Bodgy
5th May 2007, 07:22 PM
As per Ruffy's request some pics of a new table top.
Blue Gum from Studley's rejects via an exchange with Wongo. Very knotty, insect effected, rotten bits and generally gnarly. Huge amounts of tearout. Grain went for and against about 3 times in a plank.
Short planks were routed on ends and a plywood spline to butt joints. Planks just Techniglued edge to edge - strong as. All planks were both bowed and cupped and required extensive planing, first jointing the edges then planing flat. I made the table in two sections as I dont have an area big enough or flat enought to do in one go.
After planing flat, I belt sanded with 80 then 120 grit, then ROS 180, 240, 320 and 400 grits. Hours of cabinet scraping to get rid of most of the tearout then joined the two sections (Pic 1) Once glue set then were pretty well true, but I cheated and used an electic plane to remove the middle glue line and a mild ridge. Picture 1 shows underside of table which I just belt sanded to 80 grit and sealed with shellac. The cross members when screwd in pulled the thing flat and remove a slight cup. The holes for the screws were very oversize to allow for wood expansion as per Pic 2
Picture 3 shows the top side with a coat of shellac as a sanding sealer before I started with the ROS.
PIs 4 and 5 show the table in place. Once sanded to 400 I ran a coat of shellac and then sanded to 600, then another sanded to 800. Finally a coat of Hard Shellac sanded thru to 800 also.
These last 2 pics show the table, still wet after a coat of Poly Wipe, which seems to have successfully filled the troughs left by the scrapers. Never used this before, cause I favour Shellac, but learned that its great for filling any imperfections. I'll sand the poly back to 1200 then apply the final coat. With any luck it looks like i'll get a mirror finish. As you apply generously with a rag, no brush marks.
I think I'm converted to Wipe on Poly. It also brings out the figure in the wood, but probably no more than my usual shellac and wax. Much easier to use than shellac, finishing for dummys. Was a bit hard to get info on its compatibility but intensive googling found that it will go over hard (dewaxed) shellac but not straight shellac.
Blue Gum from Studley's rejects via an exchange with Wongo. Very knotty, insect effected, rotten bits and generally gnarly. Huge amounts of tearout. Grain went for and against about 3 times in a plank.
Short planks were routed on ends and a plywood spline to butt joints. Planks just Techniglued edge to edge - strong as. All planks were both bowed and cupped and required extensive planing, first jointing the edges then planing flat. I made the table in two sections as I dont have an area big enough or flat enought to do in one go.
After planing flat, I belt sanded with 80 then 120 grit, then ROS 180, 240, 320 and 400 grits. Hours of cabinet scraping to get rid of most of the tearout then joined the two sections (Pic 1) Once glue set then were pretty well true, but I cheated and used an electic plane to remove the middle glue line and a mild ridge. Picture 1 shows underside of table which I just belt sanded to 80 grit and sealed with shellac. The cross members when screwd in pulled the thing flat and remove a slight cup. The holes for the screws were very oversize to allow for wood expansion as per Pic 2
Picture 3 shows the top side with a coat of shellac as a sanding sealer before I started with the ROS.
PIs 4 and 5 show the table in place. Once sanded to 400 I ran a coat of shellac and then sanded to 600, then another sanded to 800. Finally a coat of Hard Shellac sanded thru to 800 also.
These last 2 pics show the table, still wet after a coat of Poly Wipe, which seems to have successfully filled the troughs left by the scrapers. Never used this before, cause I favour Shellac, but learned that its great for filling any imperfections. I'll sand the poly back to 1200 then apply the final coat. With any luck it looks like i'll get a mirror finish. As you apply generously with a rag, no brush marks.
I think I'm converted to Wipe on Poly. It also brings out the figure in the wood, but probably no more than my usual shellac and wax. Much easier to use than shellac, finishing for dummys. Was a bit hard to get info on its compatibility but intensive googling found that it will go over hard (dewaxed) shellac but not straight shellac.