Three leaf table......revisited

[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  .