It’s been well over a decade in the making, but here it is. It started out as nothing but a bunch of recovered wood and the drawing I showed on Week 3. After a long dormancy in several garages around town, it emerged from our garage exactly what it was meant to be.
I’m thrilled with how it turned out. The quarter-sawn oak looks beautiful in the sunlight. The middle-size plugs look like they’re glowing. The effect is even better in person. The lawn . . . not so much.
It doesn’t look too bad in indirect sunlight, either.
The plugs even glow when they’re OUT of the sun.
But inside is where it truly shines.
There’s enough room to step around it at both ends. Or we can shift it to one side. We also have the option to turn it ninety degrees if and when the need arises. I like that there are no corner legs to kick.
I gave the top side four coats of tung oil. The oil gives it a satiny shine, which glows with a subtle warmth when viewed from most angles. This was my first time using tung oil and I like the results.
When we started this project, I had already planned to do something to ‘mark the occasion.’ I mentioned it to Dad and ask if he had a wood burner. He said he did. He came back the next work day with a set of stamps and asked if I wanted to use them instead. I said yes, then came up with the layout above.
I can’t thank my dad enough for devoting his time and hard work to this table. I really enjoyed building it with him. My speech issues often made it difficult to communicate clearly, but we got the job done. There are two more projects I’ve asked him to help me with. One involves upgrades to one of my earlier projects and the other will mix something new with something old and something even older. Look for one of those projects in the coming months.
LATE ADDITIONS:
Here it is, already in use in its secondary role as a game/puzzle table. It’s the perfect size for working on a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle. There’s plenty of room off to the side to spread the pieces out as their number and the open space in the middle of the puzzle dwindles. Plus, there’s room to keep your favorite beverage within arm’s reach.
Very impressive work indeed, LT. My compliments to you and your dad. The stamped “maker’s mark” is a nice touch. From concept to design to execution—well done! Looking forward to seeing your next project.
Thanks, LJ! The next project is just over the horizon.
When your update came in, I knew I’d want to set down and take my time lingering over the finished table, so I waited before clicking so I could do just that. Well worth the wait, and very rewarding to study the pictures. Many memories are built around tables and your table is built with memories to begin with. An heirloom with stories to tell, to be sure. You’re right that the plugs glow, the whole table glows. Congratulations on this accomplished project. Thank you for sharing. I look forward to the next project. 🤎