Waterfall Console Table - Join? Not long enough?

[Patrick Irish]

Wife wants a console table for behind sofa. Be 10-12” wide and Between 60-70” long.

I immediately thought of using Sapele and doing a waterfall edge. Give me an excuse to cut a 45 with my tracksaw.

Possible issue: I want it 70” long and 32” tall, I’d need boards 12ft long. Thats the only way to waterfall right? The other way is just a 45 miter by not cutting the legs from the same board? Also, might not find 12” wide boards, I suppose joining together isn’t an issue.

[Kevin Jenness]

Yes, the best match will be with one continuous piece. You should be able to find 12" x12'+ boards in sapele with a bit of searching. Gluing for width can work depending on the figure.

[Jamie Buxton]

I've bought 8/4 sapele roughsawn boards that were over 12' long and over 12" wide.

Which tracksaw do you have? Festool's smaller tracksaw will not cut through 8/4 lumber when set at 45 degrees. You'd need the bigger tracksaw to do that. I actually bought the big specifically to make waterfall ends from 8/4 lumber.

[Edward Weber]

Slightly off the point.
When did we all start saying "waterfall" instead of grain wrapping or continuous grain.

I would also note that a section of Sapele 12 feet long and 12 inches wide could get very expensive.

[Jamie Buxton]

Slightly off the point.
When did we all start saying "waterfall" instead of grain wrapping or continuous grain.....

I think when interior decorators started using the term. They didn't know a woodworker's vocabulary, and invented their own.

[Patrick Irish]

Slightly off the point.
When did we all start saying "waterfall" instead of grain wrapping or continuous grain.

I would also note that a section of Sapele 12 feet long and 12 inches wide could get very expensive.

$7.50-$9/bf for 8/4 sapele. Didn’t think that was bad. $200 roughly in lumber. Maybe another $75 if I decide to run a 70” shelf.

[Brian Tymchak]

Slightly off the point.
When did we all start saying "waterfall" instead of grain wrapping or continuous grain.

I think when interior decorators started using the term. They didn't know a woodworker's vocabulary, and invented their own.

"Waterfall" is a reference to a specific design where the top surface wraps down towards the floor and is not specific to wood surfaces. Wrapping the grain around a box is not a waterfall design.

[Brian Tymchak]

$7.50-$9/bf for 8/4 sapele.

That does seem like a pretty good price as I just paid $10 bf for 8/4 walnut and we usually have good walnut supply locally.

[Edward Weber]

"Waterfall" is a reference to a specific design where the top surface wraps down towards the floor and is not specific to wood surfaces. Wrapping the grain around a box is not a waterfall design.

I know why it's called waterfall. I was asking when grain following wasn't good enough anymore.
I think the others got it right when they said the designers/decorators needed a new word for their clients, not knowing or caring that we all understood what grain wrapping or following means.

It may be that when I hear waterfall table I think river table and that's why I don't like the term.