Dining Table-???finishing the top

[yjnb]

Here are some pictures of the dining table I am working on. The timbers are New Guinea Rosewood and Qld Silky Oak. The open ends are for the cutlery drawers, yet to be built.

I have started to flatten the top, however with the fluctuating weather up here, there is a bit of a wave in it. I am planing across the timber, and finishing with the grain. It's actually going fairly quickly given the current temperature and humidity.

Now for the questions;

How flat does it need to be? I expect it will change a bit more until I can get a finish on it.

Would my usual BLO finish be appropriate, or should I make up some oil varnish?

Thanks for any advice or comments

James

[Superbunny]

James
Can't wait to see the finished table, good effort so far:D:D
SB

[Wongo]

How flat? It should be flat flat. :p Feel the surface with your hand and you should not feel the gluelines, there should not be any obvious high spots or low spots. That is flat.:2tsup:

The problem shown in pic 3 should be solved when you attached the top to the base. I am sure you will use wooden buttons to allow wood movement. The base is the key to a flat and straight top.

I don't know what BLO is. To me a table top must be finished with tough finishes like oil based poly. I alwasy use min-max wipe on poly. Use an oil finish and you will spend the rest of your life worrying and looking after it.

Good luck

[BrettC]

Hi James,

Have you thought about breadboard ends to help keep the top flat?

[Cruzi]

BLO (Boiled Linseed Oil for Wongo) is not sufficient for a table top.

Table tops get a lot of heat, moisture and basically abuse so an oil based poly or a 2 pack poly are your best bet.

The top should not keep changing shape (excluding normal expansion and contraction) on you, even in fluctuating temp and humidity, are you allowing air to flow over both sides all the time?

If you lay the top flat on another surface only one side will get the weather variations forcing the top to keep changing.

[Pops]

Hi James,

Going to be a great table. I agree with Wongo about getting it flat, it has to be flat.

Am guessing that BLO is Boiled Linseed Oil. Will leave the answer to that one to others more qualitfied. The is a great deal of information in the finishing forum about Oil vs poly etc. Well worth a look or search. (oops, Cruzi beat me to it on the BLO).

Look forward to the end result.

Cheers
Pops

[artme]

Excellent workmanship James!! :2tsup::2tsup::2tsup: Can´t wait to see the finished product. The combination of timbers is interesting and shoul provide a nice contrast between frame and top.

I personally wouldn´t use BLO, too much risk of darkening and oxidation of the oil over time will worsen the problem

Cruzi´s suggestion is sound. Decide on what "look" you want the finish to have: high gloss, gloss satin, matt, soft lustre etc and go from there.

Look through the finishing forum. Plenty of great experience and advice there.

[yjnb]

Superbunny

Thanks for that, I’ve really enjoyed making this one. It’s my second table and first one with drawers. The drawers are my biggest worry, so I will be using attached fronts. I do have a fallback plan if the drawers are a stuff up.

Regards,

James

[yjnb]

Wongo

BLO = boiled linseed oil, I've seen this elsewhere in the forum, and incorrectly assumed it was a common usage.

After about 5 hours with the hand planes i have one side almost "flat flat"

I will go ahead with the oil based poly or oil varnish. Poly can be a bit glossy, and I also have kids and assume the top may require future repair/ touch up which I understand can be difficult with poly.

Regards,

James

[yjnb]

Brett

Thanks, I had considered that, however I bread boarded the ends of the (Studley reject hardwood order) bench the table top is sitting on and wasn't happy with the fit and finish. I think I need more practice before I do it on a big project. I agree that it would be a great solution to the timber movement.


Regards,

James

[yjnb]

Cruzi

Thanks for the finishing advice

You are right, I did leave the boards stacked without sticker strips fir a couple of days after the first stage of the glue up. They settled a bit once I put them on the stickers, and there are sticker strips between the top and the bench at the moment.

Regards,

James

[yjnb]

Pops, Artme

thanks for the comments

I am hoping for a matt finish, I tend to see too much of a plastic look in gloss finishes. I know this is unfair given some of the beautiful rubbed finishes I've come across on the forum. I hope to give them a go one day.

Regards,

James

[yjnb]

There has been a recent thread on ring marks on tables and there are plenty of suggestions for dealing with these. Does anyone have any input on finishes that are more or less susceptible to ring stains?


I would hate to be the type of host who issues coasters to every guest at the start of the party and reads them the riot act.



I guess I should post the question there also


Looking forward to any (helpful) ideas at all on the table

Regards,

James

[TomH]

Hi James,

I finished my coffee table in Organoil Danish oil and then buffed up with EEE.

It has proven to be much more robust that I thought. I have one small ring in 18 months. I try to make sure coasters are used with drinks but plenty of time you miss out. I also have a 1 year old who spends much of his day putting his greasy fingers on the table, with no adverse effects.

I like the matt finish. It was easy to apply. It may not be as durable as 2 pac or poly but I like the smell and feel of it.

Plenty of other people have other views (as I found out when I asked the same question), ranging from yes danish oil is good, to it is the worst finish ever.

Regards,

Tom

[Cruzi]

There is no bad finishes, just bad choices of finish for final usage.

BLO is good for heat but bad with moisture, danish oil is also good for heat and marginally better for moisture, both do not stand any kind of abrasion well.

Wax over oil helps with the moisture but gets damaged with heat.

Shellac is good for moisture but bad for heat as is Lacquer. These stand up to abrasion better than oil and wax finishes.

Varnish is good for nearly everything you throw at it, but Oil and 2 pack polys resist everything better and do not yellow with age.

With the oil polys you can buy hardeners that not only speed up drying but strengthen the final finish, but make sure you get the ones that can be used with satin and matte finishes.

James, you mention that you heard of problems refinishing polys, this may be true, its a choice of refinishing every 20+ yrs versus renewing every 6 months for oil and wax finishes.

The finish you choose should be the one you are happiest with and are aware of its strengths and weaknesses.

[yjnb]

TomH
Thanks for the info, I found your coffee table thread very interesting, although perhaps not very helpful. Lots of differing opinions as you noted. I like the look you achieved and I will probably follow in your footsteps with some type of oil/ varnish and wax finish.
Nice coffee table by the way. I see you tackled the drawers without difficulty.

Regards,

James

[artme]

What Cruzi said.:2tsup::2tsup::2tsup: But I still wouldn't use BLO.

[yjnb]

I have now finished the top and the table is in place. I still need to cut the dovetails for the drawers. I have used a oil varnish finish and am happy with the result so far. I was after a matt finish and it looks the goods. Time will tell as far as durability goes.

The contrasting New Guinea Rosewood and Silky Oak provide a feature that I am happy with.

I'm not sure if this is the done thing, but I like to give credit where credit is due. I have used David Linton's 'Friend' Dining Table (http://www.davidlinton.com.au/fine-furniture.php), and a dining table featured on the fine woodworking site for inspiration. I really like the fenestrated apron and leg proportions in David's Table.

Hopefully I will have some cutlery drawers done in the next fortnight.

I notice the photos are pretty hopeless and I will try to post some better one tomorrow.

I completed the chairs a couple of months ago, mainly Rose gum, with mixed hardwood back laminated slats recycled from our verandah.

Regards,

James

[artme]

Great result my friend. Thanks for the WIP. :2tsup::2tsup::2tsup:

[Pops]

Hi James,

Great job. Looks beautiful. :2tsup:

Same goes for the chairs as well. :2tsup::D

Cheers
Pops