Project: Rustic Kitchen Table Base and Natural Edge Top (Build)

[Phil Mueller]

Sammie brings back great memories. Seemed we always had Cockatiels growing up. In fact, Dad built an outdoor Aviary and at one time we probably had 20 or so. We’d swap them out with a local pet store from time to time to keep the breeding lines as cleam as possible. Sammie is really nicely colored.

And oh, yea, the table turned out great! It’s perfect for that setting. Should give you years of good use.

[Greg Parrish]

Turned out great Jim. Very nice use for those beams/boards.

[Von Bickley]

Great looking table. It would probably look better with a baked turkey or ham on it. LOL.

[Jim Becker]

I like how you think, Von...

[Keith Starosta]

I really love this design, Jim! I'd like your opinion on something...

Using the same thickness and width for the individual boards in the top, do you think you could have gotten away with extending the length (if you desired) without causing any natural "dip" over time? I ask because once I have my shop back up and running, a trestle table is one of the first big projects I'll be tackling. Mine, however, will need to be extended a bit past 60" in length (more bodies at the table in my house).

Thanks!

[Jim Becker]

Keith, I would have gladly and easily made this a little longer and even for the four of us and it might have been a little better for seating. I see no functional issues with doing that...a glued-up slab (or single board slab) of this size and thickness isn't going to do a whole lot over time if it's dry and wood movement between it and the base is accommodated appropriately and the overhand would not have been excessive. (It's only ~7" now on each end) There were two things that caused me to limit the top to 60"...I didn't want to constrict traffic too much between the end of the table and the fixed cabinets of the kitchen ell and honestly, it was already a bit of work to get some twists out of the material without losing too much thickness. I would have preferred going to at least 66". The other design thing I would do differently after completing this is that I would have brought the bottoms of the "V" on the base ends to the center of the base construction to provide more flexibility with the chair positions when "tucked away". I have enough room between the end supports for two chairs to slide in, but they are not at the most likely seating positions when pulled back. It's a little thing, but I could have thought that through a lot better.

[Carl Beckett]

From the pictures it looks like that finish came out with a great 'sheen'/texture to it. The kind where people just instinctively want to reach out and touch it. Very nice

[Mark Rainey]

Jim, that is a nice table! It came together nicely after some challenges.