# Picnic table



## Eric Vogus (Dec 23, 2018)

Don’t think it will be ready for Christmas but this is a piece I am making for my girlfriend. It will get flattened sanded and epoxied like a bar top. The wood all came from property that has been her mom and dads since 1971. She inherited it 23 years ago. No body ever did anything with it. Till this passed summer I put a driveway and clearing in. She was able to park her motor home on her property. Hope to build her a cabin this summer. Merry Christmas all. And if that offended anyone too bad. Get over it.


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## jchipps (Dec 24, 2018)

Real nice table you're making. I'm sure your GF will like it, especially with the wood being from her family's property, and hand milled by you. 

PS - Very good job on that chainsaw mill you fabricated. 
I never done any chainsaw milling, but it looks like it works pretty slick.


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## Eric Vogus (Dec 24, 2018)

jchipps said:


> Real nice table you're making. I'm sure your GF will like it, especially with the wood being from her family's property, and hand milled by you.
> 
> PS - Very good job on that chainsaw mill you fabricated.
> I never done any chainsaw milling, but it looks like it works pretty slick.


Thank you.


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## Eric Vogus (Dec 24, 2018)

My lumber yard.


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## grizz55chev (Dec 24, 2018)

Eric Vogus said:


> Don’t think it will be ready for Christmas but this is a piece I am making for my girlfriend. It will get flattened sanded and epoxied like a bar top. The wood all came from property that has been her mom and dads since 1971. She inherited it 23 years ago. No body ever did anything with it. Till this passed summer I put a driveway and clearing in. She was able to park her motor home on her property. Hope to build her a cabin this summer. Merry Christmas all. And if that offended anyone too bad. Get over it.


I’ve made and sold a few of these, they bring good money for not a whole lot of work. A buddy and me can take customer supplied slabs and have a completed table in under 4 hrs, we get $400. If we supply the wood,we get $900. They’re fun projects!


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## Eric Vogus (Dec 24, 2018)

grizz55chev said:


> I’ve made and sold a few of these, they bring good money for not a whole lot of work. A buddy and me can take customer supplied slabs and have a completed table in under 4 hrs, we get $400. If we supply the wood,we get $900. They’re fun projects!


This is my first. Not making them for people. Except as gifts. Might make more and if someone wants it I would sell it but don’t what to be on someone else’s time. Then it seems like Work. Would like to keep it fun.


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## grizz55chev (Dec 24, 2018)

Eric Vogus said:


> This is my first. Not making them for people. Except as gifts. Might make more and if someone wants it I would sell it but don’t what to be on someone else’s time. Then it seems like Work. Would like to keep it fun.


Not a thing wrong with that, I’m retired from construction, it’s kind of a hobby for me too. The live edges are what people are looking for, and pay good money for.


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## Eric Vogus (Dec 25, 2018)

grizz55chev said:


> Not a thing wrong with that, I’m retired from construction, it’s kind of a hobby for me too. The live edges are what people are looking for, and pay good money for.


I’m new to the whole wood game. I am starting at ground zero. I built my own chainsaw mill to make use of beetle killed spruce from my girls property. Could not see burning it all as firewood. Now custom tables. It’s a new sickness I tell you.


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## grizz55chev (Dec 25, 2018)

Eric Vogus said:


> I’m new to the whole wood game. I am starting at ground zero. I built my own chainsaw mill to make use of beetle killed spruce from my girls property. Could not see burning it all as firewood. Now custom tables. It’s a new sickness I tell you.


Hopefully you won’t get the dreaded CAD, I stared with a worn out old saw10 yrs ago, now I have at least 20 in my garage.


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## chipper1 (Dec 25, 2018)

Eric Vogus said:


> View attachment 692427
> My lumber yard.


Great job on the table, sure she will be encouraged. You look much smaller than I imagined .


grizz55chev said:


> I’ve made and sold a few of these, they bring good money for not a whole lot of work. A buddy and me can take customer supplied slabs and have a completed table in under 4 hrs, we get $400. If we supply the wood,we get $900. They’re fun projects!


Howdy Grizz.
Any tips on making one, Friday I set aside the but end of a cherry log at a buddies, just seemed to nice to cut up for firewood even though it had a little bend in it. It's about 16-20" around.


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## Backyard Lumberjack (Dec 25, 2018)

I like this thread!  has the spirit of true pioneering in it, imo. family land, couple generations old, inherited, not sold... land locked, but then along comes a *white knight*... and carves out a drive and pad, and makes an heirloom picnic table, by hand, making the lumber hisself from the forests on the land... adds in some nice artwork and personal creativity... reads the wood and the grains... makes the under-supports and well... hope this is a thread with a good future to it for both concerned just like that 'forever finish' on top of the table. Merry Christmas to you also. keep us posted on ur table's progress and land improvements...




and up in Alaska, to boot!


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## grizz55chev (Dec 25, 2018)

chipper1 said:


> Great job on the table, sure she will be encouraged. You look much smaller than I imagined .
> 
> Howdy Grizz.
> Any tips on making one, Friday I set aside the but end of a cherry log at a buddies, just seemed to nice to cut up for firewood even though it had a little bend in it. It's about 16-20" around.


His table looks pretty much like the design we used, only thing we did different was to edge the pieces for the top so that the live edges were only on the 2 outer edges. It also helps if the slabs are seasoned. Green slabs tend to warp, depending on species and how seasoned they are. Make you slabs 2 1/2” thick so you can use a skillsaw to trim the boards for the top. Never worked much with cherry so results may vary, we use mostly cedar or Douglas fir, but blue stain pine make some fine tables too. I’m thinking log like yours may not have enough girth to make a pic nic table. Probably enough for a beautiful table top though.


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## chipper1 (Dec 25, 2018)

grizz55chev said:


> His table looks pretty much like the design we used, only thing we did different was to edge the pieces for the top so that the live edges were only on the 2 outer edges. It also helps if the slabs are seasoned. Green slabs tend to warp, depending on species and how seasoned they are. Make you slabs 2 1/2” thick so you can use a skillsaw to trim the boards for the top. Never worked much with cherry so results may vary, we use mostly cedar or Douglas fir, but blue stain pine make some fine tables too. I’m thinking log like yours may not have enough girth to make a pic nic table. Probably enough for a beautiful table top though.


Thanks.
I was thinking a bench when I walked away from it, but you know how that goes, I'll have to see it again to make a plan.
The 2.5" is a great idea, that's the kind of info that saves a lot of time/$, I've seen the jugs for trimming slabs with a saw, but why buy/use those if I can use a circular saw .
I've had the chainsaw mill in the basement for a long time just waiting for a project, maybe this will be it.


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## Eric Vogus (Dec 25, 2018)

grizz55chev said:


> Hopefully you won’t get the dreaded CAD, I stared with a worn out old saw10 yrs ago, now I have at least 20 in my garage.


I have built a homemade cnc plasma table a few years back. I’m trying to go back in time. Been looking at steam powered sawmills lately. So don’t think I will ever go to the cad side. Been there done that. May adapt the plasma table into a routing table as a project who knows it would not take much I built with the thought that I might want to change the work heads out on it.


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## Backyard Lumberjack (Dec 25, 2018)

Eric Vogus said:


> I have built a homemade cnc plasma table a few years back. *I’m trying to go back in time.* Been looking at steam powered sawmills lately. So don’t think I will ever go to the cad side. Been there done that. May adapt the plasma table into a routing table as a project who knows it would not take much I built with the thought that I might want to change the work heads out on it.



keep us posted on your projects and progress....


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## Eric Vogus (Dec 25, 2018)

First attempt at epoxy pour. Testing before I get to the picnic table. Not finished. I learn a lot on this 10x10” piece.


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## grizz55chev (Dec 25, 2018)

Eric Vogus said:


> View attachment 692555
> First attempt at epoxy pour. Testing before I get to the picnic table. Not finished. I learn a lot on this 10x10” piece.


Is your slab seasoned?


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## Eric Vogus (Dec 25, 2018)

It’s not as good as it should be. I have the 2” at 14% and not sure on the little stuff. It was more just testing and learning. I was bored. Lol. Can’t get to my wood yard till next weekend and no logs to mill here.


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## grizz55chev (Dec 26, 2018)

Eric Vogus said:


> It’s not as good as it should be. I have the 2” at 14% and not sure on the little stuff. It was more just testing and learning. I was bored. Lol. Can’t get to my wood yard till next weekend and no logs to mill here.


The epoxy resin has a tough time if it’s not fully seasoned, that’s the reason I brought it up.


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## Eric Vogus (Dec 26, 2018)

grizz55chev said:


> The epoxy resin has a tough time if it’s not fully seasoned, that’s the reason I brought it up.


It turned out okay gave me a chance to learn the characteristics of the epoxy. But I sure appreciate any advise someone is willing to give. Thank you.


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## Eric Vogus (Dec 26, 2018)

Eric Vogus said:


> It turned out okay gave me a chance to learn the characteristics of the epoxy. But I sure appreciate any advise someone is willing to give. Thank you.


Do you check moisture content or by time since cut? And what is a good moisture content? I have read under 10 for furniture


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## Eric Vogus (Dec 29, 2018)

Just built a quick log sled. I have my doubts that it will work well. I just added on to one of the shipping crates that are free from a Yamaha dealer near me. Dont have much time, leaving in the morning to see if I can get to my wood lot and get the dozer fired up. If I can’t then at least I can drag a few back on this rickshaw thing I built with my snowmobile. Still have to add the tongue in the morning.


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## Brian72 (Jan 1, 2019)

Nice job Eric! My buddy and I made one a few years back. He needed a new table and I just got my mill so we went to town. It's a great project for getting your feet wet with milling! Nothing like the satisfaction of DIY!






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## Eric Vogus (Jan 3, 2019)

Finished the sled but unable to get any logs. Dozer was broken worse than I thought. Not done trying though.


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## Eric Vogus (Mar 14, 2019)

Visited my lumber yard for some r&r and made this snow couch with birch accents. Way rotten but cool patterns


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## Eric Vogus (Mar 14, 2019)

Updated pics of epoxy pour


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## Eric Vogus (Mar 19, 2019)

New project. Epoxy poured serving platter. Thinking a dark red pearl almost black in the “lake”


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## Eric Vogus (Apr 2, 2019)

Well it did not come out like I pictured it in my head. But here is my second epoxy pour. Alaskan serving platter. Birch and epoxy. Tried for a northern lights look but didn’t come out the way I wished.


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## unclemoustache (Dec 6, 2019)

Dang - that wood is pretty enough without your additions. What is that?


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