Dining table W.I.P

[wizer]

BTR: That's a nice table. My only two comments would be that the Sapwood is fine, but I would have oriented it so that it was in the same place on all four legs. I'm also not a fan of very gloss finishes, but it might just be the camera making it look overly plastic. Overall outstanding work, better than I've ever done

 

[BTR]

Thanks for the input lads and thanks for the offer chems if i am down your way i will be in touch.
OPJ i have some oak chairs which need refurbishing but i have seen a few designs and am very tempted to make some new ones have never made a chair before but how hard can it be :roll: .
Wizer in the pics it does look a bit too glossy and about the sapwood next time i will pay more attention to detail,Streetpips that is a nice looking table lovely grain and finish .

 

[Chems]

You know what tool is ideal for chairs . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 

[OPJ]

If you wanted to knock the gloss back a bit, you should be able to do so with a bit of fine (0000) steel wool and elbow grease. On a dining table, you really need a lacquer of varnish finish to put up with all the "abuse" a dining table top gets. Oils and waxes would usually be durable enough and would also need re-coating more often. I'm not a fan of "plastic" finishes either but, in situations like this, they're often the best solution.

I agree with Tom's comment on the sap - it would've been better if it was in the same place on each leg (ie. inside corner, for example).

 

[Streepips]

Olly,
A tough enough finish can be obtained using the method I use, either with a mix of oil and varnish as in my pic above or just varnish. Trick is LOTS of thin coats dried and flatted between each coat and gradually built up. This penetrates the timber and remains flexible, instead of forming a "plastic" skin floating on the surface of the workpiece.
My wife dropped a 2lb scale weight from a high shelf on to a table I finished this way and the dent was sharp and over 1/4" deep. But the varnish never broke, remained intact.
A fresh brewed pot of tea could go on it, or an overheated plate from the microwave and not cause a problem. Maybe just some local condensation under the crockery! But never penetrating the surface.Table surface is still intact after 20 years growing family abuse.........