Started On New Kitchen Table

[ken hatch]

Ken, you aren't alone, English, especially spelling words in English, is not my long suit either. However, I have lived here almost 30 years so I am fairly fluent in speaking West Texan, but growing up in far Western Kansas, it wasn't a big switch to learn "West Texan" after growing up speaking "Western Kansan."

Stew

Stew,

We have a household where no one is a native English speaker, I'm of course a West Texas farm boy and MsBubba is Scottish. Conversations can be interesting with many surprised looks and misunderstanding even after all these years.

ken

[David Eisenhauer]

Me, working in Aberdeen many, many years ago - "What time is it?", They - "Ha pa" (half past) - Me (after translating ha pa) - "Half past what?"

[ken hatch]

Me, working in Aberdeen many, many years ago - "What time is it?", They - "Ha pa" (half past) - Me (after translating ha pa) - "Half past what?"

David,

So true. I still do not think MsBubba understands what "Tuesday week" means.

ken

[ken hatch]

The pressure to finish the kitchen table has increased, we moved the old table out to MsBubba's studio so all we have is a folding table to eat on.

I clamped the stretcher to the leg uprights to get a feel for stretcher placement.

tableStretcherPlacement.jpg

The stretcher is about 70mm to 80mm high in this photo.

Four mortises, clean up the two bases units, glue up a slab and this sucker will be finished.

ken

[David Eisenhauer]

Stretcher should be high enough there to avoid feet/shin placement. Looks considerably beefier than a folding table Ken. Looks like you are rounding the turn for the home stretch unless you have multiple finish coating to do without a spray apparatus. Table tops aren't too bad to do. What kind of finish?

[ken hatch]

Stretcher should be high enough there to avoid feet/shin placement. Looks considerably beefier than a folding table Ken. Looks like you are rounding the turn for the home stretch unless you have multiple finish coating to do without a spray apparatus. Table tops aren't too bad to do. What kind of finish?

David,

Still to be decided. MsBubba wants milk paint on the base and some kind of plastic (Kinda kidding, something that will not "mark") on the slab. I may be dumb enough to not say "yes dear" and go with Tung oil on the base and there is a Waterlux finish I used on a bathroom vanity that looks like oil but does not water spot easily for the top.

I started thinking light and modern during the planing, once building the "workbench" genes kicked in and this is what you get .

ken

[ken hatch]

This really isn't a test fit other than the stretcher. I just wanted to get rough idea of how the table will look once finished. BTW, I like.


Tomorrow I'll chop the final two mortises and make the associated wedges along with starting the slab glue up. Usually on large glue ups like this slab I will only glue two sticks at a time that means the slab glue up will likely take three days to finish. While the slab is being glued up I"ll clean up the base units and peg 'em. A week or so and this sucker will be finished, it is kinda nice to not have a day job.

tableTestFitA.jpg

ken

[David Eisenhauer]

The addition of the top seems (to my eye and not the eye that is either building or paying for the table) to visually balance things out Ken. From here, it almost looked like the base was too massive in your base-only photo, but the addition of the top with it's own particular thickness has toned the excess massive out of the base in my opinion. I like it.

[ken hatch]

The addition of the top seems (to my eye and not the eye that is either building or paying for the table) to visually balance things out Ken. From here, it almost looked like the base was too massive in your base-only photo, but the addition of the top with it's own particular thickness has toned the excess massive out of the base in my opinion. I like it.

Thanks David,

I agree. I started out thinking a sleek modern looking table but somewhere along the way over the last couple of years my esthetic has been changing to more of a outsider/vernacular look. As I have stated before, too perfect bores me. I want to see and feel the hand of the maker. In the end I wanted a vernacular* table, I think the slab will tie it together.

*For those who do not participate in the cheese eating circuit, in art speak, vernacular art or outsider art is produced by folks that have not been trained in the academy.

ken

[ken hatch]

I'm chopping the last mortise for the kitchen table. The mortise front wall needs to be, maybe not a perfect 9 1/2 degrees but it should be pretty damn close. As with all angled mortises a chisel guide helps maintain the angle.

Here is mine. I used the wedge to set the table saw to cut the guide that way the angle doesn't matter.

tableMortiseAngleGuideB.jpg

In the photo is my new favorite mortise chisel for mortises that are too wide to use the 1/2" pig sticker. The Narex firmer chisel has a Hornbeam handle which will work with a metal hammer, I'm not a fan of wood mallets or soft faced hammers for mortise work. The cutter while not great is good enough.

ken

[Mike Allen1010]

Beautiful, I love the proportions of tabletop overhang and base components – very nice!

I'm interested to see you decide with regards to finish – definitely not my favorite part of the build! I totally hear you about the necessity/benefits of getting sign off from the boss. Have you ever done any milk paint before? I've never tried it and would love to learn from your experience, if that's the way you go. Have you tested what Tung oil would look like on the Alder? My perception is it doesn't have particularly distinctive figure/grain pattern but would love to know what you think.

Glad to hear you're enjoying being at home – sure seems like you've earned it!

Thanks for your explanation of "vernacular art" a term I never heard before. I always enjoy your eclectic insights on the broader world beyond woodworking – keep it up! May persuade me to broaden my horizons beyond Mexican food and tequila.

Best, Mike

[ken hatch]

Beautiful, I love the proportions of tabletop overhang and base components – very nice!

I'm interested to see you decide with regards to finish – definitely not my favorite part of the build! I totally hear you about the necessity/benefits of getting sign off from the boss. Have you ever done any milk paint before? I've never tried it and would love to learn from your experience, if that's the way you go. Have you tested what Tung oil would look like on the Alder? My perception is it doesn't have particularly distinctive figure/grain pattern but would love to know what you think.

Glad to hear you're enjoying being at home – sure seems like you've earned it!

Thanks for your explanation of "vernacular art" a term I never heard before. I always enjoy your eclectic insights on the broader world beyond woodworking – keep it up! May persuade me to broaden my horizons beyond Mexican food and tequila.

Best, Mike

Thanks Mike,

As I have posted, I'm a framer not a finish carpenter. I get too far pass drying it in I lose interest quickly.

I've used both the "fake" milk paint and the real stuff. The fake (General Finish) is just a kinda dull paint. Real Milk Paint is more like a pigmented stain. They both have their place. Yes I made a small box out of the Alder before starting the table to see how it worked and looked with an oil finish. I used Tung oil on the box and while not spectacular looks pretty good.

I ran the annual fund raising auction and was on the Board of an Alternate Art space for a number of years. I'm fluent in "art speak" and know the cheese eaters well.

I didn't know there was anything better than Mexican food and Tequila other than maybe a good single malt.

I made a deal with myself 50 odd years ago that if I went into this flying thing I would not let an airplane kill me. That deal stills holds, ain't no way I'm climbing into a small black box with two guys that have been flying around the world and then flew on an airline to get to Tucson for their training. Ain't going to happen. Besides I'm getting use to having time at home.

Take care and be safe, I still expect beer and tacos when this is over.

ken

[Mike Allen1010]

Thanks Mike,

I ran the annual fund raising auction and was on the Board of an Alternate Art space for a number of years. I'm fluent in "art speak" and know the cheese eaters well.

Take care and be safe, I still expect beer and tacos when this is over.

ken

Ken, your fluency in art speak is further evidence that you're a true Renaissance man. Personally "cheese eaters" is foreign to me, although I get the reference, which makes me laugh. On a related note, an eternity ago when I was a young enlisted buck in the Navy ""cake eaters" was was broadly understood code for officers who were way more interested in wearing dress uniforms to state functions, rather than humping a ruck in the bush with the boys. Not exactly sure how that's relevant, other than the food the designated group eats is perhaps indicative of their life view?

It goes without saying Sherrie and me are absolutely counting on you and Mrs. McBubba to stay with us here in Casa Carlsbad when the opportunity presents. As an inducement, I should let you know one of my quarantine projects might be writing a guide to all the hole in the wall, Mexican food spots here in North County San Diego. I'm partial to those adjacent to gas stations or have bars over the windows, etc. IMHO, they have the best chow in town and as a bonus they're willing to put up with a fat old gringo like me.

I really don't have a lot going for me but I have to say it I do consider myself a bit of a connoisseur of Mexican food. That said, I have to say, if you're ever privileged enough to be invited to attend a quinceanera , which I believe is a traditional celebration in the Latin X culture for girls who turn 15, you should absolutely go! Some of the best parties I've ever gone to, even if I can't really remember much of it.

Cheers, Mike

[ken hatch]

Ken, your fluency in art speak is further evidence that you're a true Renaissance man. Personally "cheese eaters" is foreign to me, although I get the reference, which makes me laugh. On a related note, an eternity ago when I was a young enlisted buck in the Navy ""cake eaters" was was broadly understood code for officers who were way more interested in wearing dress uniforms to state functions, rather than humping a ruck in the bush with the boys. Not exactly sure how that's relevant, other than the food the designated group eats is perhaps indicative of their life view?

It goes without saying Sherrie and me are absolutely counting on you and Mrs. McBubba to stay with us here in Casa Carlsbad when the opportunity presents. As an inducement, I should let you know one of my quarantine projects might be writing a guide to all the hole in the wall, Mexican food spots here in North County San Diego. I'm partial to those adjacent to gas stations or have bars over the windows, etc. IMHO, they have the best chow in town and as a bonus they're willing to put up with a fat old gringo like me.

I really don't have a lot going for me but I have to say it I do consider myself a bit of a connoisseur of Mexican food. That said, I have to say, if you're ever privileged enough to be invited to attend a quinceanera , which I believe is a traditional celebration in the Latin X culture for girls who turn 15, you should absolutely go! Some of the best parties I've ever gone to, even if I can't really remember much of it.

Cheers, Mike

Mike so true.

Almost all "Art" openings have cheese and wine. There were a group of folks that would turn up at every opening, never really look at the Art but would eat the cheese and drink the wine and then leave. Same group no matter the venue.

My studio/workshop in Houston was in the barrio. My Hispanic next door neighbors adopted me, At the time I was single and I think because as Santiago would say "Mr. Ken it is not good for a man to be without Senorita" they wanted to take care of me. I did a photo series on the neighborhood featuring the neighbors which included several Quincenairos. The "Ogden Street Project" is in the University of Texas Library permanent collection. If I can get my sh*t together and go through all the photo files the whole kit and caboodle will end up at Texas Tech.

Those were great times and wonderful memories.

BTW, I started to try and find some of the photos of Quincenairos but my CD player is tits up so no joy. Maybe later.

I want to see "A Fat Old Gringo's Guide" to Southern California Mexican food. It could be a best seller.

ken

[ken hatch]

The back side of the slab has a hump down the middle like the joined edge was not square. There is no twist and the join lines are good. I thought about splitting the slab and re-glueing for a couple of seconds. Instead I'll just plane the hump out, "just" he says. I expect some noodle arms and a lot of moaning and groaning by the time the job is done. That's the bad, the good is I have a couple of wood stock Jacks and a ECE scrub to do the job. I've already dulled all three so it is time to take a break before sharpening.flattingTheTableSlab.jpg

ken