The making of a table

[RivennHewn]

Mock up dry fitted.

I'll let it set and dry up a bit more before I do the final glue up/assembly.

Hope the tenons still fit tight

Not sure about the bark yet.

If it stays tight, I might keep it.
Most likely it will fall off in places, look like ****, and need to be removed.

 

[Strouty]

I think you should take off the bark, I bet that wood will look much nicer and you won't have to worry about it falling off in the living room.

 

[RivennHewn]

I think you should take off the bark, I bet that wood will look much nicer and you won't have to worry about it falling off in the living room.

Not to mention the bugs that live under the bark

 

[drivesitfar]

Riv: in case you might like the look of the bark is there a way to maybe EPOXY or encapsulate it so your bark won't fall off and the bugs will be around for the next scientist to find?

interesting project. do you have a use for it or did you just want to make one?

 

[Toolfool]

That slab was begging for three legs.

 

[RivennHewn]

Found an 1/8" mortice chisel in need of a handle this afternoon.

It needed a bit of 'truing', a couple of bumps with a hammer in the vise.

Found a nice piece of turning stock that looked appropriate.

Who else spends their Saturday nights turning chisel handles in the dark?

 

[RivennHewn]

Drives,

I'm all but sure the bark will need to go away. I could probably coat it with epoxy, maybe on the next one.

Tool,

Funny you mention 3 legs. I almost went there. I even installed two on one end, and looked at the balance of making it a tripod.

Ended up liking 4 legs for this one, maybe on the next one.

 

[RivennHewn]

Pressing the ferrel on the end of the tang chisel using the bench vise.
If it isn't super tight now, it never will be.

Cutting leather washers for the **** end of the tang chisel. Glued on with Hide glue.

Back in the vise for fitting of the socket.
Twisting the handle in socket leave marks on the high spots, that you can trim off with a knife or plane.

Finishing up the chisels. Nothing left to do but set them with a good hammer blow!

 

[1/2 Cup]

Top job Riven..

 

[RivennHewn]

Thanks 1/2Cup,

Have you found a spot for that new vise you brought home?

 

[Strouty]

What is the deal with the leather?

 

[RivennHewn]

What is the deal with the leather?

Honestly? I have no real clue why, but it's a traditional detail.

Some say it's to absorb hammer blows, but why would you want to do that?

Looks maybe?

I really don't see much benefit in it being there.

 

[Strouty]

Maybe for rebound?

 

[RivennHewn]

Maybe for rebound?

Ya, like I said - I don't see much benefit to them, other than visual

 

[RivennHewn]

Tree to table

The story in pictures:

 

[1/2 Cup]

Riven, just awesome

Thank you for sharing..

 

[slodat]

Nice work!!

 

[RivennHewn]

1/2 cup, Slodat,

I'll take, and appreciate, any complements from the likes of you two.

Both of you are an inspiration to us all.

Thanks

 

[royce]

Well done Riven
What will you use for finish?

Royce

 

[RivennHewn]

Thanks Royce,
I’ll fill the larger voids with epoxy, then use my go-to finish: equal parts
Spar Varnish
Tung oil
Turpentine

Not to shiny, easy to repair, smells great, penetrates deep, builds well, doesn’t look like plastic.

 

[PugetDude]

The table looks good, nice balance between the top and the legs.
Any idea what the moisture content is on the top?

 

[RivennHewn]

As of tonight, it’s at 13.8%.

I’ll wait til it’s under 10 before I glue up and finish.

 

[royce]

Thanks Royce,
I’ll fill the larger voids with epoxy, then use my go-to finish: equal parts
Spar Varnish
Tung oil
Turpentine

Not to shiny, easy to repair, smells great, penetrates deep, builds well, doesn’t look like plastic.

Thanks for the info, a couple more questions.
When you fill the checks and voids do you use filler in the epoxy? and if so, what do you use for filler?
Will you use epoxy on the leg tenons?
I sure like a oil finish, myself.

Royce

 

[RivennHewn]

Royce,

I usually use West System Epoxy. They have fillers available, but I just use it straight. I'm not doing enough at one time to justify the expense and hassle of adding another component to the mix.
https://www.westsystem.com


Legs will get glued in with something like the gap filling Gorilla glue, or other moisture activated cure polyurethane formula that expands.
http://www.gorillatough.com/gorilla...MbrbXofGoQPnLZiYwZOjKuHk8BxN2w7kaAj7LEALw_wcB

 

[Toolfool]

Interested in a big cedar round ?

 

[RivennHewn]

Interested in a big cedar round ?

I figured you'd have cut that into manageable pieces by now

 

[Toolfool]

No time. No room for it. Now the wife wants a garage next to the house for her car. Carport isn't keeping the rodents out of her engine bay.

 

[RivennHewn]

No time. No room for it. Now the wife wants a garage next to the house for her car. Carport isn't keeping the rodents out of her engine bay.

Ouch. The rats got our Subaru twice. Cost us some big bucks.

Something about soy based wire insulation. Rats seem to love the stuff.

 

[Toolfool]

Only going to cost me lots of time and money. And I was thinking I could retire some day. Stupid me.

 

[royce]

Royce,

I usually use West System Epoxy. They have fillers available, but I just use it straight. I'm not doing enough at one time to justify the expense and hassle of adding another component to the mix.
https://www.westsystem.com


Legs will get glued in with something like the gap filling Gorilla glue, or other moisture activated cure polyurethane formula that expands.
http://www.gorillatough.com/gorilla...MbrbXofGoQPnLZiYwZOjKuHk8BxN2w7kaAj7LEALw_wcB

Thank you Sir

 

[PugetDude]

No time. No room for it. Now the wife wants a garage next to the house for her car. Carport isn't keeping the rodents out of her engine bay.

Ouch. The rats got our Subaru twice. Cost us some big bucks.

Something about soy based wire insulation. Rats seem to love the stuff.

Chipmunks took out a 2' square chunk of the insulation under the hood of my Ram 1500, packed it under the intake manifold, then chewed the wiring for the fuel injection...$1000 repair bill.

Friggin' soy-based insulation...

 

[RivennHewn]

Chipmunks took out a 2' square chunk of the insulation under the hood of my Ram 1500, packed it under the intake manifold, then chewed the wiring for the fuel injection...$1000 repair bill.

Friggin' soy-based insulation...

Rats. Just because you don't see them doesn't mean that they aren't there.

They are everywhere.

 

[RivennHewn]

Wonderfully nice day today, especially for the 3rd week of October.

figured today was nice, but the rain is coming so I sno-sealed my boots and my hat.

Let it rain.

 

[PugetDude]

Wonderfully nice day today, especially for the 3rd week of October.

figured today was nice, but the rain is coming so I sno-sealed my boots and my hat.

Let it rain.

Filson and Danner- true PNW originals.

 

[RivennHewn]

Good guesses, but the boots are Thorogood and the hat is mucros.
By far the most comfortable boots I’ve ever owned.

 

[Mavawreck]

By far the most comfortable boots I’ve ever owned.

Mixed feelings on my Thorogoods - super comfortable and aesthetically good looking but dang I've been disappointed in how they've held up. Seams coming apart and several rips in 6 months. I walk on rebar at work and I get that is hard on them but my Redwings and Timberland Pro's held up better. Makes me sad, I really wanted them to work out.

 

[RivennHewn]

Concrete work is as hard on boots as any job could be.

I usually stand around drinking coffee, so they’ve held up well for me.

 

[RivennHewn]

Dang neighbor kids were using my hewing hatchet for throwing practice. Messed up my tree, and broke my handle.

Not much to do about the tree, but I can fix the handle.

That was sooo much fun, I decided I needed a new commander/pursuader/mallet too.

HF dead blow for size comparison

 

[Bears Fan]

Nice job on the handles

 

[Toolfool]

I like that persuader.