# Building a slab table...



## aggiewoodbutchr (Jun 11, 2008)

I've been working on this a little while and it's finally near completion. This is from a water oak I milled about a year and a half ago.

Started out by flattening the slab using the mill. These aluminum beams are from a carport we took down about 20 years ago. They've been in a pile in the woods all that time.

I suspended the beam over the top to get a straight cut then cut the bottom normally.


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## aggiewoodbutchr (Jun 11, 2008)

A little off the top...






Rough slab.






Some nice ray fleck. The saw marks were taken out using a combination of grinders /w sanding disks, belt sanders and random orbit sanders.






Flattening the legs with a router...
I probably won't be using the chainsaw method again. This worked much better than I expected on this scale. The last time I did this with a router I used a bit half the size in a much smaller router. Here I used a 1" bit in a 3.25 HP router.


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## aggiewoodbutchr (Jun 11, 2008)

Assembled base.






Inlays in the top for crack control.


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## aggiewoodbutchr (Jun 11, 2008)

Sanded inlay. You can also see the epoxy used to fill the checks and bug holds.






The color was chemically altered with a lye solution. I try to avoid stains because most of them mask too much grain detail.











Here it is after 2 coats of oil/varnish (Waterlox). 











I have several more wet sand coats to go then probably 2 final coats. I'll post pics as it progresses.


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## dustytools (Jun 11, 2008)

Nice work Aggie!!!


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## Nikko (Jun 11, 2008)

As a woodworker who also plays with chainsaws - I'm impressed! Very very nice work - and well documented too. Thanks for sharing - you've inspired me!

Nikko


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## RandyinLangley (Jun 11, 2008)

Very nice table, I'd love to see the the finished product. I like the shape of the legs, I find many people ruin the overall look of slab furniture but putting conflicting legs or supports on the piece. From what I've seen you've done a great job. Please keep posting pics.


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## irishcountry (Jun 11, 2008)

Wow as always nice work! I wished I had seen your router jig before, I just got done playing with the one I made this morning and can already see how yours would be more stable and useful!! Well never too late to change it the table can stay the same anyway. Very cool! thanks for the ideas! irishcountry


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## guitarborist (Jun 11, 2008)

Very nice!


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## aquan8tor (Jun 11, 2008)

Aggie, you do some good work. I'm guessing that the drops of liquid on the slabs in the sanding pics are sweat!! (just going by recent temps here....). Do you get the 95-100+ temps, 90-100% humidity all summer that we do in VA?

edit: yeah, you do. I googled your location; Hockley is near the coast!


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## wdchuck (Jun 11, 2008)

Schweet


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## woodshop (Jun 11, 2008)

Nikko said:


> As a woodworker who also plays with chainsaws - I'm impressed! Very very nice work - and well documented too...



Couldn't have said it any better myself... as one woodworker (who also plays with chainsaws) to another, you do nice work. I was wondering when you were going to take one of the (must be hundreds at this point) slabs you been showing us you mill and do something serious with it. Thanks for posting this... interesting. Any plans to market these tables? Obviously every one will be somewhat unique, but how big is the market for rustic tables like this? Just curious.


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## flyinghunter (Jun 11, 2008)

*Niiiiiiice*

VERY VERY nice work there. I hope to build a slab table this winter with some red oak I've milled..... damn, I have much to live up to now. I'd better not show my wife this.


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## buicken (Jun 11, 2008)

nice!
I have a big redwood slab that i had to sand flat, it was to big to go in any machine sander i had access too. so i rented a belt floor sander from home depot, it was ridiculously quick, and did a great job. i think the cost, with paper, was about 50$.
what epoxy are you use using? i have a spalted wormy maple table in the works.


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## MJR (Jun 11, 2008)

You answered the question without saying a word, "Can we see how the table will look over here?". I can't wait to see the chairs. I hope they have wooden wheels. Very cool.


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## rxe (Jun 11, 2008)

Lovely. Help a newbie out here....how do you do the inlays so neatly? I'm guessing the "sockets" are routed out with a jig.....but what about the inserts?

Thanks!


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## Zodiac45 (Jun 11, 2008)

Nice work Aggie,

As usual very inspiring. Can't wait too see the finished table. 

PS: I'm amazed looking at the outdoor pix and seeing in the distance, all those gigundic logs awaiting their turn! What a stash!


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## BobL (Jun 11, 2008)

Terrific work and pics AGWB. Keep posting.
Cheers


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## aggiewoodbutchr (Jun 11, 2008)

Thanks for the compliments folks. I'll try to answer all the questions but if I miss one let me know.




aquan8tor said:


> Aggie, you do some good work. I'm guessing that the drops of liquid on the slabs in the sanding pics are sweat!! (just going by recent temps here....). Do you get the 95-100+ temps, 90-100% humidity all summer that we do in VA?
> 
> edit: yeah, you do. I googled your location; Hockley is near the coast!



LOL! _Those_ are actually epoxy touch up spots but there is a good bit of my sweat in that wood. I hadn't decided if I should charge extra for it yet...



woodshop said:


> Couldn't have said it any better myself... as one woodworker (who also plays with chainsaws) to another, you do nice work. I was wondering when you were going to take one of the (must be hundreds at this point) slabs you been showing us you mill and do something serious with it. Thanks for posting this... interesting. Any plans to market these tables? Obviously every one will be somewhat unique, but how big is the market for rustic tables like this? Just curious.



This one was commissioned by a local real estate developer. I just getting into the market of this class of table but I've had quite a bit of serious interest. I picked up a second commission last week.



buicken said:


> nice!
> I have a big redwood slab that i had to sand flat, it was to big to go in any machine sander i had access too. so i rented a belt floor sander from home depot, it was ridiculously quick, and did a great job. i think the cost, with paper, was about 50$.
> what epoxy are you use using? i have a spalted wormy maple table in the works.



I thought about buying a used Hummel sander but didn't find a good enough deal. I may rent one and give it a try next time.

The epoxy I use is made by System Three. Woodcraft stores carry it.


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## aggiewoodbutchr (Jun 11, 2008)

rxe said:


> Lovely. Help a newbie out here....how do you do the inlays so neatly? I'm guessing the "sockets" are routed out with a jig.....but what about the inserts?
> 
> Thanks!



Missed one...

I use a Whiteside inlay kit. It has a matched bit and bushings so you use the same template for both the mortise and inlay.


http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?FamilyID=1391&wcs=20142&pcs=fam


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## Backwoods (Jun 11, 2008)

Great post. 
Nothing like showing off the character of the wood in a natural way like that. 
A table like that will last a lifetime and then some. 
Thanks for showing all the steps in detail.


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## MNTAINGAL23 (Jun 11, 2008)

That's beautiful! Hubby and I plan on making some slab tables from some cedar we milled. Hope ours turns out as nice as yours. Thanks for the post.


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## pastryguyhawaii (Jun 12, 2008)

Very nice work! I'm quite primitive compared to you but I'm interested in your finishing method. I've started using Danish or Teak oil because it goes in the wood and you can still feel the grain. Could you go over the steps you use and how you maintain the finish once it's done?
Thanks,
Jeff


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## deeker (Jun 12, 2008)

AWB, don't let it go to your head. But great pics and project. Thanks for taking the time to post 'em! And remember, Go BYU!!!!

Keep up the great work and pics.

Kevin Davis


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## Stihl-in-Ky (Jun 12, 2008)

Looks realy great thanks for sharing.


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## aquan8tor (Jun 12, 2008)

aggiewoodbutchr said:


> A little off the top...
> 
> 
> 
> ...





How did you cut the slabs for the legs? Just curious, as I'm going to be doing a coffee table this summer for my lady friend out of a walnut crotch I milled a couple summers ago. A radial arm saw doesn't have quite the length of cut needed to square the 20-24" wide bottom & top edges. Just curious. I was going to kinda eyeball the first cut with the chainsaw, then scribe a line & cut it on a bandsaw.


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## Haywire Haywood (Jun 12, 2008)

aquan8tor said:


> How did you cut the slabs for the legs? Just curious, as I'm going to be doing a coffee table this summer for my lady friend out of a walnut crotch I milled a couple summers ago. A radial arm saw doesn't have quite the length of cut needed to square the 20-24" wide bottom & top edges. Just curious. I was going to kinda eyeball the first cut with the chainsaw, then scribe a line & cut it on a bandsaw.



My guess is a crosscut sled on a table saw. I have one built for mine but the fence isn't quite square and the dang plywood base warped :bang: . I'll post some pics this evening if Aggie hasn't done so already.

Ian


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## dbol (Jun 12, 2008)

Thanks for the great pics and your knowledge. I am a tile /flooring guy that loves other people skills. Great work. by the way My wife bought a table from the amish for a ridiculous price last year. yours I am guessing will sell for in the 3000-5000 range. You can laugh at me if I am off base.


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## Dai Sensei (Jun 12, 2008)

Great looking table Aggie


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## rxe (Jun 12, 2008)

> I use a Whiteside inlay kit. It has a matched bit and bushings so you use the same template for both the mortise and inlay.



Thanks! I never cease to be amazed at what a router can do......


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## TNMIKE (Jun 12, 2008)

*Killer Work*

Very nice indeed


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## aggiewoodbutchr (Jun 12, 2008)

Thanks again folks...



pastryguyhawaii said:


> Very nice work! I'm quite primitive compared to you but I'm interested in your finishing method. I've started using Danish or Teak oil because it goes in the wood and you can still feel the grain. Could you go over the steps you use and how you maintain the finish once it's done?
> Thanks,
> Jeff



I've used Waterlox finishes for some time now and I'm pleased with them. It's a wipe-on tung oil / varnish blend and application is about as easy as you can get. The first coat I apply liberally, let it sit for a few minutes the wipe it off. Depending on the wood you may have to wipe several more times as porous woods tend to weep back out for a few hours. The next few coats I wet sand with the varnish and waterproof sand paper and wipe as described above. This creates a slurry of varnish and wood that fills any remaining open pores. Once the surface is smooth to my satisfaction, I'll apply a few more coats until I achieve a consistent sheen. It typically fully cures in a few weeks but the piece can be used (carefully) in a day or two. Spot repairs are easy as wipe and buff.




aquan8tor said:


> How did you cut the slabs for the legs? Just curious, as I'm going to be doing a coffee table this summer for my lady friend out of a walnut crotch I milled a couple summers ago. A radial arm saw doesn't have quite the length of cut needed to square the 20-24" wide bottom & top edges. Just curious. I was going to kinda eyeball the first cut with the chainsaw, then scribe a line & cut it on a bandsaw.



Circle saw w/ a good blade and a straight edge.



dbol said:


> Thanks for the great pics and your knowledge. I am a tile /flooring guy that loves other people skills. Great work. by the way My wife bought a table from the amish for a ridiculous price last year. yours I am guessing will sell for in the 3000-5000 range. You can laugh at me if I am off base.



Good guess.


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## Backwood (Jun 12, 2008)

AWWWWESOME


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## Neubauer6 (Jun 12, 2008)

Just a question, how does the top fasten to the legs? Excellent work by the way!


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## Haywire Haywood (Jun 12, 2008)

aggiewoodbutchr said:


> Circle saw w/ a good blade and a straight edge.
> 
> 
> 
> Good guess.




I guess my guess wasn't such a good guess... LOL Just got home and it's too late for me to go take pictures of my warped sled with the 87.3º fence anyway.  

Ian


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## Trigger-Time (Jun 12, 2008)

aggie, I'm very, very *IMPRESSED!*

bout what's size of the top?

Gary


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## Bushler (Jun 13, 2008)

Aggie, I'm real interested in how the insets will work for stabilizing such a big piece of wood. Specialy since you've 'straddled' the heart check.

I gave up on trying to work slabs like that. Ended up resawing the slabs into smaller pieces then drilling and bolting the pieces togeather. A pluged hole under the top gave me access to the nuts so I could tighten the parts as they continued to shrink/expand. Edge banding to hide the through holes.


Nice shop!


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## aggiewoodbutchr (Jun 13, 2008)

Neubauer6 said:


> Just a question, how does the top fasten to the legs? Excellent work by the way!



I epoxied threaded inserts into the bottom of the slab and bolt through the legs and stretchers. I'll post more pics of this later.




Trigger-Time said:


> aggie, I'm very, very *IMPRESSED!*
> 
> bout what's size of the top?
> 
> ...



38"-42" x 100" 



Bushler said:


> Aggie, I'm real interested in how the insets will work for stabilizing such a big piece of wood. Specialy since you've 'straddled' the heart check.
> 
> I gave up on trying to work slabs like that. Ended up resawing the slabs into smaller pieces then drilling and bolting the pieces togeather. A pluged hole under the top gave me access to the nuts so I could tighten the parts as they continued to shrink/expand. Edge banding to hide the through holes.
> 
> ...



The inlays prevent the checks from opening any further. I allow for overall shrinkage and seasonal movement in the base attachment to prevent any new checks from opening.


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## Adkpk (Jun 13, 2008)

aggiewoodbutchr said:


> but there is a good bit of my sweat in that wood. I hadn't decided if I should charge extra for it yet...



Oh, ya! 

Nice table "woodbutcher". Very interesting thread.


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## pastryguyhawaii (Jun 18, 2008)

I've used Waterlox finishes for some time now and I'm pleased with them. It's a wipe-on tung oil / varnish blend and application is about as easy as you can get. The first coat I apply liberally, let it sit for a few minutes the wipe it off. Depending on the wood you may have to wipe several more times as porous woods tend to weep back out for a few hours. The next few coats I wet sand with the varnish and waterproof sand paper and wipe as described above. This creates a slurry of varnish and wood that fills any remaining open pores. Once the surface is smooth to my satisfaction, I'll apply a few more coats until I achieve a consistent sheen. It typically fully cures in a few weeks but the piece can be used (carefully) in a day or two. Spot repairs are easy as wipe and buff.

Thanks for the info. I don't see the Waterlox out here but I think the teak oil I use is a similar product. What grit of sandpaper do you use for the wet sanding? And are the coats after that just wiped on? I'm just getting started so it's a big help to see what you and others are doing. Do you ever work with kiawe (mesquite)? It's a bit on the hard side but I like the way it looks. Keep posting your work.


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## aggiewoodbutchr (Apr 10, 2009)

http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLanding.action?c=y2jmy6i.bezn8t82&x=0&h=1&y=-2chnrn&localeid=en_US&cm_mmc=site_email-_-site_share-_-core-_-view_photos_button

Hopefully this works. Here's some pics of the finished product.


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## dallasm1 (Apr 10, 2009)

Truly inspiring. Thanks for sharing with us.


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## BobL (Apr 10, 2009)

dallasm1 said:


> Truly inspiring. Thanks for sharing with us.



+1 or maybe 2 or 3?


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## arbadacarba (Apr 10, 2009)

Fantastic work! Sure beats wasting wood in the fire.


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## pastryguyhawaii (Apr 10, 2009)

aggiewoodbutchr said:


> http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLanding.action?c=y2jmy6i.bezn8t82&x=0&h=1&y=-2chnrn&localeid=en_US&cm_mmc=site_email-_-site_share-_-core-_-view_photos_button
> 
> Hopefully this works. Here's some pics of the finished product.



Once again, that is beautiful work!


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## English Oak (Apr 11, 2009)

Hello, really nice table aggie, you would like the work of goegre nakshima as well I think. I have a question, when you applied the epoxy to the bug holes did you have any problems with it darkerning the surrounding work? T


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## aggiewoodbutchr (Apr 11, 2009)

English Oak said:


> Hello, really nice table aggie, you would like the work of goegre nakshima as well I think. I have a question, when you applied the epoxy to the bug holes did you have any problems with it darkerning the surrounding work? T



Thanks everyone.

I do like Nakashima's work very much. I often look to it for inspiration.

There is minimal darkening, if any. Most of what does happen will blend in when you apply the finish.


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## English Oak (Apr 12, 2009)

Also its worth doing a google seach for a guy called Tim Stead. who was an English guy who did large live edged furniture,using burr oak and elm. T


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## BIG JAKE (Apr 12, 2009)

English Oak said:


> Also its worth doing a google seach for a guy called Tim Stead. who was an English guy who did large live edged furniture,using burr oak and elm. T



Nice stuff. Also www.dumonds.com has some nice stuff, nakashima influence.


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## aggiewoodbutchr (Apr 13, 2009)

I've seen his stuff. Nice.


Here's another that's interesting.

http://www.johnhoushmand.com/


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## stipes (Apr 13, 2009)

*Aggie...*

Around here there isnt a jointer wide enough around to get a piece flat on one side and to shove tru a planer to make a piece perfect flat...I like the router device you made up....Just one question,,how did you secure your board down??? I'm sorry if thats a dumb question,,but learning here...


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## aggiewoodbutchr (Apr 13, 2009)

stipes said:


> Around here there isnt a jointer wide enough around to get a piece flat on one side and to shove tru a planer to make a piece perfect flat...I like the router device you made up....Just one question,,how did you secure your board down??? I'm sorry if thats a dumb question,,but learning here...



These large slabs are heavy enough I don't need to mechanically attach them. I just use wedges to get to the level I want and tack the shims down so they don't vibrate out.

On smaller pieces I use wood hold-down brackets to secure the slabs from the sides.


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## stipes (Apr 13, 2009)

*Thank you Aggie...*

Got some wood there that is wide,,and worried how can I get it flat when or if bows some...I bought me a router Sat. and gonna try ...I am really a bad greenhorn with wood working,,so this is another learning curve...


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## aggiewoodbutchr (Apr 13, 2009)

No problem. Wide stuff like this will warp to some degree no mater what you do.

Good luck.


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## oldsaw (Apr 13, 2009)

I can't get the Kodak site to load, could you post a couple pics of the finished table. I'd forgotten about this one. Nice work.

Mark


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## aggiewoodbutchr (Apr 13, 2009)

I'll have to work on that. There on a different computer.


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## BIG JAKE (Apr 13, 2009)

aggiewoodbutchr said:


> I've seen his stuff. Nice.
> 
> 
> Here's another that's interesting.
> ...



Some of his pieces are a trip-literally. This guy takes woodworking from a craft to an artform. I wouldn't have many of the pieces in my home, but some are quite a head trip. You can imagine people saying "what in the world?". Maybe that's what drives him. Interesting example of "out of the box" thought. Thanks for the link.


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## aggiewoodbutchr (Apr 22, 2009)

Some folks were having trouble with the Kodak site. Finally got the pics.


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## BIG JAKE (Apr 22, 2009)

What clear coat did you put on? Beauty-nice work AW!opcorn:


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## Adkpk (Apr 22, 2009)

A lot of things going on in that finish Aggie, real good! Your fingers must be raw from sanding.


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## BobL (Apr 22, 2009)

I can look at pics of that table all day long!


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## wavefreak (Apr 22, 2009)

That is one gorgeous piece of wood.


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## magnus (Apr 23, 2009)

*thanks for convincing my wife*

i showed this to my wife and i think she finally agrees that buying all this equiptment might actually be a good idea.

beautiful work!

very inspirational.


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## wavefreak (Apr 23, 2009)

Was this table for personal use or for a paying customer? How much does a table like that go for?

It looks like it is VERY heavy. How much does it weigh?


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## jkupcha (May 15, 2009)

Hey Aggie
How deep are your "bowtie" inlays? I bought the same inlay kit you recommended and the router bit won't slide into the guide 1/2 inch so the inlay must be shallower than that. Thank you.


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## aggiewoodbutchr (May 21, 2009)

wavefreak said:


> Was this table for personal use or for a paying customer? How much does a table like that go for?
> 
> It looks like it is VERY heavy. How much does it weigh?



Customer, 4-5K. About 500 lbs.



jkupcha said:


> Hey Aggie
> How deep are your "bowtie" inlays? I bought the same inlay kit you recommended and the router bit won't slide into the guide 1/2 inch so the inlay must be shallower than that. Thank you.



3/8" which is about the max depth for the kit but I only use it for cutting the edge. I use a 1/2" bit on a different router for roughing out the mortise.



I have an appointment this weekend with a new client. I'll be building an 11' long desk from some trees that blew down on their property in a storm.


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## wavefreak (May 21, 2009)

aggiewoodbutchr said:


> Customer, 4-5K. About 500 lbs.



Only $10/lb.

A steal.

This is a table with PRESENCE.


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