Thread: Replicating an existing style of table

Firstly post some pics of the existing furniture giving a good look at the timber used.
If it is beech then it is easy enough to obtain.
However the need to have furniture that matches or compliments each other definately does not require that they be made from the same timber.
Also there is probably no timber less interesting to look at than Euro Beech no matter what finish you apply.
Post the pics and we will do our best to tell you what it is made from and how it was finished.

Ross

hiya

To get your timber identified (as already suggested) post a pic .... if you can, make sure to get the grain detail...... agree with DIFFERENT that furniture does not need to match exactly, though SheWhoMustBeObeyed ..... must be obeyed therefore I guess doing all you can to match it is the way to go ..... definitely need pics of the style to ascertain if the product may be available around the place easily - provided you'd rather buy than make of course.

From: World Woods in Colour by William A. Lincoln

ISBN: 0 85442 028 2

hope this helps

Thanks for all the replies everyone. I have attached five pictures. Some of them show the underneath of the table, which does not have any finishing on it. It may make it easy to indetify the timber as well as the finish on it.

Cheers
Sam

hi again ..... unfortunately the pics are too small to be able to ascertain what the timber is..... did you change their size so they would be this small or is the site having problems? If you had problems yourself, feel free to email me the pics and I will resize them and re-post

Steve
[email protected]

Hi Steve,

Sorry for the pics. First time, as you would guess, am doing this, and it did not work. I'll try sending you the actual files, but they are quite big, 1.3mb each. I do not think hotmail allows such a bigh file transfer. I'll have a go anyway. Thanks for the help.

Cheers,
Sam

hiya - iof you have a qualty setting on your camera, you should be able to set it to low res - that will help a bit .... also dyu have any image modification software? If so, I think you will be able to use it to alter the resolution ..... anyway youre welcome to send them through to me at [email protected] - if 1.3meg each, then 2 at a time - we'll work it out

Hi again - the groove you asked about .... if you mean the one where the mitres are, it looks to me like it is just done by hand sanding .... it may have been done with a SUPER sharp hand plane, but I doubt it ..... the material is still a little hard to make out but if Beech is definitely the more "figured" variety.

Seriously, I imagine using any cimplimentary blonde wood that has similar grain would work well .... or even a contrasting timber in the same design style would work well..... just a thought - BTW if you sent me more than 3 pics, the email server may have bounced the others, sorry.

know what? I reckon this is roto-cut Vic Ash veneer on the table top and solid for the rest

Steve I recon you are right about Vic Ask Dont you love the way those mitre's have opened up !!

Sam63 the good news is the timber used is the cheapest and most widely used commercial timber in the country.

I actually dont think the mires have opened ..... I think as they have a champher on them it creates a shadow line ...... but yeah, good news that the material is widely available ..... in fact Sam, you should be able to just call a couple of cabinet makers telling them what size top you need and score an offcut of material that will suit for a few bucks

Steve,

Thanks for all the trouble. So the conclusion is Vic Ash veneer for the top and the same solid material for the rest. One more question if it is not too much trouble. What is the finish on the table? I am assuming it is some kind of wax or polish, but not quite sure.

Cheers,
Sam

One more thing. Different is right about the mitre joints. They came with a gap. Alhtough I returned the first one, they kept sending the same one. I decided to give up. Is this some kind of problem with Vic Ash or just a poor workmanship?

Sam

I feel sure this wouldve been sprayed with clear lacquer..... you can achieve a similar result ( I say similar due to brush strokes I always end up with, from my own efforts) with clear finish, available from bunnies etc....... I usually get "flooring clear" due to its added durability - this isnt necessary though. .... I still doubt those mitres are a fault - they look like they have a champher on them and are intended as a feature.

I think the reason this table has mitred edges is because the "field" of the table is veneered particleboard - to disguise it, an edge of solid timber has been applied...... the issue is that solid timber expands and contracts - particleboard doesnt, so "allowances" must be made .... your table is an example of this I believe.

Vic Ash is no more prone to expansion and contraction than most other solid timbers ..... ther are ways of cutting solid timber to reduce (never eliminate) this effect, but that's a story for another time I reckon