned out better than I expected, lol. 

I thought I would have some bent, twisted and awkward piece of kindling but it is straight, light yet sturdy and comfortable.

So I look forward to doing my next resaw of a timber piece too big for my bandsaw now.

Something I've been wanting to do...

If you have looked at my blog, you can see that further back I had created an "Lineberry Style" glass coffee table and renovated an original Lineberry.

They are part of home and a true icon of nostalgic Americana. A bit of history on the Lineberry Cart: 

Charles Francis Lineberry founded the Lineberry Foundry & Machine Company in N. Wilkesboro, NC. in 1900, but the company didn’t start to manufacture factory ‘trucks’ as he called them until around 1942.

For much of the 1900s, Lineberry Foundry and Machine Co. sold three-wheel carts to furniture, textile and other factories across the Southeast about as fast as the company could produce them in North Wilkesboro and later in Wilkesboro.

Most of these factories are closed but the sturdy Lineberry carts used in them to move parts and materials are now in great demand for restoration and use as residential coffee tables. They’re also called railroad carts because they were originally used in train depots for transporting baggage.

Lineberry carts, made of oak with cast iron wheels, bolts, and plates, are the latest retro / steam punk trend and are sold all over the internet refurbished or UN-refurbished for those wishing to tackle the project themselves.

I fell for these carts and wanted one for the longest, so after some surfing on the web I got one and parts for another. All that you can see for yourself on the blog.

But another thing was I wanted a little version for something to place either my ipad whilst charging or any other little knick knack that I could think of.

Simple right? All I have to do is make a mini version! 

Okay, so mini wheels, timber, screws, nails and voila! 

 

 

 

I've used mahogany and camphor laurel slats, original cast iron wheels with brass clips and nails and an aluminum bar with brass plate holder.

I am really happy with the way it came out. You can see the detail in the pics of even the small bar across with the nut & washer just like they used to do:

 

In my next version, I'm going to try the corner brackets as well as the axle brackets.

Back to it, creating things!

After a much needed break, I've been at it working on some little projects whilst still running a household. 

One of the things we needed in the house was a paper towel holder that was off the counter. Now most of them are usually on a wooden dowel type post that sits on the counter, but that is not conducive to our home as it takes up much needed and very limited space. Some homes have them behind the door of the cabinet but that takes up needed shelf space as you have to allow clearance for it when it closes, not to mention that its a royal pain in the butt to constantly be pulling open the door to get to them.

Under the cabinets was not a workable alternative for us as our shelves hang down fairly low and it would be blocking our view if we were cutting things or reaching for things.

SO, why not the wall then? 

Hence:

   

A wall paper towel holder that is made with camphor laurel that has some beautiful coloring through it and a flat piece to hold that paper towel upright and with enough clearance behind it to hold a HUGE roll (my partner is addicted to using paper towels for all kitchen work).

It's right above the stove (you can see in the middle picture the hanging rack of kitchen utensils) and it's next to the sink. It's not too wide or too high and it suits the kitchen layout.