Foyer Table

[Earl Kelly]

Since I'm new here I would like to get some opinion on a Foyer table I make. It is made from Maple solids, Wenge "feet" and Brazilian Rosewood veneer on the top. I do the top in a 5 ply glue up, so the maple will not give me any problems under the veneer. And yes, the vein down the top is routed into the maple. I hope these pics come out OK.

[Jim Becker]

Wow! That's awesome. Very organic, especially with the way you handled the curves in the "back" two legs. Beautiful!

[Todd Burch]

I like it Earl! Prety creative. A three-legged leaf. Cool! Welcome to Saw Mill Creek! Todd

[Chris Padilla]

Sweet! I, too, love the organic look you have created. I immediately thought it looked like a leaf, too!

What are the rough dimensions?

[Earl Kelly]

Thanks guys. Yes it was designed as a stylized banana leaf motif. I have the legs attached so that the back edge can be flush against the wall, without worrying about interference with the baseboards.

Chris, it's 15x42x30" tall

[Waymon Campbell]

Since I'm new here I would like to get some opinion on a Foyer table I make.

Earl - Welcome... And I must say that is one sweet piece. What is the finish?

[Scott Coffelt]

Very neat, nice creativity.

[Mark Singer]

Nice! Vert nice!

[Alan Turner]

Interesting piece of work. Quite striking. I have several questions, if you don't mind.
I am not familiar with your 5 ply method of needing to veneer only one side of a piece, without warpage problems downstream. My initial thinking would be that the 5 gluelines on the top, not being replicated on the bottom, would lead to warping due to different rates of moisture absorbtion. Is this a common (albeit unknown to me, which is not terribly meaningful) method of work? Did you bag the whoe thing?
I would be interested to see the method of fixing the legs to the top. Are there aprons hidden under the top? Mortises, blind wedged? Are the feet separate pieces of wood, or rather thickish veneers? The front leg was turned, I assume. The back legs - were they bandsawn, and then shaped by hand with a spokeshave, etc?
How many have you made of these? Did you have trouble getting Brazillian rosewood veneer?
All in all, quite an impressive piece of work.
Alan

[Tim Sproul]

Earl,

Nice work.

[Daniel Rabinovitz]

Earl
Beau - T - Full !
Really something special and very creative design
Daniel ;)

[Earl Kelly]

Alan, the plies in the top are as follows: from the bottom up- Rosewood veneer-Mahogany veneer-8/4 solid Maple-Mahogany veneer-Rosewood veneer. The back legs are attached with 2 dowels the front is turned with a turned tenon for attachment. The feet (Wenge) are attached with a 5/8" turned tenon going into the maple. The back legs, curves, are shaped from patterns. The tapers on the bandsaw and jointer. The rosewood veneer I buy is pre-ban, some was even cut in the 50-60's. It's hard to find at a good price, expect to pay anywhere from $2- $15 sqft.


Waymon-Finish is Catylyzed Laquer. No dyes or stain.

Guys, I really appreciate the response. I have 3-4 more of these in different woods and a few minor changes, I'm working on now. I'm showing them at the Fine Furnishings Providence RI show in Nov.

[Alan Turner]

Earl,
I see, said the blind man, and picked up his hammer and saw. I thought that you were doing a 5 ply buildup on top of the maple, with nothing on the bottom. My misunderstanding.
Best of luck in the Nov. show. Do you know what you will be pricing these at? Pricing is always such a difficult task.
Alan

[Byron Trantham]

Earl, It just took by breath away! How many weeks have you been wood working? :D

[Earl Kelly]

Alan- as of right now the Leaf Table is $1200. I sold the predecessor for that. And for those interested here's a shot of the bottom.

[Earl Kelly]

Byron, I started building furniture in '88, but have work with and on furniture since '73.

[Alan Turner]

Earl,
At that price, I would think you wouldn't have to come home with any from RI. As I said, best of luck.
Alan

[Chris Padilla]

Earl,

I have to just say it again...that is one sweet table! Are the veins on the bottom also grooves like for the top? They look like they were hand cut to produce a more organic (i.e. not precision) appearance.

In this case, for the grooves, cutting through the veneer wasn't a bad thing!

[Earl Kelly]

Thanks Chris, No on the bottom that is the sapwood showing in the veneer. I thought it looked nice so I left it in.

[Kent Cori]

Earl,

I'm sorry but the photos are inadequate for me to render an informed critique. I'll email you my address and you can send that terrrific table to me for a more in-depth assessment. I'll return it as soon as I'm finished with it which should be sometime in 2037. :D

Great work!

[Earl Kelly]

Kent,
I'm sure I would benefit from your informed critique. But, alas, as a poor woodworker I cannot afford the shipping to send it to you. If you would pick up the $1200 cost of shipping I'm positive we would both benefit.


PS Thanks for the compliment.