WIP Bar

Hey guys,
A few weeks back i got this red gum slab from local forumite charslie which he cut at a 45 degree so I can finally make the L shape bar I have wanted for awhile. So I thought since this is my first real big project I would make a WIP thread on here so I can get any tips and I can finally show my woodwork skills off, even though there not that much at the moment haha.

I have started to fill the bug holes with casting resing with a black cement colouring which was suggested by andrew when I picked up my slab, in which he showed me what the end result looked like on some red gum and I quite liked it so I decided to stick with his advice.

I am also starting to clean the natural edges up, but just need to get a new angle grider steel brush attachment before I can get it looking nice.

I will post up my plans when I finalise them.

I am also trying to get this done all before christmas so that when the new pergola goes up before christmas and we get the pinball machine working, it would be a great christmas lunch at mine haha

Good luck with the time frame Matt, chrissy is coming up fast.:o

You're going to be busy, but be sure to keep the pics coming and keep us posted on your progress. Redgum is a nice timber and very good for keeping coldies nice and handy around elbow height.:D

You have some nice wood there. Have you decided on the design of the "bar" that is going to hold up the top ?

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Originally Posted by 3 toed sloth

Good luck with the time frame Matt, chrissy is coming up fast.:o

You're going to be busy, but be sure to keep the pics coming and keep us posted on your progress. Redgum is a nice timber and very good for keeping coldies nice and handy around elbow height.:D

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Yeah christmas it just under 2 months, hopefully I'll be able to get it done by then, been using any chance I can so far to work on it so I reckon it's do-able.

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Originally Posted by Peter36

You have some nice wood there. Have you decided on the design of the "bar" that is going to hold up the top ?

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I am still finalising the design of the bar, tomorrow hopefully a mate I know can help me out on finishing that all up so I can get onto picking up materials and then building the bar.

Well today I applied some more resin into the bug holes and such and also my mate came over and helped with the designs, I might post them up tomorrow if I can get my scanner working, though I wouldn't call them detailed plans haha

I'm looking forward to seeing some more pics!! :2tsup:

Watching, waching, watching.

I was pouring in some more resin just now coz I had a free hour and tapped up all the holes that went right through at one side to stop the resin just coming back out again but the tape didn't stop it from leaking out the side :doh: I even used industrial tape instead of the normal sticky tape, would duck tape work better? Or anything else because it's gonna drive me nuts if I can't figure out how to completely stop if from getting through the tape:~

My mate also suggested using some sort of steel to hold the slab up from the bench of the bar which could also add a really nice effect because you would be able to see through, if this doesn't make sense I will post up the design we made yesterday and show you what I mean :U

Hey Matt,

I usually use duct tape (as you suggested) when pouring resin, and I have never had a problem.

Ox

Look forward to seeing the progress on this one. :2tsup:

Went out to buy some duct after my little mishap with some resin leaking through the tape I was using, luckily it wasn't a big leak so it will easily come off with a quick sanding :U

Also in the little design plan we came up with, where the arrow points to two poles holding up the top is what he thought some sort of metal poles could be good to have, does anyone have any advice on if metal goes good with a natural edge red gum slab/bar?

Tomorrow I will hopefully finish up pouring the resin in the few bug holes that are left to fill up a bit more since they leaked a tiny bit:doh: Then will give it a sand to remove any marks to see how it comes up...well that's if I get some free time from work:~

I am finally done with the resin, just got to wait for it to dry now :U

Now time to make up the frame, I was thinking of using structural pine for it, but Im not sure if I want to see the pine when I open the liquer cabinet it will have and see the pine in the corners :roll:

Will post up some more pictures of my progress tomorrow...

That should be a fine bar.

Redgum always looks good when displayed in vast quantities..

Don't forget that RG moves, so allow for it.

Mate it looks like your bar top is going to above the cabinets and supported by steel so there is a gap between the top of the cabinets and the red gum bar right?

If so the easiest way is to get a x number of 100mm or larger diameter pieces of galv (So it won't rust and stain the redgum or cabinets) pipe and two flanges per length and mount it that way. Screw the flanges onto each end of the pipe and the screw them into the bar cabinets and the the top. Paint the gal pipe black to blend in with the shadow under the redgum top. I have seen this done on a number of bars way back in the late 70's and they looked excellent with down lights directly over the bar top. The pipe basically disappears in the shadow and makes the top look like it is floating in mid air.

It's been awhile since I posted an update on here but haven't really accomplished that much yet :doh:

I am currently sanding the two slabs down to remove the excess resin on top, which I am slowly taking my time on it as this is my first time with resin and don't want to muck anything up haha.

I haven't as yet either purchased the structural pine as of yet, because my mate/old school teacher says I could build the frame at my schools new woodwork shed, which I am thinking would be best and also because he is very keen to see this project come to life and wants to chip in wherever he can :U

I will post some pics up either tonight or tomorrow morning.