Hay rake table

[richarnold]

Sometime last year I was approached by a client who wanted to commission a new table for our local parish church. This was to be used during weddings and christenings for signing the registry and such like. Many years ago I made a similar table for Marston Trussell church as they had a robbery and had lost a small oak table that was used for the visitor’s book. Having a great love of arts and craft furniture I decided to make the table in the style of a Gimson/ Barnsley design known as a hay rake table. The stretcher configuration on the table was inspired by the hay rakes used by farmers.
The current client came from an agricultural background so thought it appropriate to use the same design for this second table. The main timbers are English air dried oak sourced locally from MAC timbers, and the butterfly cleats are made from bog oak and boxwood. The finish is around ten coats of raw linseed oil, but I will pop down to the church once a month and give it further coats for a while longer.

 

[dm65]

Very nice - I especially like the stretcher

Can't make out what you're chopping out in the third picture though ?

 

[RogerBoyle]

Very nice - I especially like the stretcher

Can't make out what you're chopping out in the third picture though ?

Looks like the dovetail decoration where the boards are joined on the top .


Nice work I like that

 

[woodaxed]

i like it a lot good style and finish
question you say you use raw linseed oil to finish it and it looks good whats the difference between that and boiled linseed oil as in finish etc

 

[marcros]

Any chance of a close up of the butterfly detail?

 

[AndyT]

That looks brilliant but can we please have some more pictures - including one of the whole thing, finished. That top looks really special in the first picture so let's see it glowing!

 

[houtslager]

yes, looks great BUT MORE PICCIES PLEASE !

K

 

[deserter]

i like it a lot good style and finish
question you say you use raw linseed oil to finish it and it looks good whats the difference between that and boiled linseed oil as in finish etc

Raw linseed takes longer to dry than boiled, but is more readily absorbed by the timber.


~Nil carborundum illegitemi~

 

[Graham Orm]

Superb job. =D> =D> Very nice love the hay rake design........but PLEASE move it away from that radiator

 

[AndyT]

I see now that you had included a pic of the whole thing - the last photo did not load automatically when I first looked. One more question though - could you tell us a bit about the edge moulding? Presumably you used a moulding plane... and how was it on the end grain?

 

[Peter Sefton]

Nice job Richard =D> I made one for a client many moons ago and have had a couple made by students since, always a great project to have in the workshop.
I was talking to Jeremy Hall of http://www.peter-hall.co.uk last year they use raw linseed on a lot of furniture after the first coat has dried they poor boiling water over the piece of furniture to water mark it all over, when dry they lightly sand and refinish with the raw linseed to build a finish and it will never water mark again. Only recommended for the brave on well made solid timber work, never veneered :!:

Cheers Peter

 

[MickCheese]

I love that.

I really like the way you have chamfered the stretcher rails.

The butterflies look fantastic.

Mick

 

[Racers]

Hi Rich

Very nice, love the bog oak and the chamfers.

I an still deciding what to do with the piece I got from Mac Timbers.

Pete

 

[richarnold]

Hi folks.
Thank you for all the kind comments. I will do my best to answer a few questions.

quote-I see now that you had included a pic of the whole thing - the last photo did not load automatically when I first looked. One more question though - could you tell us a bit about the edge moulding? Presumably you used a moulding plane... and how was it on the end grain?
Andy
The moulding was produced by hand with my old favorite a Gabriel ogee. this was also used to form the small cove on the underside. This is achieved by making the first few passes with the ogee then stopping before completing the ogee. I have always found this plane works well on end grain. the only precaution is to clamp a piece of scrap at the far end to prevent break out. It also probably helps in that the oak is air dried, so isn't as brittle as kiln dried stock would be.

quote-i like it a lot good style and finish
question you say you use raw linseed oil to finish it and it looks good what's the difference between that and boiled linseed oil as in finish etc.

I have always had a preference for raw linseed oil. In this instance the first coat was applied "hot". IE I warmed up the oil in a water bath. this helps the oil to really penetrate into the timber. I learnt this method from a Yorkshire cabinet maker many years ago, and he always used raw linseed. Alan peters also favored raw linseed oil.
quote-I was talking to Jeremy Hall of http://www.peter-hall.co.uk last year they use raw linseed on a lot of furniture after the first coat has dried they poor boiling water over the piece of furniture to water mark it all over, when dry they lightly sand and refinish with the raw linseed to build a finish and it will never water mark again.
That sounds really interesting Peter. I will definitely be giving that a try.
I really wish I had took more photos during the build. Next time I go to oil the table I will try and get some more detailed photo's of the finished table. In the meantime here are a few more shots I already have.