# Building a slab table



## Tyrye (Feb 24, 2012)

I am looking at building a slab table with a 2 or 3 inch thick piece of walnut. The table is going to be six feet in length. For the legs I want to use antique singer sewing machine legs. There would be a set on each end. I am just unsure what needs to be done to bolt the top down to the legs. I don't want to cork holes on the table top that would have been drilled for the bolts. I was also told to do a horizontal cut in the bottom of the table and put the bolt in through the bottom with a washer to allow for expansion. Because the table is only six feet. I feel it is not necessary to have cross support beams....please correct me if I am wrong?

Thank
Tyrye


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## Matt tennessen (Jan 23, 2011)

It's hard to say without a little more information. I can't picture the legs you're using. Is this going to be coffee table or dining table height? You can attach your leg assembly to the bottom of the slab without going through the top, but you must make sure that the slab has been flattened or you need to accommodate for the unevenness. In terms of support, it really depends on the legs. Without even knowing the width of the slab, 3" thick x 6' is going to have some weight to it and a nudge in the wrong direction could collapse your table.


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## H. A. S. (Sep 23, 2010)

Tyrye said:


> I am looking at building a slab table with a 2 or 3 inch thick piece of walnut. The table is going to be six feet in length. For the legs I want to use antique singer sewing machine legs. There would be a set on each end. I am just unsure what needs to be done to bolt the top down to the legs. I don't want to cork holes on the table top that would have been drilled for the bolts. I was also told to do a horizontal cut in the bottom of the table and put the bolt in through the bottom with a washer to allow for expansion. Because the table is only six feet. I feel it is not necessary to have cross support beams....please correct me if I am wrong?
> 
> Thank
> Tyrye



Are you talking about the cast iron legs? How many bolts? How deep for the cutout?


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## JB97031 (Feb 19, 2012)

Matt tennessen said:


> You must make sure that the slab has been flattened or you need to accommodate for the unevenness. In terms of support, it really depends on the legs. Without even knowing the width of the slab, 3" thick x 6' is going to have some weight to it and a nudge in the wrong direction could collapse your table.


Matt is correct here. I'm in the process of doing a walnut slab build as well. My slab is 105"x 62"x 3.25" and weighs approx. 500 lbs. I had two 1/4" plate steel legs fabricated (not saying you should too) to make sure it wouldn't wobble. A friend and finish carpenter just came over today and made a jig for his router to deal with not only the side to side unevenness, but also to make sure each leg was longitudinally even. On one leg, over a 32" span one side was higher by a 1/4". Between the two two legs there was a 1/4" difference in height as well.


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## JB97031 (Feb 19, 2012)

Could you have steel tabs welded onto the top of the legs? They would be large enough that you can lag bolt through and into the underside of the slab. You'll still have to deal with the unevenness issues.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

.


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

Tyrye, how wide will the table be? When you say slab, do you actually mean single slab for the top? Natural edge?

You are really going to play hell with the shear moment at the bolts for a large slab. 

Do you have pictures of the legs? I've seen singer stands used before but I'm trying to recall exactly what they look like.... 4 bolts per stand to slab?

~tom "Ignorance is not a lack of intelligence - it's a lack of know-how"


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## Matt tennessen (Jan 23, 2011)

I forgot about those cast iron legs. As has been stated, I'd be concerned about shearing those bolts too. I know there are a few different styles, but an image I googled appeared to have eyelets about 1/3 down from the top for some sort of cross support. I'd take advantage of that were I you. I don't know how wide these bases are or how wide your slab is so it may not be appropriate either way.


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## Tyrye (Feb 24, 2012)

Hi guys, thanks for all your replies. The slab of walnut will be 30" wide. When I get it it will be 9' 7". The link below he is advertising it in 2" thick but he said it is not a problem to get it in 3" thick. It is a single slab. http://london.kijiji.ca/c-buy-and-s...er-live-edge-planks-boards-W0QQAdIdZ324305807

I need to get more info about the legs. I do know that they are 27.5" in height. If you google images of "sewing machine legs" you will see what I am talking about.

I would have two sets of legs at each end of the table.


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## JB97031 (Feb 19, 2012)

How many people do you plan to sit at this table? Will these legs be narrow enough to allow a person to sit with their legs straddling them?


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## 2lim (Aug 30, 2009)

Hey Tyrye, I don't have a great answer for you, but I do have a question. Are you located in London? Your kijiji ad says you are nearby at least. If/when you grab that slab, I am in the east end if you need a hand!

Lemme know!

Simon


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## Tyrye (Feb 24, 2012)

Hello guys. JB97031 I took into consideration of what you are saying. Having the legs width wise under the table would be to much for each person to straddle that is sitting on the sides of the table. So I was thinking of having them length wise under the table; possibly weld them together. I also feel that the steel support underneath is a good idea. I could get 1/4" steel and make a rectangular bracket for underntath the table. Screw the legs to the bracket and then attach the table top to the bracket.

2lim I live in Delhi, Ontario. I am up in London quite a bit because my inlaws live up there. I may take you up on your offer. 

Also, guys I do not have a lot of woodworking tools. Although, I am pretty good with tools. I have buddies that are into woodworking and my dad and brother are excellent at welding. I love the look of a slab harvest table. I want something unique and antique looking and that will last me a lifetime. I guess I am calling on the help of others for this entire project.

Thanks
Tyler


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## Matt tennessen (Jan 23, 2011)

So you're going to have a total of four cast iron leg bases, a pair at each end? If you've got knowledgeable metal and woodworkers around you, they can certainly help out in making sure it all stays together. After looking at that link though, the real concern is that you're getting a freshly cut slab. Perhaps I'm reading it wrong but it sounds like he's got logs that he's ready to mill. Those aren't going to be dry enough to work with if that's the case. Or does he have slabs available that he's willing to cut and plane to your specs? Whichever it is, make sure to inform him of your plans and he should be able to advise you.


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## Mr Woody (Oct 30, 2011)

For mounting look into "lag bolts" in a short length and I would advise once truly ready to put them in (pre thread) that you use liquid nails or gorilla glue (I would use LNs) Note that what you do will never be seen but anyone but you so make it right even if not "pretty"..

I am going to make something similar for my study in the home we are about to build but it will be maple burl off our place on the Olympic Peninsula, WA State. Also a huge slab of regular figured maple 5 inches thick for the bar/pool hall bar top. The thick stuff takes a long time to cure right and I am going to make up 3 tops from the cores of our monster maples and pick the best one after they cure


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## Mr Woody (Oct 30, 2011)

Lag bolts


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## 2lim (Aug 30, 2009)

If you are in Delhi, then take another look on kijiji. There is a guy out near Sparta who is cutting some pretty wicked slabs too. It would be closer for you. His name is Steve and he is a pretty cool guy. I spoke with him yesterday.

Simon


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## JB97031 (Feb 19, 2012)

Mr Woody brings up a very valid point about the slab being green. In the Pacific NW it takes an average of 12 months per inch of thickness for the slab to dry naturally. A 3" green slab will need to be kiln dried approximately four months. Ontario is generally drier, so natural drying should be a bit faster. If you want to start the project soon, make sure you find a dry slab.

On your legs - you should be able to find someone to weld some plate steel onto the legs - then use lag bolts as per Mr Woody's suggestions.


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## Tyrye (Feb 24, 2012)

Thank you guys for all your help and support. One other question I have with the bolts. If I use steel to support. I would put holes in the steel to put my lag bolt in to attach to the table top. Would I make a horizontal cut in the steel to put the bolts through with washers at the bolt head. This would allow for expansion or flexability in the table?

I have emailed my possible supplier to see if he has anything that is dry. 2lim I emailed the guy in Sparta as well because he says on his ad that he has dry walnut slabs.

Thank you
Tyler


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