The furniture bank director would like us to build a 20' conference room table.  Most likely, we will make two 10' tables.   The raw material will be 16' planks recycled from a gymnasium's bleachers.    The guy who runs the scrap recycling and I have been bouncing around ideas.   Should be a fun project.  Need to figure out legs arrangements and what to do with the holes that carriage bolts were in.   Ideas welcomed.

 

Here is one similar that is very old from my church made from who knows what.

 

Got a plug cutter?

The larger ones I've seen that seem to work best have double pedestal legs underneath...the 2-10' tables is a really good idea. Much more versatile.

Edited August 25, 20232 yr by Fred W. Hargis Jr

Like Gene mentioned use plugs. Also could plug from bottom side, fill top side with resin inlay for contrast. Similar approach, rout dovetail or ??? inlay patches. Either could work well if you can align boards for a "repeating pattern." Keep us in the loop how you tackle this one.

3/4" forstner bit recess and glue in pennies.

I like Dave's idea for a patch. Butterflys with colored epoxy would really add interest.

pfft:  twenty, one foot tables!  very flexible!!!!

7 hours ago, DAB said:

pfft:  twenty, one foot tables!  very flexible!!!!

At least make it 2 foot so you can get your legs under it.

Depending on how much stock there is you could rip them into strips and remove the ones with the holes and then laminate it all up which would eliminate the holes altogether. Another option is to take a router and rout some grooves and inlay long strips of a contrasting wood. 
Paul

Got started today.  The goal was 48" wide.  Bunch of 7" wide boards 14' long,  a few 9" but they were pretty scuffed from feet, and some odds and ends in between.   We got the plan down.  Got one top put together.  We are repurposing some bunk bed ends for legs, and got the aprons cut.  The two of us will get together in a few days and work on the next one.

 

The stock pile prior to digging in

 

Got it together last week and scraped off the gum and did a cleaning.  Today filled the (65) bolt holes with walnut dowel plugs, did a scuff sanding, and put on a refresher coat of varnish.   Will need for the remodel to be done upstairs then  haul it up and screw the top onto the base.   The legs were made from dorm room bed head/footboards (salvaged), cut down to make a 30" high table.

 

Now, do we call it shabby chic, retro, steam punk, or salvage project?

 

 

Edited September 5, 20232 yr by kmealy

Nice save

Excellent!

Nice!

16 hours ago, kmealy said:

Now, do we call it shabby chic, retro, steam punk, or salvage project?

 

I call it great Keith, nice looking table top.

What ever you call it, it's a great piece of work.

There IS another way to cover bolt holes....IF you have a bit of thin scrap that matches the grain....called a Dutchman.......can be square, diamond, rectangle,

 

Merely excavate down the thickness of the Dutchman patch....orient for best match with the grain...and glue the patch in place. 

 

Option #1:  Match things so well, you'd never tell IF there was a hole there..

 

Option #2:   Contrasting wood...however, orient the grain to match the grain it will be glued into. 

1 hour ago, steven newman said:

There IS another way to cover bolt holes....IF you have a bit of thin scrap that matches the grain....called a Dutchman.......can be square, diamond, rectangle,

 

Merely excavate down the thickness of the Dutchman patch....orient for best match with the grain...and glue the patch in place. 

 

Option #1:  Match things so well, you'd never tell IF there was a hole there..

 

Option #2:   Contrasting wood...however, orient the grain to match the grain it will be glued into. 

Yes tnat was an option we considered.   I have a template and bearing set for that.  We also considered putting short carriage bolts back in.  But did "what the customer wanted."

Edited September 7, 20232 yr by kmealy