Three leaf table......revisited

[Jim_Rogers]

Recently a lady from down the street asked me if I could mill a log in half and then sell them both halves....... I said sure, but what do you need them for?

She said she had see these types of tables in Austria when traveling there, and wanted to create one for herself.

I asked her: "how wide a log do you want?" as the mill can only cut 24" at most, maybe 28" with some fancy foot work......
She told me two dinner plates wide, one on each half.....
I asked her what length did she want it and she told me 10' and asked me the cost, and most importantly "can you deliver?"

I suggested that they come over and pick out a log and I'd cut it in half and they could make their table.

We made an appointment and she showed up with her husband who had created a very nice drawing of what they wanted.

From that hand sketch I created this drawing:



We discussed the size they wanted. The asked how long a log could I mill? And with further discussion we decided on a three leaf table top with each leaf being 14" wide and 6" thick with round edges.
Being held up by two stumps (as they called them) with benches all around.

After considering the size and thickness, I told them that they'd never be able to move it. They said "GOOD"..... every patio table they have ever owned has blown away from their yard. He said he even made one with tile for a table top so heavy that the tile cause the table top to sag (now sure how thick the base under the tile was).

I estimated that each leaf of this "log table" would weigh 327 lbs and that the entire table would weight 1300 lbs "roughly". They said: "good that's just what we want, very rustic."

They were concerned that this table may sag, as the last one did, and wanted to know if I should create a third stump in the middle of the table.

I told them that if I put the table together, here in the sawmill yard, we could stand on top of it and see if it felt bouncy.....

I don't think it's going to need a third stump.....



Do you?

Specs are (3) 6" thick by 14" wide by 17' long leafs. Two 21" diameter x 24" tall stumps for the pedestals. 2" x 14" x 17' long bench seats with (5) 12" dia x 15" stumps under each. Two end benches have 2x14x42" seats with (2) 12" dia x 15" stumps under them.

They wanted only three stumps under the long benches but after putting one together:



It looked like a diving board to me, and for safety, I added the end stump:



I have this still set up in my yard and I'm about to call them to come over and see it.....



I hope they like it......

What do you think?

Jim Rogers

PS. Plans available upon request......

[Jim_Rogers]

She loved it.....

First thing she said was I'm going to have to have a party....

He just left, and he loves it.

Just what they wanted....

Now I just have to deliver it......

[metalspinner]

I see a few more of those in your future.

Have you tried to tip it on purpose?  Sit a few big fellas on the edge of the top and see what happens just to make sure.  You may want a wider stump holding her up.  A crotch standing upside down would give it a wider footprint if you don't have or want to use larger logs.

[jander3]

Nice.  Now that is a table.  I'm thinking, maybe, build in place.  Not sure I would want to transport that bad boy.

How did you secure the table to the stumps?  (i.e. what does it look like underneath).

That table is one-of-a-kind; it ain't going nowhere in the wind, nor, in the back of a pickup truck.

[Sprucegum]

   What's for supper? 

[PC-Urban-Sawyer]

  What's for supper? 

You've got me stumped 

Herb

[maineframer]

Jim,

Nice table. You gotta love live edge.

David

[Jim_Rogers]

The customer does not want any screws or lags down from the top of the table into the cleats or stumps. Nor does he want any screws or lags down from the top of the bench seats to the stumps.

So the plan is to notch out the table stump and insert a 2by or a 3x flush with the top (of the stump) and then lag or screw up into the bottom of the table leafs.
Same procedure with the bench seats only using smaller pieces of wood.

If he runs into a tipping problem we'll have to add some thing to the base of the table stumps to make it more stable.
Right now the tops are just resting on two 2x6's that I put on top of the stumps so that I could set it up and take pictures and show them (the customers) the set up.

I was and am concerned about the top of the leafs being flush with one another at the ends of the table. They may shift and be uneven. I brought this to his attention and he may insert a 2x4 across the bottom edge of the ends, flush with the bottom surface to try and hold them all flush.

I did suggested placing a piece across the ends to make a "bread board" end but they want to see the ends of the logs and their shape. So the rejected that idea for now.

You asked: "What does it look like from underneath?"

Well in the above shot of the bench seat test next to the mill, you can see two of the three leafs next to the logs, bottom side up.

What I did was get a big diameter log and cut two opposite faces to 14" wide, 7" each side of the hearth/pith. Then cut one other face flush to take off the slab and maybe one board, to get a flat bottom. The customer asked for a flat bottom to make it easier for him to run his skil saw over the bottom to create a groove across the piece for inserting the cleat for lagging it all together.

I got two leafs and all the bench seat tops from one log, and the middle leaf piece from another log. We're going to use the odd piece from the other log as the middle so that the two outer pieces will look some what like book matched pieces.

And yes it will be assembled in place on his 40' long patio in his back yard, by him and his friends.
He said he'd have me over for dinner and I'll post pictures of it when it's done.

I'm not sure if he's going to strip the bark off the stumps now or wait and let it fall off by itself.

I have advised him that it will fall off, sooner or later....

Jim

[shinnlinger]

Very Timely Jim,  I have some slabs sitting around waiting for me to just what you did,  Nice.

[Jim_Rogers]

Well it took two trips with my flat bed trailer that I pull behind my SUV but we got the table and benches with stumps delivered this afternoon....

She showed us the spot where it's going and it looks like it will fit in just right.

Also, she thanked me for setting it up in my yard so that her husband could see how it was suppose to go all together......

We'll see how soon he calls me to ask if I can come over and help him put it together.....

[shinnlinger]

Jim how did you dado the bottom of the table top pieces to fit the 2x4 stringer?  I am thinking radial arm saw w/dado head, but maybe you have some other ideas.

[Jim_Rogers]

The customer is going to do that himself. He told me he owned a sheet metal shop and that someone there was making up a jig for him to use to guide his skil saw across the bottom of the "leafs".

I haven't seen it yet, nor have any dados been cut...yet..

I'll let you know how it comes out when I find out...

[ljmathias]

Nice work, Jim.  I love to see innovation tied to customer desires and needs- after all, they do pay the bills.

Lj

[Brad_bb]

Cool Jim.  Can you throw a couple in your truck and bring to the next conference?  Having it outside, I'd think the weather will take it's toll on the top.  Might have to plane or sand it down every few years to keep it user friendly.  Just get up there with a floor sander and in 20 minutes, you're got a fresh surface!

[Jim_Rogers]

Well, I finally got to go over and see the table all in place.

It's been almost a year since I did this job for them.

I ran into the lady one day last fall at the local UPS store and she said I could come over anytime.

Well here is how it looks now:







And my favorite:



I think it's very solid and the bark hasn't fallen off it yet.

I went over there, as a friend of theirs wants me to make them one.
I haven't called the second lady back yet, but I will shortly and see what size she wants.

Jim Rogers

[laffs]

massive table looks like a good project. nice job

[Tom]

I really like that table.  It's Spartan but solid and I'll bet it's the pride of any youth that ever sits at it.  Stuff like that is ageless.

You might recommend a coat of Johnson's Paste Wax every now and again.  It will help to seal the wood against a deep soaking, even if it's only on the top surfaces.  It will make the benches easier to keep clean too. 

[Brad_bb]

That is sweet Jim!  I was actually wondering lately how timber framers would build a picnic table.  I bet the bark won't fall off as long as it doesn't get wet.  One of my spruce trees in the barn still has some of the bark and it's on there tight now that it's dry.  I think is the repeated expansion and contraction from wet to dry that detaches bark naturally. 

Oh What type of wood is that table?

[Jim_Rogers]

Oh What type of wood is that table?

Eastern White Pine....

[Tullivor]

Very very cool table Jim.  You are inspiring, I can just imagine all the ideas running through peoples minds after seeing the pics.
I just picked up my sawmill last week and have already built one of the lumber drying skids you had plans of on you lumber storage story, and I also built a set of saw horses going somewhat by Schroeder and Sobon's plan.  My mother was pretty impressed and asked if I could make her a picnic table for their deck, I think I know where my plan will originate from!

[Jim_Rogers]

Thanks, just make the base wide so that it isn't tippy.....

[Piston]

Thanks for posting the finished product Jim, I really like that table.

I just picked up my sawmill last week and have already built one of the lumber drying skids you had plans of on you lumber storage story

I built a lumber skid from your plans as well, forgot to thank you for that.   

[Jim_Rogers]

After a phone conversation with this new customer for the second log table, I made up this drawing to show her:



Here you can see that the bench stumps have been replaced with 12x12 blocks. And the table pedestal has been replaced with two 12x12x24" blocks as well.

She showed up here at the sawmill last week and had a picture cut out of a magazine showing a large table with four large 6x6 or larger legs.

I showed her this design and printed a copy for her to take home to show her husband.

She emailed me that they wanted only one long bench and one short bench so that they could use regular patio chairs on the other side and end.

The order now looks like this:



To attach the table cleats to the blocks he will cut a groove across the blocks and then across the bottom of the leafs same as the other guy did. And then lag screw the cleat to the leg blocks and then the leafs to the cleat up from the bottom. This way no holes will be through the table top leafs to let in water to start it to rot.

The bench seat plank will be secured to the bench leg blocks using angle brackets that you get at the hardware store.  Attaching the bracket up to the bottom of the bench seat plank and then into the sides of the bench leg block.

I had my logger move some large logs up to the mill so that I could start making 12x12 blocks for this project.

After milling out a 12x12 some 8' long, I cut the end off as square as I could with a chain saw.
Then I measure over 24 1/2" and drew two red lines with my lumber crayon and plastic saw guide, like this:



Then as best I could I cut the block off the cant, and it weighed at least 70 lbs or more. And set it aside:



After finishing cutting up all the blocks I could get from this cant, I created a table and fence so that I could stand the blocks up and use the sawmill to cut off the ends flush and true:



Here you can see my framing square and a small wooden wedge that I am using to stand the piece up as straight and true as I can.

Here is a shot of the finish cut made at 24":



The mill did cut the end grain pretty good, but you have to go slow.

I tried trimming one cut by a saw-blade thickness but that doesn't work very well.

The next set of blocks I make, I'm going to over cut them with the chain saw by an inch so that I can have plenty of wood to trim off.

Sharp blade helps as well.

When I have it all done, I hope to set it up in the yard again, to take pictures to show you, and the husband what it's suppose to look like when all done.

Jim Rogers

[Brad_bb]

I like what you're doing Jim.  It does make me think though, Could the chunky leg blocks be made from firewood scrap logs instead of a good 8' log?  Could multiple pieces be secured on the mill and cut at once?  Just always thinking on how to use what would otherwise be scrap instead of cutting pieces of length.  On that Ax men show I always see them cutting the logs to length and letting chunks of good wood roll off the landing.  I think that's such a shame not to use it all.

[Jim_Rogers]

First of all this log I used was not a good log at all. The top had broken off before it was felled and the center was rotten way down into it. It was 16' long and I only got three 2' piece and one 15" piece out of it. The rest was junk. However we did get some good jacket boards from around the outside. Some junk boards as well.

Sometimes lining up more than one piece works but when each piece has to be checked and plumbed then it really doesn't make sense to try and do more than one.

Also, it would be difficult to clamp more than one.

We made some good progress today, cut two leafs, on long bench plank, the short bench plank and a left over 8' bench plank, all the 3x4's and the 3x6 from one log.
The only thing I have left to do tomorrow is to cut one leaf timber. And one more 12x12x8' for the rest of the blocks. If I get that done then we could put it together for the photo op, before we load it up for delivery.

Jim

[scsmith42]

Jim, that's a cool blend or artistry and milling!  Thanks for sharing.

Scott

[Jim_Rogers]

Well this past week I finished the short table with block legs, and block leg benches.

Before I loaded it up for delivery, I put it together in my yard to take a picture of it for all you guys/gals to see.

Here it is:



I had to load it up and deliver it that day, so I didn't spend a lot of time trying to make each leg block completely plumb. I just set them on the ground and lined them up close to where they should go.

After that one snap shot, I loaded them onto my trailer for delivery:



I was trying to figure out how I was going to stop all the short blocks from bouncing around and falling off the trailer while driving the 13 miles to the customer house some three towns south east of here. But by putting them in two rows and the cross straps over the first ones and last ones in each row seemed to work ok.

When I got there they had a minivan broke down in the middle of the driveway so I couldn't back in.
We pushed it out into the street, and off to the side of the road. It seems these minivans, at least this one, when it rains the ignition coil gets wet and the thing won't run right. So they took it to the dealer. They just replaced the coil with the same thing. Next time it rained, and they drove it in the rain, same thing. Seemed kind of stupid to me that you can't drive your minivan in the rain. They were tired of paying the dealer to replace it with the same (wrong) thing. So, he went out and bought some "water proof" coils. Funny how the dealer didn't have them on hand or why would he not use them. Well anyhow the homeowner had taken out the coils and had not put the right new ones back in yet.

I wanted to back around it and onto the patio as best I could to make it easier for me to deliver the long table leafs, but they said I couldn't go on the lawn as there was a septic system right there.
We just slide them down some 2x4s onto the edge of the driveway after we carried all the blocks, bench seats and other timbers off to the patio.

The said that they'd send me a picture when the have it all put together on their patio.

Block leg benches and patio tables could be a good thing to make up and have one on hand for people to see and use.

Specs for the benches are 2x14x? and the leg blocks are 12x12x 15 or 16". Center the block under the seat so you have 1" overhang on both sides.

Then you get something like this:



To attach to the bottom of the bench seat and to the side of the block leg. I would put it so that the leg hides the screws that go up into the bench seat. But I haven't tried it.
If you place them in the middle of the block, say 4" in from each edge of the block leg then they should be in enough so that anyone who puts there hands under the edge of the bench seat can't get cut on any metal. You always have to think "safety".....

[sbishop]

nice table and benches!

I see you deliver...how about eastern Canada say in 3 weeks? 

Sbishop

[Jim_Rogers]

I could, but the mileage charge will kill you....

[shinnlinger]

Today the wife wanted me to move a pile of slab wood up by the house, but rather than do that I built this...

[ljmathias]

Wow!  You built that beautiful young lady out of wood?  Pinnochio better watch out!   

As to the table: how did you get the tops flat with rounded bottoms resting on your supports?  Seems like they'd move around a lot while you were fastening them.

Lj

[shinnlinger]

I decided to go with the legs angled at 12 degrees both ways, so I set the slabs face down on my sliding miter saw set at 12 degrees and limited the depth of cut to 2 inches above the bed and made a 2" wide dado's referenced from the center of the slab. This gave me a consistent 2" thickness where the slab connects to the trestles.  Despite my daughter's legs, I left about 3 and half feet of overhang on the ends as well so folks can sit there.

Dave

[Amelia Farms]

That looks like a heck of a tree house in the background there.

[shinnlinger]

yeah, wife went a little nuts a few years ago, but then we moved off the property.  Since we hope to be back on this summer for good, maybe the treehouse thing will take off...

[Jim_Rogers]

Here is a shot of the second finished table with two benches from the customer:



And they have decided to add another long bench and another short bench. So I have to cut those out and deliver them this week.

I may take my camera and get some more photos of the finished table in place on the patio.

As well as make up some extra stock for a few benches to have on hand here for sale.

Jim Rogers

[dukndog]

I really like the look of that table Jim!!! and I'm sure you can sell them once the word gets out!!

[WDH]

Jim,

You have created a new style in outdoor living  .