When we moved just over two years ago, the table we used for eating in the kitchen at the old property got split into two pieces...the top and the base. The natural edge cherry top became my office desktop on a sit/stand base and the table base, made from reclaimed beams was put on our three seasons porch with the intention of it becoming the nexus for outdoor eating. It's been waiting patiently all this time for a job to do.
IMG_4891.jpg
Last week I finally unstacked the lumber that was milled in the summer of 2021 at the old property (we had already moved, but still owned the property at that point) and it was time to give that table base some work to do going forward. At the bottom of the stack were several spruce slabs that came out of a large tree that was taken down from our former neighbor's side of the driveway..she gifted me that hunk of tree. These were about 9' long and reasonably flat, although not of even thickness because for some reason, that log was a real bear to cut. I brought them into the shop and then trimmed the ends so that the slabs would fit on my flattening table as well as to pick the best 85" or so of length to support a planned final 80" of table span. Width was planned at 42" but I eventually knocked that down to 40" for a reason I'll mention later.
IMG_4889.jpg IMG_4890.jpg
I processed the two "narrower" slabs first...all three would not fit on the table in their initial state. I'm using a TrueTrak flattening system I acquired a couple months ago but had not yet used just due to "stuff going on". The working area of this setup is approximately 4' x 8'. While I'm currently leaving this set up all the time, it does break down and can be stored away should I need the shop space for some reason. I will do a review on the product at a later date as I need to get a few more miles on it. (and that's a good word to use...miles...flattening is a major back and forth process with MANY passes to get where you need to go)
IMG_4892.jpg IMG_4894.jpg IMG_4895.jpg
It's also a very messy process. LOL After that first bit of processing, I took to wearing my turner's smock to keep the "stuff" out of my shirt, my pockets and whatever.
IMG_4896.jpg
The first two went well...that little dish remaining on one will be on the bottom. I could not take off any more material as these ended up at about 25mm which is as thin as I wanted to go.
IMG_4902.jpg