Zebra wood slab trestle table

[Thomas love]

The top is 1 & 3/4" 4' x 8' zebrano, base is roasted birch, top weighs 240 lbs. Finish is wipe on poly. Simple design can be challenging. This table is for my daughter and son in law in Florida, I have to start on the chairs. i want to do an upholstered chair with some zebra wood accents , I am thinking dark brown leather back and seat with wood legs and crest at top of seat back. thanks for looking .
tom

[Prashun Patel]

I really love this piece. Your kids are lucky. It's very elegant. That base is a perfect compliment to the dominant top.

[Mike Zilis]

Thomas,

That may be a simple design but it's very elegant and artfully executed. The photo showing the close up of the edge grain is stunning.

-Mike

[Justin Bukoski]

Drop dead gorgeous Thomas.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Tom,

I like this table. Simple design, well executed and it is a nice balance between design, wood and technique. No stars, everything compliments each other and the show gets rave reviews.

Very nicely done!

[Ted Calver]

It's a beauty Thomas. The design and execution are exceptional and the top is fantastic. I'm really looking forward to seeing your design for the chairs.

[Ed Morgano]

Thomas,
That is a beautiful table. One question....How did you get that top so perfectly flat? That is the one thing I still have trouble with on large pieces.

[David Christopher]

WOW, that table is beautiful

[Thomas love]

Ed , It was not easy, I used a # 8 across the grain then sanding block and orbitals. tried to place with the grain with no luck ended up using a 14" block of hard maple and elbow grease. Thanks for looking.
tom

[Ed Morgano]

Where do you buy your elbow grease? Looks like I'm going to be needing it in 55 gallon drums.... :-)

[Jamie Buxton]

What is roasted birch, and where does it come from?

[Andrew Gibson]

The table is beautiful. Simple yet elegant base and simple but very much striking top.

I can't wait to see the chairs. I would think you could use just about any chair design you want and they would go nicely with the table.

Ooh yes, more details on this roasted Birch are required... does it involve any marinade?

[Thomas love]

I really do not know much about it , From what I have been told the wood is put in a kiln and heated to 3 or 4 hundred degrees with steam being introduced during the process. what you end up with is birch that looks like walnut through and through no sap wood. I can tell you the color is nice and the wood is dry and some what brittle yet manageable, hand planes well in any direction. I put a first coat of Maloof finish on the birch which in turn made it very dark, which is the look I was after. One more thing I would not recommend using anything but gorilla glue or epoxy, I tested with some titebond II and it did not work , some recommend III, I just went with gorilla poly glue , worked fine.
tom

[Chris Padilla]

Nice job, Tom! My wife loves zebrawood...perhaps one day she'll get the table she's been dreaming of!

[Kent A Bathurst]

Thomas - well played, Sir, well played.

I am squinting hard at one photo - trying to figure out the joinery details of the stretcher into the legs. Multiple wedges, it looks like?

Thanks

Kent