# Walnut Table w/ Oak Leaf Inlays



## lumberjackchef (Aug 23, 2009)

Well here are a few pics of one on my latest projects. It is definitely my biggest project from milled lumber to date. My friend actually milled this walnut on his LT-40 and air dried, then kiln dried the slabs. Here is what I started with.



​
I hand carved the live edges with my dime tip carver then used my angle grinder to smooth over the edge. I didn't want any type of cookie cutter look to it. 




The table top dimensions are: Length=12.5 feet 
Width=38"-40"
Thickness=1.75"​
I decided to do some custom looking inlays to hide all the large knot holes and cracks. I used some oak and cut out some oak leaves and acorns then traced them onto the table. I then used a 1/8" router bit and carefully removed all of the material freehand as there was no way to use the standard inlay template method to make such intricate shapes and sharp corners. All in all it worked very well you just have to go slow and be very careful. Here are a couple pics of the process.







I'll try to post some more pics later on of the burl trestle style legs that im working on right now! Should be a pretty unique looking table when its done though.


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## hanniedog (Aug 23, 2009)

Nice work, should be really nice when you get in finished. As my granddad use to say "It will take three men and a boy to move it".


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## lumberjackchef (Aug 23, 2009)

hanniedog said:


> Nice work, should be really nice when you get in finished. As my granddad use to say "It will take three men and a boy to move it".



Yes it will and it will also have very heavy, live edge, slab benches all the way around! Two six footers on each side and a couple of smaller ones on the ends. A friend of mine is in the process of building his wife's uncle a hunting lodge and this will be the dining table that will be going in the great room.


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## pinemartin (Aug 23, 2009)

:jawdrop: that is stunning work you have done there...


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## lumberjackchef (Aug 23, 2009)

pinemartin said:


> :jawdrop: that is stunning work you have done there...




I could have never done it so well if it weren't for all of the great people of this site and all of the tips and info that they have shared with me freely over the few short years that I have been around here. So to all of you out there thanks a million.:hmm3grin2orange: It has been quite a rewarding experience so far and I'm itchin to get er done!


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## olyman (Aug 23, 2009)

one very neat way to get rid of defects on the surface--i like--


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## BobL (Aug 23, 2009)

Nice work LJC!

What size router bit are you using?


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## dave k (Aug 23, 2009)

Looks great I would'nt know where to start ! looking forward to the next instalment of pics.


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## oxbow (Aug 23, 2009)

*beautiful work!*

lumberjackchef:
Nice work, thanks for posting. Reward is all the greater knowing you started "right from the tree" . Looking forward to see more pictures as you progress. Will you add low relief detail to the inlays, or keep them flat and flush with the surface? Have you thought about how you will attach the legs?
Great project, please keep us posted!


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## bowtechmadman (Aug 23, 2009)

Beautiful work...wish i had that kind of patience.


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## lumberjackchef (Aug 23, 2009)

bobl said:


> nice work ljc!
> 
> What size router bit are you using?



1/8"


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## lumberjackchef (Aug 23, 2009)

oxbow said:


> lumberjackchef:
> Will you add low relief detail to the inlays, or keep them flat and flush with the surface? Have you thought about how you will attach the legs?
> Great project, please keep us posted!



I have given it little thought until you asked but now I'm contemplating using my wood burner a little bit. I really like to use pyrography in my log tables and lamps. I have done several using this method and I have really liked the results. Thanks for that idea! At this point I have the three piece burl slab legs assembled and just got through gluing them and putting the pegs into the mortise/tenon joints. Here is a pic of them before doing this.

 I have a 2x6 piece of walnut ready to mortise and attach across the top of each of the leg assemblies. Then i will be using two 9' pieces of walnut, with cleats installed every 18", to use as stretchers to connect the leg assemblies and attach the table top using sliding joints to accommodate for expansion and contraction of the top. I will try to put more pics of the progress up tomorrow. Thanks again for all of your input.


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## wavefreak (Aug 23, 2009)

The leaf inlays are very cool. Do they help splitting like the bow ties? I don't like the way the bow ties interrupt the flow of the grain and inlays like this could be more aesthetically pleasing.


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## dustytools (Aug 23, 2009)

Nice work!! It will compliment the cabin nicely.


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## rkwelp (Aug 24, 2009)

nice work. Love the burl slab legs too.


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## aggiewoodbutchr (Aug 24, 2009)

Very nice work!


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## Backwoods (Aug 24, 2009)

Somebody has too much time on there hands. 
Quite the project you have undertaken and it is starting to come together rather nicely. 
Thanks for sharing.


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## lumberjackchef (Aug 25, 2009)

wavefreak said:


> The leaf inlays are very cool. Do they help splitting like the bow ties? I don't like the way the bow ties interrupt the flow of the grain and inlays like this could be more aesthetically pleasing.



I agree that they make the table more unique and way cooler!:rockn: I really wanted this table to stand out from the crowd. And my buddy told me it just need to be this size but be creative with it. So here we are. I assume that they would help to prevent further splitting. I used epoxy to put them in and it is some pretty stout stuff too! They look much more interesting than the bowties and I think I'm going to do some largemouth bass or flying duck silhouettes on the burl legs. I surfaced the table top again last night and filled all the voids with epoxy I will get some more pics up tonight. Thanks for all the interest everyone!


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## BIG JAKE (Aug 25, 2009)

lumberjackchef said:


> I agree that they make the table more unique and way cooler!:rockn: I really wanted this table to stand out from the crowd. And my buddy told me it just need to be this size but be creative with it. So here we are. I assume that they would help to prevent further splitting. I used epoxy to put them in and it is some pretty stout stuff too! They look much more interesting than the bowties and I think I'm going to do some largemouth bass or flying duck silhouettes on the burl legs. I surfaced the table top again last night and filled all the voids with epoxy I will get some more pics up tonight. Thanks for all the interest everyone!



Nice work-great inlays. Are you going to put veins on the leaves with the wood burner? Thanks for posting and inspiring us


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## Ironbark (Aug 25, 2009)

Wow, I know this was gonna be a good thread as soon as I read the title. Nice work!!!


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## ray benson (Aug 25, 2009)

Please keep the pictures coming. Very impressive.


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## lumberjackchef (Aug 25, 2009)

ray benson said:


> Please keep the pictures coming. Very impressive.



As you requested. A few more pics. First one is the detail of my pegged mortise and tenon on the three piece burl leg assembly and some various pics of some of the surfaced leaf inlays. 














There is some majorly wild color and figure in this walnut and thus far all you have seen is the raw sanded dry wood. Wait til ya see this thing with about 10 coats of clear gloss!:love1:


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## lumberjackchef (Aug 27, 2009)

Well I haven't had a whole lotta time lately but here's what I got done today.Cut out some small ducks from a scrap piece of quilted maple that I found to do a couple inlays on the leg assembly.


Here are a couple of pics of the stretchers that will be attached to the leg assemblies. 





I'm gonna try and get all of the sub frame put together tomorrow. Can't wait to see what it's going to look like completely assembled!


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## discounthunter (Aug 28, 2009)

good looking work. i like your attention to detail on the routered underside frame.Dave


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## CHEVYTOWN13 (Aug 28, 2009)

Damn, I sure miss woodworking


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## lumberjackchef (Aug 29, 2009)

Made a little more progress today. Couple of "ducks on the pond" inlays on the stretchers with some quilted maple,

one more duck on the Leg assembly,

and made some cleats to use under the table for slotted attachment to accommodate movement in the top.

Now all that is left to do before assembling the table is to drill all the holes and slots, epoxy all the little voids, and final sanding. Next time I should be posting the picture of an assembled table!


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## Ted J (Aug 29, 2009)

HURRY UP WILL YOU!!!!! 

opcorn:

Everything is looking good.

Looks like were waitin' on you to finish... I know how that feels :biggrinbounce2:

Ted


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## oxbow (Aug 30, 2009)

*Near the "finish line"*

opcorn:

Can't wait to see that grain "pop" when you get the finish on it!


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## lumberjackchef (Aug 30, 2009)

Here we go toward the finish line! Pics of the frame assembled

Detail of the slotted cleats,

and a couple different views with the top in place,




Finally gettin somewhere!


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## swanny (Aug 31, 2009)

Super cool!


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## Texas Traveler (Sep 2, 2009)

The table would be a centerpiece in any lodge, what a work of art.

You have to sign it some where.


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## lumberjackchef (Sep 2, 2009)

Texas Traveler said:


> The table would be a centerpiece in any lodge, what a work of art.
> 
> You have to sign it some where.




Thanks, I was thinking of woodburning my signature and date of completion on the side of one of the stretchers. But I may actually go down to the local jeweler and have him engrave it on a brass plate so i could attach that somewhere instead. I'm putting the final touches on the benches and finish on everything today so I should have completed photos of the table and benches up by tonight I hope! On the benches i used some maple for the inlays in the shape of deer tracks and turkey tracks. It looks way cool. Glad you all like it so far!


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## pastryguyhawaii (Sep 2, 2009)

That is some beautiful work! Thanks for sharing it with us.


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## aggiewoodbutchr (Sep 2, 2009)

I like the creativity and detail.


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## lumberjackchef (Sep 11, 2009)

*Its Final Resting Place!*

I finally got the table delivered to the lodge last week. Have been too busy lately to post. Got a lot more pics of the finish and detail but this is the only one that I have ready. It's a picture of the the table at the lodge under the antler chandalier. You can also see some bar stools off to the side that I redid for them too. I made the tops and added the swivels for them. They are made from some nice looking ash we milled up. Some even had a little curl in them. Never seen it in ash before but they turned out nice.

Notice the turkey tracks and deer tracks on the benches. They absolutely loved it!


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## oxbow (Sep 12, 2009)

*Masterpiece*


You can be very proud of the craftsmanship. People will be using and admiring it long after you've gone on to your reward.
Tried to rep you, but I'm out of bullets!
I'm curious to know what you used for a finish.


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## Rftreeman (Sep 12, 2009)

That's a dang nice table


*anyone else notice the "face" in this picture?*



lumberjackchef said:


> one more duck on the Leg assembly,
> 
> :


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## lumberjackchef (Sep 27, 2009)

*At home at Last!*

Here is the final resting place of the table and a couple pics of the Live edge Ash 6 drawer dresser and some matching Live edge nightstands with drawers that I built for the lodge. Also an example of the custom tile work that they had done.















 I'm still working on several more Ash Dressers and a couple more that are spalted Hackberry.


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## lumberjackchef (Sep 27, 2009)

In all I had to make 8 dressers, nightstands and next are 7 live edge mirrors. What a project this has been! Now I've been enlisted as the personal Chef at the lodge too so its been quite an adventure. They guys are in the middle of muzzleloader season but so far we only have one kill. They other day they bagged a 10 point 300 pounder. Here are a couple more pics.










 And one of the perks is that the guy who shot that deer only wanted the trophy mount and backstraps so he gave me the rest! So far this week I've been able to cook fresh caught Alaskan Salmon and I made some Antelope stew the other day from some round steak that they brought to me. I like this gig.


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## 820wards (Sep 27, 2009)

Beautiful work! Love the colors in the wood.

jerry-


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## rms61moparman (Jan 1, 2010)

That truly is a work of art!!! Amazing!

MOPAREP!!!!! On the way!


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## Brmorgan (Jan 2, 2010)

Seriously, if you haven't done so already, submit those pictures to the folks at Fine Woodworking. That's a contest-winning showpiece IMO.


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## TNMIKE (Jan 2, 2010)

Very impressive craftmanship


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## rayvil01 (Jan 2, 2010)

Very nice work. Looks like a great hunting lodge!


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