Ok......i have still been working on table even though i said i would wait until after the new year, but the missus was on edge so i retreated into the man cave (shed) and as we all know you can only walk around in circles for so long!

I have cut off the ends for the legs and mitred them at a 30 degree angle and started sanding the top of table, also sourced two recycled 120 x 75 redgum beams for the rails.

Question?.......I have seen clamps that are recessed under benchtops that pull the top together and are thinking of using that type of system to clamp the legs together either end after gluing the peices together.
Also does anyone have a issue with liquid nails being used to join legs.

This is the latest pic
redgum table 018.jpg

Cheers

Not sure on the clamps you are referring to so I will wait for another person to come back with a reply. As with the liquid nails I think the glue line will be seen.

G'day, Yes I like the Red Gum slab tables, the example picture looks really grouse.
I had visions of making one myself, but age and health have caught up with me,
However in my VISION, I thought that I would Hire a floor sander to do the hard work,
Has any body used one for that?? Do you think it would work,? I've never used one but they get a good finish on floor boards.

Hi Col's Dad, i have used a floor sander once but unfortunatly the first time i used it was on a pine floor with a too courser paper and it left more dips in the floor than the ocean in a force 8 gale, so i then covered the floor with a timber look vinyl covering.

I have heard of belt sanders that are 1300mm wide that sand top and bottom at the same time, but at this stage i am going to persist with the cheap crappy ozito belt sander until i destroy it or it destroys my nerves.............but the slab i have was very level to start with anyway.

Cheers

Lookin good Emu. I haven't started mine yet, got a bit side tracked with a couple of other jobs for SWMBO. But will get to it when I can.

Watching with interest.

Love the way the legs look.

Hope you had a good Xmas and have a great newyear.
Macca

Just finished my first slab table 2 days ago. Finished up OK but I learnt a lot along the way. Started on my second one today red cedar 9 feet by 3. Hopefully won't make the same mistakes on this one.

Attached Images

IMG_6125.jpg (258.5 KB, 71 views)

Nice piece of wood

I'm not sure what you mean by using the benchtop clamps. I think I know what they are, ie those which pull a 30mm laminex benchtop together at the corners.

I think you would get a cleaner glue line using a PVA glue or even an epoxy

I doubt that you need rails on such a table

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regards
Nick (I really don't need a Stubby!)
veni, vidi, tornavi

Hi sawdust maker, i though about excluding the rails but i don't want to fix the legs to the table so i was going to notch in the rails to keep it stable and just use locating dowels for the table top.
Because the table will be outside on pavers i will use 2 adjustable feet per leg to keep them off the ground.

Cheers

Hi emu1, nice looking slab you have there. i'd just go with the wood glue, it's very very strong once dry, be hard pressed to seperate the leg pieces once done. Are you planning on biscuiting the leg joins for a neat join up?

Clamping can be an issue for angled joins, if it was a 45 degree angle i would have suggested standard packing tape pulled tight from one side to the other but not sure if that would work on the angle shown.

Looking forward to seeing how it ends up at any rate.

Also, how were you planning on doing the rails? cutouts in the tops of the leg pieces?
or angles cut on the rails and simply attached to the inner leg sides?

Paul.

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www.heartwood.com.au

Hi Sandow, i am thinking of using 18mm dowels to lline up the joins and thank's for that idea of using packaging tape, i might weld up a couple of braces to place between the pieces and use some bandit strap with angle iron on edges to pull them together.

I am thinking of using a single brace in the centre, half notched beam and half notched legs into the top.

Am still researching glues but i am leaning towards a PVA glue.

Cheers

Time for an update on my table, have been busy doing other projects.
I had a local cabinet maker cut and glue the legs at a 45 degree angle for me, i made up a single center rail.
timber 008.jpg

I have just used a sanding sealer on the underside of the table and after reading lots of posts on this forum i have decided to use the sam malouf mix for the finish.
timber 009.jpg

I tried using organoil hard burnishing oil on the rail and found it darkened the timber too much and also clogged up the paper too much,
After i have sanded off the sealer i will sand too 800 grit and give the table 4-5 coats of malouf recipe then give it a light sand at 1500-2000 grit before using part 2 of the malouf recipe.

Cheers