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Ambrosia Riddled White Oak Kitchen Island Work Table

Started by WDH, May 24, 2012, 08:21:56 PM

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WDH

My daughter had a roommate move out of their college apartment, and the roommate took the old metal table that they used in the kitchen as a work surface and to put stuff on.  It was 4' x 2' and 3' high.  I decided to make her a simple island work table to replace the old metal one.  Since it was to be simple, I decided to use some wormy (ambrosia beetle infested) white oak that I sawed from a tree I found blown over in my woods.  It had been down several years and the sapwood was mostly ruined, but the heartwood was hard as anvil iron.  I did not realize just how beautiful it was until I planed it down!  Now I wish that I had not sold most of the rest of it  :-\.  Here is a pic of some of the ambrosia beetle effect.



 

I wanted the top to look thick and heavy but not be thick and heavy to move around, so I glued up cut-offs to the end grain end of each board to give the appearance of double thickness.  Since the grain is orientated in the same plane, I reasoned that it would all shrink and swell as a unit and not split like in a cross grain situation.  Here is a pic of the underside showing the built up edge of each board.



 

Here is the completed table.



 

I put a slatted bottom shelf to hold things like potatoes and onions.  The slats promote air flow.  I used sweetgum since the slats were only 1 1/2' wide and I attached each end with two screws and plugged the holes with walnut plugs for contrast.  They might now stay straight and not warp or twist  :).



 

Here is the end of the table showing the doubled edge effect.  The top is 1 3/4" thick only on the four edges.  Otherwise it is 7/8" thick. 



 

I had never done this before, but it seemed logical to work, and I think that it turned out pretty well.  They can cut on it, bang on it, stand on it, and they can't really hurt it  :D.  You know college kids.  As my Dad used to say, "That boy could tear up an anvil".

Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

ellmoe

  Looking good , Danny! (As usual,  ;)   )

Mark
Thirty plus years in the sawmill/millwork business. A sore back and arthritic fingers to prove it!

Dan_Shade

Woodmizer LT40HDG25 / Stihl 066 alaskan
lots of dull bands and chains

There's a fine line between turning firewood into beautiful things and beautiful things into firewood.

WDH

If you are going to start cussing, we might have to move this to the Restricted Board  :D.
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

POSTON WIDEHEAD

For my Daughter..... Ba....hum bug. You never build me ANYTHING Pop!

:D :D :D

Nice table Danny. Very NICE!  smiley_thumbsup
The older I get I wish my body could Re-Gen.

WDH

Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

okmulch

Rotochopper b66 track, #2 Rotochopper b66 track, woodmizer lt40, CAT 277b, CAT 268b, CAT 287c, CAT 277c, CAT299d2, CAT299d3, CAT 299d3, Volvo 70e,volvo70f, volvo90f

Mooseherder

Looks stout enough to hold up for many years of use. :)
sweet!

tyb525

Did you leave it natural? I'd recommend a coat or two of walnut oil (assuming she isn't allergic), not too heavy of a finish but it makes the grain pop :) and it's food safe.
LT10G10, Stihl 038 Magnum, many woodworking tools. Currently a farm service applicator, trying to find time to saw!

Norm


Lud

Very nice piece, Danny.

If you have a can of salad bowl finish, that would be clear, food safe, and college student durable.   

The kitchen island/table I built has slats longwise underneath but only down the middle as a leg clearance issue.  She has a row of pasta pots and caserole  pans balanced there.
Your way looks fine and functional  too.  Just saying the slats can run in a lot of different ways.  Diagonal would work, fr'instance.
Simplicity mill, Ford 1957 Golden Jubilee 841 Powermaster, 40x60 bankbarn, left-handed

WDH

Ty,

I will leave it natural as to color.  I was planning to use a 100% tasteless, ordorless mineral oil as a finish.  I have never used it before, so I do not know what to expect.

Lud,

I have heard that "salad bowl finish" contains varnish.  Does the stuff that you use have varnish in it? 
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

Burlkraft

Nice job Danny  ;D

Looks like your youngins' are really enjoying your retirement  :D
Why not just 1 pain free day?

tyb525

Some of it does Danny, when it comes to food use a film finish like varnish is a no-no. A penetrating oil is what you want. Mineral oil or walnut oil. The downside to mineral is it doesn't ever really dry. But they both work.

Recently I came across Howard Butcher Block Conditioner. It is food grade mineral oil with beeswax and caranuba wax. It is jelly like but applies nicely, and once dry it isn't oily. It's my favorite food-safe finish at the moment.

http://www.thebutcherblocktop.com/hobublco1.html
LT10G10, Stihl 038 Magnum, many woodworking tools. Currently a farm service applicator, trying to find time to saw!

SwampDonkey

I think it looks great, and good idea for the shelf space under the table. Now taters should be in a closet out of the light, but the onions will sit their just fine. ;)
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

hackberry jake

Quote from: WDH on May 24, 2012, 08:21:56 PM
You know college kids.  As my Dad used to say, "That boy could tear up an anvil".


My gpa always says I could tear up a Sherman tank with a toothpick.
https://www.facebook.com/TripleTreeWoodworks

EZ Boardwalk Jr. With 20hp Honda, 25' of track, and homemade setworks. 32x18 sawshed. 24x40 insulated shop. 30hp kubota with fel. 1978 Massey ferguson 230.

samandothers

Fantastic looking table. I like the way you made the appearance of a double thickness.  the contrasting plugs look really good.  Please do post a picture once you apply the finish. 


WDH

Steve,

My younguns are spoiled  :).  They believe that it is better to give than to receive as long as I am the one giving  ;D.  This is for my youngest who is just finishing her first year of Vet school.  I just send her money and furniture.  Maybe one day she can help take care of my dogs  :D.

Ty,

I read about including beeswax with the mineral oil.  That is interesting.  I will think about adding some beeswax.  On the carcass of the table I plan to use a danish oil as that is a little more durable and it will not be a food preparation surface.

SD,

The potatoes never last long enough to go bad  ;).
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

Clam77

Good looking table!!  She'll love it.. and I'll take two, with drawers!!   :D

You'd be surprised how much food is gonna get left lay on it though... I know if i had it on the kitchen I'd be using for all kinda stuff.   ;)
Andy

Stihl 009, 028, 038, 041, MS362
Mac 1-40, 3-25

WDH

Andy,

It started out as a simple little table for them to set the bread and stuff on, but I thought that since I was going to take the time to build it, I wanted it to be nice.  If it wasn't a college apartment and was going to a permanent home in a kitchen, I would have enclosed part of the bottom and added cabinet doors that opened on both sides as well as added two drawers on each side and a drawer on one end. 

This island table will set against the kitchen wall, so I decided to go simple for the time being.  I also did not want it to be too heavy as I am the only male in the family, and the women don't like to tote heavy stuff  :).

It was a fun project, and I would like to build a bigger, fancier one when I know where that it is going to live.
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

SwampDonkey

:D It was my poor mother that always helped me move. Father never lifted a lick in any of my moves during college. :D :D
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

scsmith42

Danny, that really turned out nice!  I like the added touch of the beads at the bottom of the aprons.

With your permission, I'm going to try to download a photo of it to put in my "ideas for future projects" folder.

Scott

ps - tell your daughter to keep her apartment locked up; once Magicman sees that sweetgum he may be tempted to come up and steal it!   :D
Peterson 10" WPF with 65' of track
Smith - Gallagher dedicated slabber
Tom's 3638D Baker band mill
and a mix of log handling heavy equipment.

hackberry jake

That Magicman sure is crazy over that liquid amber  ;)
https://www.facebook.com/TripleTreeWoodworks

EZ Boardwalk Jr. With 20hp Honda, 25' of track, and homemade setworks. 32x18 sawshed. 24x40 insulated shop. 30hp kubota with fel. 1978 Massey ferguson 230.

jamesamd

Another nice job,Dan. 8)
I belive,Danish oil,once dried,is food safe and more durable than the usual oils.
Jim
All that is gold does not glitter,not all those that wander are lost.....

Dan_Shade

paraphin wax and mineral oil works well for cutting boards, I don't see why it wouldn't work for a table top.

of course, you could put a real finish on it, and make her a cutting board too!

Woodmizer LT40HDG25 / Stihl 066 alaskan
lots of dull bands and chains

There's a fine line between turning firewood into beautiful things and beautiful things into firewood.

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