Breakfast Table Finished! PIP

[John Moody]

Well this project took me a lot longer than I ever expected. I was ask to build this right after my knee replacement and I thought I could do more than I really could. So it took me a while to admit I just didn't have the strength and stamina to work on it and it got put on hold for a while. My customer was okay with it, they were in no hurry to get the table.

 

So let me start here. I was ask to build this table out of reclaimed lumber. I don't have any reclaimed lumber or at least I didn't think I did. I met my client at the wood stash to look at what I had and pick out something for what she wanted. Here is where the story get interesting.

 

Her father is a retired pastor and a local church in our area was about to go under. They were down to 20 members and he just hated to see it close. He called the pastor or our church and as it turned out, we adopted them and are working on rebuilding the congregation. When our church took over the facilities, we took out all of the pews and put down new carpet and they decided to spread the pews apart so they wound up with four they didn't need. I got a called and was told I could have them if I would come right then and pick them up. I did and stored them at the wood stash. 

 

So while she is looking around, she sees the pew parts and ask what they were. I told her and she said that is what my table needs to be made from since my dad had a part in saving that church. So this was one of the seat sections that would be used for the top.

 

 

Here are the sections cut down almost to size.

 

 

Along with the table were to benches to fit into the corner of the Breakfast area. I got on those and built the framework out of 2x4 lumber.

 

 

We took more of the seat section and made the seat for the bench and we took the backs of the pews and made the front and sides.

 

 

They were delivered and put into the corner of the Breakfast area.

 

 

So then it was back to the table. I was sent a picture of the table she wanted for this area and the only one she found had a round top but she wanted this base on the table. I was ask if I could do this with a 48" square top.

 

 

Now I usually just get dimensions and work from my head maybe making a slim sketch while I work but this time I decided to sit down and draw out this table in SketchUp and add the dimensions.

 

 

So that was my working drawing for this table.

 

I got some old beams to make the bottom from and they were some of the first pieces to run through the new 8" jointer.

 

 

After jointing and planing and cutting to size I make the half lap joints for the base.

 

 

Then the ends of the braces were rounded over on the bandsaw and sanded smooth.

 

 

I then cut all of the 45 degree support pieces.

 

 

A quick Dry fit after a new fence for the SCMS and all was good to move forward.

 

 

With everything cut it was time to start the assemble. Beth was in the shop to help me with the assembly as this table started getting heavy pretty quick. Assembled we put the first coat of Minwax Dark Walnut stain on to match the Oak Church Pews.

 

 

After about twice as long as it should have been I finally got it dry enough to get the second coat on and then wait a little longer. The finish coat was General Finished Endro-Var which I really like in the Satin finish. Last night I installed the top using figure 8's and attached the trim around the top that came off the pew edges.

 

So now the table is finished and ready to deliver. It has been an awesome project. Thanks for letting me share it along the way here and to give you a final wrap up. Well I will post one more picture after it is set in place with the benches.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[lew]

Great story and build, John!

 

It is so great to be able to use wood, with a history, creating another project giving addition life to that same wood.

[Fred W. Hargis Jr]

Really nice! A very good story to go along with it.

[Gene Howe]

I love the story, as I'm sure the customer does also. 

Beautiful table and corner benches, John. Sure like to see them together. It's going to be awesome. 

Is that base all white oak? It's gorgeous stuff. 

And I thought my 8/4 was heavy! What are those timbers? 6X6? 

[John Moody]

I love the story, as I'm sure the customer does also. 

Beautiful table and corner benches, John. Sure like to see them together. It's going to be awesome. 

Is that base all white oak? It's gorgeous stuff. 

And I thought my 8/4 was heavy! What are those timbers? 6X6? 

 

 

The base is White Oak Gene. they were 4x6. I took them down to 3.75" x 5".

[Ron Dudelston]

What do you reckon that table weighs John?

[Allen Worsham]

Beautiful work John!

Great project with an even better history and connection with the church.

[John Moody]

What do you reckon that table weighs John?

It's probably over a hundred pounds.

[John Moody]

Here are a few pictures of the table where it was delivered

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[Courtland]

Wow John! That really turned out well. What a great photo essay on this one, and it all fits very nice where it sits. Nice color, nice design, nice work, beautiful over all appearance, what more is there to say about it, other then I am glad you got it wrapped up and enjoyed the process!

So how was it handling the bigger components for the table, you should be used to that since you build the Green Egg tables, handling the larger stock and finishing it.

Thanks for sharing John!

[John Moody]

Wow John! That really turned out well. What a great photo essay on this one, and it all fits very nice where it sits. Nice color, nice design, nice work, beautiful over all appearance, what more is there to say about it, other then I am glad you got it wrapped up and enjoyed the process!

So how was it handling the bigger components for the table, you should be used to that since you build the Green Egg tables, handling the larger stock and finishing it.

Thanks for sharing John!

 

 

Thanks John.

 

The larger stuff is really fun to work with, it just gets heavy when it is solid White Oak. The Cedar is much lighter!

 

It was a great project and taught me to stop over engineering it I finally had to tell myself to stop and just build it. i was trying so hard to hide every thing and finally just screwed it together and plugged the holes and no one can tell. She was excited about the the whole project and we will be doing more work in the near future for here that will be bigger stuff than this.

 

Can wait but today I have started another custom size green egg table so we are off to the next project.