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Thread: 'Farmhouse' table and bench

  1. #16
    Interesting discussion... I've seen and used various charts of 'human factors' for layouts on some pieces, but can't cite them from memory. Based mostly on intuition, I cringed at your reference above allowing only 11" of 'knee room' at the end.

    Then I put a couple of sticky notes under my desk at 11" and positioned myself accordingly for lunch. I assumed I would feel like JJ Watt seated at a tea table for 8-yr old kids. Surprisingly, it didn't feel that awkward. I think the limited knee room was offset by having arms on my chair. My sense is that if your forearms rest on the table comfortably, as is typical, or your elbows are supported by an arm chair, then you don't feel so much like you're perched on the edge of a cliff. -- YMMV

    Not sure the above helps, but maybe you encourage your client to sit at a mock-up in the chair that they will actually use?

    (I like the third, just because I like having someone sitting at the head of the table - traditional and honorable.)

  2. #17
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    Legs finished - Finishing

    Done with the leg glue up.


    I had planned to use Enduro Clear Poly over shellac on this table. I have had great luck with this product on a bar cabinet, my own bath cabinets, and my own kitchen table. It sprays easily and I can do it in my garage.

    However, one of my finishing guru's expressed some trepidation regarding it's durability on a heavily used kitchen table as this.

    Arm R Seal or Waterlox - my go-to's just take so darn long to apply...

    Any other opinions? I'm 50/50 on going with my original instinct.
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  3. #18
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    Those facets on the toes of the feet are just what the doctor ordered.
    "A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".


    – Samuel Butler

  4. #19
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    Are aprons acceptable?

  5. #20
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    Andrew,
    how would one add aprons at this stage?
    Prashun

  6. #21
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    Nice project Prashun! I can't see a place for an apron, but two shallow stretchers may help in addition to the center stretcher.

    Those slabs are great.
    Bumbling forward into the unknown.

  7. #22
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    Thanks. I was thinking about that. I wanted to do that. But i don't like the way it looks with a thick top like this. This table is already blocky and thick. Adding stretchers visible closer to the edge makes it even more stout.

    Instead, I am contemplating recessing angle 5/8" angle iron into the bottom of the top. This worked out well for me once before.
    Last edited by Prashun Patel; 10-07-2017 at 11:02 AM.

  8. #23
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    Stretcher

    I cut the stretcher yesterday. 64" long. I roughed the cut on the bandsaw then smoothed it with nothing but a block plane. People swear by spokeshaves in this instance, or a rasp or spindle sander. However if the arc is gentle like this, the block run at almost 90 degree skew does the best job for me. It just finds all the high spots without thinking. By skewing, it pushes easily and does not tear out. It's my all time favorite technique for this week.

    the stretcher will rest in a dado in the legs, and will be dominoed also.
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    Last edited by Prashun Patel; 10-07-2017 at 11:20 AM.

  9. #24
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    Nice, perfect quarter sawn and vertical grain, did you get that at Horizon as well?

    The angle iron works, I saw a huge table without stretchers recently that used angle iron inside the joint, it was quite sturdy.
    Bumbling forward into the unknown.

  10. #25
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    Yes. The 4x4 and 3x3 for the legs was also perfectly rift as well.

    I have ordered a bunch of vg walnut from horizon. I have not ever been disappointed.

    I haven't had to use sandpaper on any surface yet; it is planing like butter. I will sand the top, though because I am having trouble with track marks.

  11. #26
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    Excellent!

    If you feather your edges a bit more (more camber) and back off to a super light cut, just feel for the track marks and plane them, you might be able to do without sanding the top at all.

    I'm about 50/50 with live edge tops, sometimes if they have a grain reversal they look more even sanded after planing. My most recent one, a bar top, looked better sanded.
    Bumbling forward into the unknown.

  12. #27
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    Almost there

    I'm going to use mending plates to secure the stretcher to the top.
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  13. #28
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    Shaping up nicely, I like the tapered sections on the legs.
    Bumbling forward into the unknown.

  14. #29
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    Btw, I did meet with my customer and we tested out the dimensions in home. That was a very valuable experience. She's decided on a 12-13" overhang. The space is a little tight in the kitchen, so I do believe we've ended up with the right dimensions for size and spacing for her.

  15. #30
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    Bench

    I'm making a bench for one side. Here's the rough sketch. She doesn't want the same leg details in the bench, but still wants them to go together.

    80" x 14" deep x 18 tall.

    I'll be using the cut off ends from the table for the legs.

    The design is loosely from a Fine Woodworking bench a couple years ago.
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