Who wants to help me deliver a big table?

[Todd Burch]

Yes, call me the world's slowest woodworker, but in the next few days, I'll be putting the finishing touches on a legendary big table that's been rumored to have been being built from some imported choice lumber here @ Burchwood USA.

So, this is just a teaser post - as I'm not posting any pictures yet... I thought I'd let y'all just image what it might look like.

I'll be delivering it Monday or Tuesday (from Katy to Houston). I'll need 4 men. I'll most likely grab some neighborhood guys, but in the event that anyone wants to see a FINE table in person (if I do say so myself ;) ), let me know.

Now, I must go back to the shop and start to work again with my Lie Neilsen High Angle Frog (http://www.lie-nielsen.com/tool.html?id=HAF) smoother. This is ONE awesome plane. 36 square feet almost done, with 36 more square feet to go after that.

Teasing Todd.

[Jason Tuinstra]

Todd, I was wondering what you were going to do with that big ole' slab of Bubinga. I'm assuming that's the table you're talking about. Until we find out, I'm on pins and needles :p Jason

[Todd Burch]

You hit the nail on the head Jason! B-B-B-Big Bubinga!!!

[Mark Singer]

Todd,
Can't wait to see it. That is a great plane!!!

[Corvin Alstot]

Yes, call me the world's slowest woodworker, but in the next few days. . .

I'll be delivering it Monday or Tuesday (from Katy to Houston). I'll need 4 men. I'll most likely grab some neighborhood guys, but in the event that anyone wants to see a FINE table in person (if I do say so myself ;) ), let me know.
Todd/ What happen, you had to be one of the fastest in the south, most be that job change. . .

I would give you a hand but I am out of town early in the week. If you can slow down even more I might be able to help late next week. Can you send me a Message on the neighborhood your going- (memorial area or inside the loop)? Glad to hear your finally getting that table complete. I guess I should get busy on some of my projects.

[Doug Shepard]

Well it's cold here. I'd love to trade a little manpower for a view of the table and Texas. What time do you want to pick me up?

[Don Henthorn Smithville, TX]

Todd, if I could lose a few years I would beone of the four. Guess I will just have to wait for the picture. Can't wait.

[Mike Cutler]

Todd. That just aint right.We have been waiting to see this table since you showed us those slabs of bubinga up in Canada.
I'm sure it's fabulous, and I am looking forward to the pictures when you post them.

[Jeff Sudmeier]

Todd, you need some pictures on this thread to entice free labor! I am sure if you posted it you would get some strong men to help out for free! Just for the luxury of touching great work! :)

[Todd Burch]

Todd, you need some pictures on this thread to entice free labor! I am sure if you posted it you would get some strong men to help out for free! Just for the luxury of touching great work! :)

OK, OK! I'll post some pictures later this morning. I'll include some more info about some tool justifications as well. (argg-argg--aaaargg)

Has anyone else worked with Bubinga? It might as well be called IRONWOOD. HOLY COW it's dense!!

[Mark J Bachler]

OK, OK! I'll post some pictures later this morning. I'll include some more info about some tool justifications as well. (argg-argg--aaaargg)

Has anyone else worked with Bubinga? It might as well be called IRONWOOD. HOLY COW it's dense!!

I used to do conference tables for Howe company. Lacewood & Bubinga were pretty popular woods. Most were veneer over 1 1/4" MDF core w/ solid edges. Now we're talking heavy.

[Jim Becker]

Todd, I've worked with Bubinga exactly once...that platter with a carving...and given my physical reaction to it, that was the last. Same, 'cause it's beautiful, but yes, it's hard to work.

[Kelly C. Hanna]

I'd help you if you were closer Todd....can't wait to see the table!! How's the new job going?

[John Renzetti]

hi Todd, Looking forward to the pictures. Did you use one solid slab or resaw a thick piece and bookmatch it.
Bubinga is a favorite wood of mine. I have a gallery section in the house where the are four support posts of oak with floating oval shelves made of bubinga. Really great stuff, but sometimes as I'm sure you know you can get those weird grain patterns that are tough to work.
Good article in Woodshop News this month on Bubinga.
take care, and good luck with the delivery.
John

[Mike Scoggins]

Todd,

I wish I could offer my manual services in exchange for a peek at that bubinga beauty since I'm practically in your backyard, but I'll be out of town on business. Can't wait to at least see the pictures though.

I hope your job is going well. I miss seeing your insightful, educational, and inspiring posts as much as we used to, but I understand the time factor.

Mike

[Chris Padilla]

Pics? Pics? PICS!!! :mad:

Let's go, Burch!!! :D

[Brad Schmid]

Todd,

Depending on day and time, I may be able to break free and give you a hand if you need it. My only limitation is that my employer appreciates it when i attend my day job :D That might not work out for you too well if you wanted to do it during the day. I'm not but about 2 or 3 miles north of you. PM me if you like.

Brad

[Robby Phelps]

Todd,

Wish i was closer i would love to help. Bubinga is one of my favorites. A real pain to work with sometimes though especially the figured types but the results are always outstanding. I like everyone else wait paitently for pic's

[Todd Burch]

OK, here are some pics. Mind you, it's not done yet. After the top is oiled and lacquered - you'll have to put your sunglasses on!! WOO-HOO!!

The base is poplar. All the pieces are 2 1/4" thick. Motise and tenon joinery all the way. Held together with epoxy. There are a whole bunch of different radii on this base. It took a while to lay it out and figure out my sequence of cuts to make sure I always had a square side when I needed it for registration. The base is 6' long end to end. It stands 28 1/2" tall. The top cleats are 40" long. The bottom feet are 36" long. It will be black laquered. The single curved stretcher has through tenons on either end, 6" tall and 1 1/8" wide, with a 1/2" shoulder all around. The uprights have blind tenons, also with a 1/2" shoulder. They are 1" thick, 3" wide and a minimum of 1 1/2" long, and up to 2 1/8" long, depending on where they are in the curve. Every radius is different. I had a good time showing my son how to swing a trammel - he even helped lay it out. He thought it was "cool" that where the two arcs intersected from being swung from two different points, that you could swap the trammel end for end and on one movement, draw a perfect curve through the two initial points.

[Jim Becker]

That's going to be STUNNING, Todd!

[Todd Burch]

And, here's the top as it was earlier today. The dark marks are epoxy used to fill in inclusion. A close up shows you what the final color will be close to. (I'm having an issue with bubbles in my epoxy - I'll be sending that picture to West System for an answer/resolution...)

Looking close, you can still see some scratches on the bottom of the tabletop. Those will disappear soon. I'll put a lot more care into the top of the tabletop - what I like to call the "money side".

Oh, this is the bottom of the top. What I would call, the "ugly" side. :p The figure on the other side is much better.

The client wanted a wavy edge. I said "ooooookaaaaay", not being sure what it would look like. However, after cutting it, and paying close detail to following the wavy grain, it turned out REALLY nice. I don't think it would look as good just square. It's very natural.

The top is 4' wide by 9' long. I cut 5" off the width of the slab and 3' off the length. Man this top is heavy. I figure about the equivalent of 2 sheets of MDF.

Todd

[John Bush]

Hi Todd,

Both design and your technique are fantastic!! Do you sketch the design or use CAD and how do you determine proportions? Thanks for sharing with us, John.

[Todd Burch]

Thanks John. I use Sketchup (www.sketchup.com).

There are two things different between my final drawing and the actual base. First, I left a flat boss on the top middle of the stretcher. That made my like a LOT easier when calculating where to cut the mortise in the end uprights to have the top of the 1/2 lapped middle cleat line up the two end cleats.

Second, when I drew the 4" tall arched stretcher, I didn't take physics into account. When I was doing the actual layout from my drawings, I realized that I was only going to have a 1 1/8" wide by 3" tall tenon on either end, and I didn't want to trust that small of an area to hold up over the years. If someone were to lean or push against the end of the table much, I wanted to be sure that it would not rack or loosen. Therefore, I flared the ends of the strecher to 7", which gave me a 6" tall tenon - twice what it was going to be. And, I think the flare works well visually too.

Todd

[Brad Schmid]

Wooaaa! That's going to be beautiful!
Love the design of the base and the top. Verrry cool :cool:

Brad

[Mike Mastin]

Todd,

Use a propane torch and lightly pass it over the epoxy. This makes the epoxy more fluid and allows the bubbles to escape before the epoxy starts to cure. Thinner layers are also a good idea as epoxy is always prone to bubbles if put in to heavy.:(

Beautiful table by the way!

[Mark Singer]

Todd,
I really like the dsign and your construction is well done and well planned! Excellent work!

[Todd Burch]

The table didn't get delivered this week, but I'm definately on for Saturday. Except for a good coat of wax, the base is done.

The top got oiled this evening and will be lacquered tomorrow. Man, oh man. Talk about FIGURE POP!!! Holy Cow!!

If you didn't know it from the pictures above, you'ld never know there was a through tenon in the middle upright. It came out pretty smooth. Todd

[Alan Turner]

Todd,
Saw this but didn't have a chance to comment before. Nice work! As to the screw issue, which I assume you have now solved, I use the old style traditional, non-coated, wood screws, slotted. They are soft enough that they will twist a bit without smapping. But Still I drill very carefully sized pilot and shank holes, and test on scrap of the same wood. I usually Mic. the sizes. Then, depending, I use a sheet metal type of screw to cut the threads into the back piece of wood, with wax. Sort of a type of tapping operation.
You can't get these old fashioned screw these days, to my knowledge, but I have about 10 gallons of them, up to size #18, in drywall pails, that have been given to me over the years. When needed, I did through, find a matched set, put on the leather gloves and have at them with a wire wheel on grinder. This is a bit of PITA, but I think worth it. I hate shiny sgteel screws.

[Jim Becker]

Oh, my...that really IS some figure, Todd!!

[John Renzetti]

Hi Todd, Great job, the wavey edge turned out great.
take care,
John

[Doug Shepard]

WOW. That figure is incredible. Other than the color, it reminds me of looking through shallow water at sunlight reflecting off a sandy bottom. Makes you want to dive right in.

[Kelly C. Hanna]

No doubt! The figure looks great!! That's going to be a gorgeous table Todd!!

[Brad Schmid]

Man, that's awaesome Todd! Beautiful job.
Brad

[Keith Starosta]

Holy crap!! That looks amazing! What a beautiful piece of wood....

Keith

[Jerry Clark]

Todd, That is a beautiful piece-- the top looks like clouds in a beautiful sunset. All I can saw is WOW!

[Byron Trantham]

Another Birch piece! Absolutely beautiful! :p