Walnut Dining Table Finished

[John Timberlake]

The walnut dining table for my daughter is finished. Overall dimensions are 30" H x 43 1/2" W x 86 1/2" L. It has two leaves that extend the length to 122 1/2". Legs are 3 1/2" square. About 8 1/2" overhand on end which is more than my daughter want (only 4").

The top is made with two veneered panels on each end with solid walnut frame around them. The panels were from shop sawn veneer glued to 3/4" Baltic birch ply. All the veneer was from the same 8/4 walnut board and book matched. After glue the panels in with 3/8" ply splines, the top was sanded flush on both sides.

The base is put together with a 1/2" MDF plate used to attach the table slides. It also provides a space under the top where the leaves can be stored when not in use.

Finishing took almost as long as building. Scraping and sanding down to 320 grit first. I put on a coat of garnet shellac followed by Pore-o-pac pore filler. Then a coat of wipe on gel stain (General Finishes Brown Mahogany) which was wiped off as much as possible. Then many coats of wipe on PU from General Finishes (5 coats on legs, 8 coats on top). Finally a little rubbing and paste wax. Along the way I did some "distressing" because my daughter wanted it to look old and used.

Without leaves
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With Leaves
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Pictured lightened so you can see the grain
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Top
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Top with leaves
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[John Timberlake]

Table upside down so you can see the bottom
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Attachment of legs
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Connection for stretcher
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View of inside with leaves stored
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View from a low angle with leaves in.
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[Glenn Clabo]

Man...that's some good work there John. Well done!

[lou sansone]

great table. I just finished a cherry dining room table that has a solid 8/4 cherry top ( 42 x 72 x 2 ) without the leaves. I know that you did a lot of work with that table from the misery that I just went through. very nice job.

lou

[John Michaels]

Beautiful work!! That table will be appreciated for many years to come.

[Jerry Olexa]

Very well done. Pretty grain in the walnut...

[John Miliunas]

Holy smokes, John! That's beautiful. Care to mention how many hours you have in it? How about weight? Looks like you could park a truck on it! Very impressive and I'm sure your daughter totally loves it. Sure to be a family heirloom! :) :cool:

[John Timberlake]

Holy smokes, John! That's beautiful. Care to mention how many hours you have in it? How about weight? Looks like you could park a truck on it! Very impressive and I'm sure your daughter totally loves it. Sure to be a family heirloom! :) :cool:

I probably have about 75 hours total starting from rough lumber. Almost half is finishing. Part of the time was figuring out how to do things I had never done before - using my vacuum press, attaching removable stretchers, having table slides that act without the legs moving. But that is part of the fun of woodworking - doing new things.

[Bruce Page]

Beautiful Table John!

[Dan Oliphant]

Great job John, really looks nice.

[Neil Lamens]

Hey John..........that's really nice!!! Alot of thought went into this build. Excellent!!!!

Neil

[Jim Becker]

Great work, John!!

[Steve Wargo]

John,
Excellent piece. I hope to see this week. Congrats on a job well done. The veneer work looks wonderful.

[Steven Evans]

Awesome job. I have 2 book matched walnut planks waiting to be tablized. I think you may have struck me upside the head with some unique ideas to use. I really like the use of the slider with stationary legs. Kudos to you.

[Don Kondra]

Hi John,

Just out of curiousity, how did you justify to yourself NOT balancing the top with veneer on the bottom?

And how thick was the finish sanded veneer?

Cheers, Don.

[Eric Wong]

Great table, thanks for posting!
One noob question, how do you get pics imbedded with the text? I only know how to put pics in as an attachment....

[Eric Wong]

Whoops, never mind. I found the answer to my question over on the support forum. Sorry!

[John Timberlake]

Hi John,

Just out of curiousity, how did you justify to yourself NOT balancing the top with veneer on the bottom?

And how thick was the finish sanded veneer?

Cheers, Don.

Don,

I put veneer on both sides of the panels. The veneer was about 5/64" thick. Glued both sides at one time using Unibond 800 and a vacuum press.

[Don Kondra]

Okay...

Please bear with me, why is there another layer of bare MDF under the top?

Don.

[John Timberlake]

The MDF under the top is for the attachment of the table slides. Think of it as the pedestal in a 19th century pedestal table with leaves. Also, it holds the aprons together since the legs are removable to make it easier to transport.

[Zahid Naqvi]

John, that's one serious project. Very nicely done.