Lacewood & Walnut Table.......Pics

[John Michaels]

Other than a couple of cutting boards, this is my first completed
woodworking project since I started woodworking last summer. I've posted pics in the past from my Bubinga & Maple dresser progress, but that one is still in the works. It's time consuming building a dresser, especially when you work full time.

Anyway feel free to voice your opinions, good or bad, on this little table.
I came up with the design myself, although it's not terribly complicated.

The top is lacewood, the base is black walnut. For the finish I started with
dewaxed shellac, followed by lots of coats of acrylic polyurethane.

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-11/1108263/DSC06446.jpg

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-11/1108263/DSC06450.jpg

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-11/1108263/DSC06456.jpg

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-11/1108263/DSC06459.jpg

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-11/1108263/DSC06461.jpg

[Irvin Cooper]

Beautiful work, John!

How was the lacewood to work with? I have never used any.

Is this if your own design?

irv

[John Michaels]

Beautiful work, John!

How was the lacewood to work with? I have never used any.

Is this if your own design?

irv

I came up with the design myself. As far as the lacewood goes, it cut nicely on the table saw, and I only had to make a couple of light passes with the planer as the board was almost perfectly straight. Did get some tearout with the planer, but sanding took it out. The biggest problem was that the lighter portions of the grain seemed to be softer and sanded easier than the redish/brown wood. I ended up having to really pour on the polyurethane thick to get a level surface.

[Jeffrey Schronce]

Man, I am itching just looking at that thing! It is a wonderful looking project, but I found out that I am very allergic to Lacewood/Fish Tail Oak. Seems it is in the same family as poison oak, which I am highly allergic to. It took some time to narrow it down, but I figured out it was the Lacewood I was working with. No rashes or anything, just an INTENSE itch opposite my knee caps and elbows. Hot water on those spots during a shower would about make me pass out! Anyway, great looking project but for other folks, be aware of the allergy that is out there. Note : I am not allergic to any other wood including some of the common like oak, walnut, etc.

[jim gossage]

beautiful piece. i plan to build a silmilar style in a coffee table with walnut and tamo burl veneer top. even the end grain on that lacewood is beautiful.

[Bob Reda]

Nice work John.

Bob

[Keith Cope]

Good looking table, John! Nicely executed.

[Alex Shanku]

I love lacewood. Tough to plane, so a lot of sanding is neccessary.

[Rob Wright]

John,

Great looking table! I like the subtle tapers on the leg bottoms and that the woods bring a great look to a simple table design. The lacewood does sook up the finish though, doesn't it?It seems to plane better in one direction than the other. The tearout/rough surface will be evident and you can then plane the board feeding in one direction.

I love the look of lace wood, but I have to agree with Jeffrey - I am horribly allergic to it. It also took me months to figure out what was causing the rash and extreme itching. (long teerm project of making decks for a cedar strip canoe) Makes me shudder thinking of working with it again. I caution anyone that is going to use it to watch out for the dust, since there are reports of severe respiritiory reactions. I am glad that I was not one of them. (I was laos found not to have alleries to other woods such as oak & cedar)

- Rob

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Very nicely done John! I like the contrast between the two woods!

[glenn bradley]

She's a beauty!

[John Michaels]

I guess I'm lucky not to be affected by the lacewood. I wore a respirator
while sanding & planing. I was worried though as I get ezcema from time to time on my skin, and I'm allergic to the poison oak that I've encountered in central California.

[Rich Torino]

real nice table John.. The combination of walnut and lace wood look great.

[Jeffrey Makiel]

That lacewood is crazy! Nice job.
-Jeff :)

[Tom Cowie]

Beautiful work John

The thing that I remember most about Lacewood is the tiny little splinters I had all over me from planing the stuff without a dust collector:o

Tom

[Eric Wong]

Nice work! Lacewood is always very striking!

[Jim Becker]

That lacewood is really beautiful stuff! Nice job with your project.

[Roy Wall]

John,

It looks great....love the porportions! A terrific selection of woods.....

Okay...just asking...is there a reason you showed off the knot?

[John Michaels]

Okay...just asking...is there a reason you showed off the knot?

I guess the main reason is I think it's a good looking knot, as opposed to a unattractive one. I chose to incorporate it into the piece even though I had plenty of extra walnut. Some knots seem to cry out defect, while others enhance the beauty.