Live Edge Maple Dining Table.....Completed

[John Michaels]

Got the finish completed and the table moved back into the dining room. The top is two large slabs of western maple, the base is reclaimed old-growth douglas fir from the Georgia Pacific paper mill in Bellingham, Washington. That tree must have been hundreds of years old by looking at the grain.

The maple slabs are 7 feet long and 42 inches wide at the ends. The grain has a lot of character. It's got some spalting, curly, burl/crotch, birdseye, all wrapped into one.

The old-growth douglas fir for the base was from the lignin vats at the paper mill. The first quarter inch of each board was solid black. Planed most of it off, but left a little for character.

Thanks for looking.





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[Keith Starosta]

That is really beautiful, John!! I'm sure it's not heavy AT ALL!!! :rolleyes:

How did you attach the legs to the top?

- Keith

[John Michaels]

How did you attach the legs to the top?

- Keith

I used steel plates that are screwed into the top of the base and the underneath of the maple slabs. The steel plates fit into a recessed channel. The picture of the underneath you can see part of the steel plate. Look near the black staining on top of the left leg.

[John Thompson]

That is a very nice slab table, John. I don't think I have seen Doug Fir used for a base but it looks great. When I say that.. I do use DF for work-bench bases but it looks good on a live piece. From the looks of it it is old growth as the stuff you get now is harvested way to young. I ran out of it as I recovered a number of DF beams from a civil war warehouse they tore down in Atlanta years ago. Wish I had more.

BTW... I am going to make a reccomendation for your table, OK. Either get some chairs or cut the legs down like on Japanese tables and eat sitting on the floor. :D Just kiddin' of course. I'm un-ruly on Sundays... well about everyday really.

Well done and quite beautiful...

[David Gendron]

beautiful! I like the "simplicity" of the design! realy nice wood for both species. Are you making the chairs that go with the table?

[John Michaels]

Are you making the chairs that go with the table?

The chairs are still in the design phase. They'll be metal with a wooden seat and back. For now I'll just use my old chairs.

[John Keeton]

John, turned out great! It was obvious from the first thread that this was going to be a beautiful piece, and it finished out wonderfully.

[Jim Becker]

That is simply outstanding!

[Michael Donahue]

I love the table! The live edge really sets it off.