Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 17
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    East Ballina
    Posts
    195

    Default What would you make out of this small Blackheart Sassafras Slab?

    Hey everyone,

    Bought a small Blackheart Sassafras Sassafras slab off ebay today. Its about 740mm x 440mm x 35.

    Here is apicture on ebay. http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI....m=181402225130

    I bought it with the intention of making a small coffee table for the lounge...

    What do you guys reckon? 740mm a bit too short?

    What would you make?

    And if you were to make a coffee table how would you go about doing it personally? I dont think I would by more Sassy, but rather make a small pine frame and use pocket holes and screws to attach the top?

  2. # ADS
    Google Adsense Advertisement
    Join Date
    Always
    Location
    Advertising world
    Posts
    Many





     
  3. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Dundowran Beach
    Age
    76
    Posts
    19,922

    Thumbs up

    That is a gorgeous piece of timber!!! Congrats. on the pickup..

    I would not make an ordinary rectangular frame, try for something different.

    Pine!Pine! Not unless its Huon or Celery Top. Keep with a Tasmanian theme if possible.

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Katoomba NSW
    Posts
    4,770

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by hellofellow View Post
    ...and use pocket holes and screws to attach the top?
    You need to allow the top to move. Pocket holes and screws will hold it solid or attempt to. Have a read here
    I also wouldn't use pine. You need a nice complementary timber. Something dark to highlight the Sassy maybe
    Those were the droids I was looking for.
    https://autoblastgates.com.au

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Albury Well Just Outside
    Posts
    13,315

    Default

    Personally I would not make a box frame to sit the top on.

    I would consider making legs that fit directly into the top from underneath. Going in about 1/2 or 3/4 into the top.

    You could consider one pair of legs that are at least over 3/4 the width of the top(may go a little wider than 3/4 to ensure that no edge or side tips), or three legs where one the width of the top and the other two square. Now this is just my opinion but I think when a coffee table top is made from a slab people would tend to put much more weight on it, might even sit on it. So needs to be strong but not necessary look heavy.

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    East Ballina
    Posts
    195

    Default

    So do you guys think 750 is actually suitable for a coffee table, or would you make something else?

    On the note of legs- thanks for all the suggestions. I will try to keep with tassy timbers, or at least not regular pine.

    I like thw idea of the legs going straight into the timber. Are there aany more suggestions about how you guys would make something 'different' to make this stand out a little.

    Unfortunately I dont have a bandsaw for making nice shapely legs, thee tools I have at hand are a small table saw, jointer, thicknesser, and a good router and router table. I could always make a template and use a jig- saw.

    Thanks again for the help, ill spend at least a couple of weeks deciding how I want to approach this so all suggestions are welcome. I should add I am quite new to woodwork and thus far have really only been playing around with boxes and small items. So all suggestions, tips, hints, or even pictures of projects you think I could use would be great.

    Cheers all!!!!

  7. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    blue mountains
    Posts
    4,882

    Default

    Large side table, small coffee table it will still look good whatever you call it. Very nice bit of wood so something a bit better than pine for the undercarrage is required. A lack of fancy tools may be good for that natural shaped slab top. How about legs hand shaped with a spokeshave or hand plane. Either hex or octagonal. A lot of native timbers would do.
    Regards
    John

  8. #7
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Brisbane (Chermside)
    Age
    71
    Posts
    2,076

    Default

    Have you considered finding someone local with a band saw who could cut off two 3 mm veneers? These veneers could be book-matched for the top of a unit, leaving you the remainder of the timber for framing etc.

    Here is the top of a coffee table made yesterday. Only had a small piece of camphor laurel, so eight 220 X 440 X 3 mm Veneers were cut to make the top which is nearly 900 X 900 mm finished size. The pattern match is not as good as I would prefer, but the grain sloped through the slab. This is not an issue if you only cut (say) two veneers, but when eight are cut it is more difficult to find wood where the pattern will match very well.

    IMAG0616[1].jpg

    Your wood would look great book matched end for end or side by side ... or both. Once the veneers are cut, the rest is easy. You can make a simple, manual vacuum press for well under $100, and then you can use it for many other jobs. Thread on making a vacuum press here ... https://www.woodworkforums.com/showth...g+vacuum+press

    Here is another job made with veneers. The top, side and drawer fronts are all veneers. This allowed me to make the cabinet with a very limited supply of camphor laurel. There are four veneers on the top, and two on each end. I love the oval shape in the drawer fronts.

    IMAG0585[1].jpgIMAG0584[1].jpg

    Another advantage with veneering onto MDF is that you get a very stable panel and do not need to allow for wood movement.

    Personally, I am not fond of the thin 0.6 mm veneers because they are more easily damaged and more difficult to repair. The veneers in the pics above all have a finished thickness of about 2 mm or a tad under. In every case the MDF substrate has had 20 mm solid timber lips attached before veneering, so the edges can be routed and are tough ... not easily damaged.

    Veneering in a vacuum press is a piece of cake. Ian from Sydney encouraged me to give veneering a go and I will be eternally grateful for his encouragement. It takes a little longer than making solid timber tops (etc) but is far cheaper and more stable ... and you can make some beautiful designs. Finally, here is my first veneering project with a vacuum bag made in the shop, doors for a lingerie cabinet. Thread here ... https://www.woodworkforums.com/showth...+samuel+frilly

    Had only one board of camphor laurel, but was able to veneer both sides of the doors, as you see them, with the available wood. Veneers were cut on an el cheapo Trade Tools 14" band saw.

    Cabinet 2.jpg

    It is a pity you are not in Brisbane so those veneers could be cut in my shop, but surely there is a forum member in your area who has a band saw who would be willing to help you. Even if he charged you a few bucks for wear and tear on his blade, and perhaps for his time, it would be a cheap way to extend your precious resource and make a bigger unit from a limited supply of beautiful wood.

    Have fun!

    John

  9. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    Mornington Peninsula
    Posts
    2,741

    Default

    What about a large chopping board or server for the dinning room table?

    https://www.woodworkforums.com/f11/cheese-board-knives-182402

  10. #9
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Brisbane (Chermside)
    Age
    71
    Posts
    2,076

    Default Veneering Black Heart

    Perhaps like this ...

    Black Heart Veneers.jpg

    The first pic is two veneers. The second pic is four veneers.

    Of course, your other option is to sell that lovely lump of wood to me ... please!

    Cheerio!

    John

  11. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Dundowran Beach
    Age
    76
    Posts
    19,922

    Thumbs up

    John I think you have made a great suggestion!!


    Not only do you have great legs and dainty feet but a good brain as well.

  12. #11
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    East Ballina
    Posts
    195

    Default

    Thanks guys,

    It almost seems a shame to cut it up but being the size it is, I think it is a brilliant siggestion.

    That being said it would have to be a large bandsaw with 400mm depth clearance. Not haaving owned a bandsaw, when stated 14 inch is this distaance blade to neck of the saw (maximum width) or height the blade can cut?

    Ironically John, I am moving up north in 3 weeks time, might have to send you a PM ? I am originally from Toowoomba you see and am moving up to Ballina area. So will definitely be heading up North to Toowoomba quite often to see family.

    Cheers

  13. #12
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    western australia South West
    Posts
    887

    Default

    I would just hang it on the wall and admire it for the beautiful piece of natural art that it is , either that or find an equally stunning piece of root system to mount it on.

  14. #13
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Brisbane (Chermside)
    Age
    71
    Posts
    2,076

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by hellofellow View Post
    Thanks guys,

    It almost seems a shame to cut it up but being the size it is, I think it is a brilliant siggestion.

    That being said it would have to be a large bandsaw with 400mm depth clearance. Not haaving owned a bandsaw, when stated 14 inch is this distaance blade to neck of the saw (maximum width) or height the blade can cut?

    Ironically John, I am moving up north in 3 weeks time, might have to send you a PM ? I am originally from Toowoomba you see and am moving up to Ballina area. So will definitely be heading up North to Toowoomba quite often to see family.

    Cheers
    Well ... maybe you can drop in on the way to Toowoomba. If you don't have a drum sander we can sand them as well in preparation for glue.

    Band saw sizes are quoted in inches, which describes the diameter of the wheels. This is generally close to the maximum width for ripping etc. Depth of cut varies a lot between machines. My saw has a depth of cut of 355 mm. When book-matched, that gives you a cabinet width of over 700 mm. Because most of my cabinets are about 450 mm wide, that means my veneers are cut at 225 wide and book matched.

    The tricky bit is getting one face of the slab dead flat, as a reference surface to run against the fence. Tricky because my jointer is only 260 mm wide. However, once that is done, it is not tough to cut the veneers.

    So you can think about this a bit more ... I generally cut veneers at about 2.8 mm. When you add the kerf, that means each veneer costs 4 mm of wood. Generally I would choose the design and cut the slab into the rectangle I want to veneer. The off-cuts become timber for lipping the edges of the MDF etc. Sometimes I cut off the veneers and that which remains becomes timber for framing etc. Sometimes I turn it all into veneers and keep some for another job.

    Using four veneers, you should have no trouble making a coffee table top about 8-900 X 5-600 mm from your slab. If you could find a bit more of this timber, you could make the legs and skirts from the same wood. It would be drop dead gorgeous.

    If you could thickness the slab to 32 mm, you could cut eight veneers ... use four for the current job and have four remaining for a future job.

    Two veneers only, side by side, would leave you with 24 mm boards you could use for skirts etc ... but the four veneer pattern is far prettier, I think.

    Its a lovely bit of timber. Good luck, whatever you do.

    Cheerio!

    John

  15. #14
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Brisbane (Chermside)
    Age
    71
    Posts
    2,076

    Default

    Just messing around with design possibilities ...

    Black Heart Veneers 2.jpg

  16. #15
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Albury Well Just Outside
    Posts
    13,315

    Default

    I like the third photo.

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. Blackheart Sassafras
    By Scott in forum FINISHING
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 27th September 2011, 11:35 PM
  2. Blackheart Sassafras
    By dasha in forum TIMBER
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 26th April 2010, 05:39 PM
  3. Blackheart Sassafras bowl
    By wood hacker in forum WOODTURNING - GENERAL
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 1st April 2010, 11:36 PM
  4. Blackheart Sassafras
    By funkychicken in forum TIMBER
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 26th December 2008, 01:26 PM

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •