Sellers Home End Tables: Episode 6
Posted 12 January 2022
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In this episode, we prepare the tabletop and take it from the laminated stage through to truing, rounding and beveling the underside of the outer rim. Throughout this series, Paul has wanted to bring together a simple table that is scalable and adaptable. Making small batches of this kind allows us to multiply the different components and use one process to create many parts the same. Taking a square section of a laminated top, Paul walks you step by step using all hand tools for one quadrant and then the bandsaw too. He then bevels the underside of the whole to make the top look more slender and lighten up the final appearance using a spokeshave, scrub planes, and a smoothing plane.
I understand that Paul doesn’t want to punch a hole in the table top with the point of the compass or a nail, but wouldn’t drawing the circle on the underside of the board require so much care ?
Raised panels are still a challenge for me. I’m impressed by the bevels on a circular board…
And (better late than never): Happy birthday Paul and Happy New Year to you and your team !
I missed wishing you a Happy Birthday, hope it was a wonderful day.
Thanks Paul. My knowledge of more durable finishes is limited as I almost always use shellac. Would several coats of shellac then followed by a quality water based polyurethane be suitable for this table or a kitchen table? If not, could you please provide a bit more detail? Many thanks.
I’ve found that a coat or two of clear shellac followed by a 2-3 coats of a good quality water based urethane will give really good durability.
The reason I use the shellac is 2 fold.
1. It seals the wood and prevents the grain rising with the water based finish.
2. If the wood has reddish tints the water based finish (typically a pH of around 9-10) will kill off the expression of that tint.
Alternatively spirit based finish is less likely to affect the colour and less likely to raise the grain but also takes longer to cure.
The rag-in-a-can oiler that Paul uses doesn’t look like a rag – anyone know what he has done here? More curiosity than anything else because a rolled up rag works fine.
I checked with Paul and it is a rag. He did say a tea-towel or a duster also work great.
I’m sure there is a video somewhere of Paul making the can oiler. Have a look on this site or on YouTube.
Go to common woodworking. Its on there how to build one