# Timber Slab Dining Table



## jesterchef

Hi everyone, My name is Troy, I am from Australia and I am about to create a dining table using a slab of english elm. I am looking for some designs or plans and ideas if anyone knows of any on the web.
I will post some pictures later as it starts to happen.


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## Big Dave

How thick are the slabs? Do they still have the bark on them?


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## reveivl

Here's one I built years ago. Don't know all the names for the various pieces, but: The top and legs are Douglas Fir, the horizontals on the floor are Arbutus, the horizontal between those is a butterfly'd Yellow cedar bole.


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## reveivl

And here's one I didn't do, but is in a building that I built this spring. It's a bit weird for my taste, but anyway...


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## Big Dave

Ok here are a couple that I've done, actually the only two. One is just a long single peice of white pine that had the bark on both edges. It went to a local restaurant and that is the width they wanted. It is 12' long and about 30" wide. The second went to a home that had an alcove that they needed a table for. It was 67" wide by 72" long. It took 3 slabs to get the width and on the ends I let in a leftover peice of the barked edge I had to rip off to get the same look on all four sides.





































The drips under the top were sanded off I just hadn't gotten too it before I took the picture. The finish on the tops is an epoxy finish called liquid glass. The finish on the bases is just plain old laquer.


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## jesterchef

Wow guys, theyre brilliant, I love them.
The timber slabs are about 40mm thick but taper to about 80mm thick at one end, but I am going to put them through a thickening machine.


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## jesterchef

Here is one design I was thinking about, and my slabs the start of project.


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## Burlkraft

Those are some great looking tables...

Nothing like sitting down and pulling up a chair to a big old slab table..:yes: :yes:


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## Big Dave

Those are some nice looking slabs Jesterchef.


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## reveivl

One phrase you don't hear with this furniture: "Hand me that table"!


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## Burlkraft

Hey Troy,

Any progress on those slabs???

Did you settle on a design yet:thumbup1: :thumbup1: :confused1: :confused1:


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## JP Sinclair

Slab table tops are great. I recently made a 3" thick bar top out of spalted flame white birch for a cusomer. It's still waiting to go into the kiln and final processing. I'll try to attach a pic here but I'm not sure how well I'll do......


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## JP Sinclair

Ok, that didn't work for $*##*. I knew there was a reason I work in sawdust and not technology......Sorry guys, I'll try to figure it out.


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## Burlkraft

I love birch,,,That should be an awesome top.

Don't worry...you'll get the picture thing..:thumbsup: :thumbsup:


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## TexasTimbers

I haven't worked with really big slabs yet but one thing I hear is that what you do to the topside you should do the same to the bottom or it will have defects over the years. 
i.e. if you top it with 5 coats of clear you should not only coat the bottom, but coat it with 5 coats. I don't know the accuracy of this, but it seems to make sense. If you pour a gallon of PU on the top but leave the bottom bare, then the moisture is going to enter/exit out of the bottom at a much faster rate. 
This is just book knowledge on my part though no experience.


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## Big Dave

I haven't had any trouble yet but my stuff isn't 5 or 20 years old yet either. I have a coffee table that I built and only poly'd the top and not the bottom so I will watch and see. If the furniture peice is placed in a house then it should be ok as long as the relative humidity is kept constant. One thing that I stress to homeowners when I install a wood floor is to keep the relative humidity between 35% and 45%. my wood floors along with most other wood floors are only finished on the top side with no adverse affect. I'm not saying I'm right but these are my little tid-bits of knowledge.


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## JP Sinclair

Ok, I clearly can't do this right. 

The pic is on the gallery photos. I seem to be able to upload ok right from the CD but I think the image is just too big for this.


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## TexasTimbers

Big Dave said:


> . . .my wood floors along with most other wood floors are only finished on the top side with no adverse affect . . . .


That is a good point. I thought about it though and I think the difference is that the bottomside of floors are not exposed like the bottomside of a top. And like I said, I have zero empirical data to support what I have read. 
I remember eeadin a really good thread about htis on Woodweb. Maybe I'll go digging later. 
What is the oldest thick top you have kept track of and how did you finish it. Open question to all. 
I have to take back what I said. I said I had no experience with thixk tops, nut the lawbook shelf I built for a law office many moons ago had 2" thick shelves, with PU on the tops and nothing on the bottom two shelves. The principal lawyer died and the office building has since been condemned but I think I can get access from the city building inspector. Maybe I should go look at the shelves just for the knowledge I could get.


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## Burlkraft

I have 50 or so slab tables out there that are just finished on the top and sides. I only had one that took to bendin' and warpin' and it's the only honey locust table I ever made. The redwoods, oak, cherry, pine, walnut and buckeye tables are just like the day I finished them. I have used epoxy and poly and oil and they all seem to be fine.....Maybe I'm just lucky....:no: :no: :no: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:


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## jesterchef

*Progress so far*

It is good to hear the info about using slabs as I have never before worked with them.
Here are some more pics of the timber, I bought some rosewood to build the frame and have been busy driving my slabs around to get them through a thickner machine.
It was great to see them when they came through the first time from raw timber to finished.

by the way JP sinclair to add a photo you need to resize it first then save it and then add it.


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## Burlkraft

Jester,

Those are some beeeeutiful slabs. I like the look of the rosewood too. It's going to be a great looking table. Keep us posted.....:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: 

As soon as my camera battery comes in....that was 3 weeks ago...and it was supposed to take 1...I'll post some pics I have of a slab desk I'm making.


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## JP Sinclair

Jester-Beautiful, have you had any troubles with splits in the thicker hardwood slab pieces?. 

I've been trying to figure out a way to re-size my jpeg file pics but not doing too well at it...I'll keep trying

JP


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## JP Sinclair

AHA-My disk burner was set up to burn the images as "read only" jpeg files. I think I have it solved (as the great inspector Clouseau would say). 

Always learning, sometimes not to fast.....


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## jesterchef

JP Sinclair said:


> Jester-Beautiful, have you had any troubles with splits in the thicker hardwood slab pieces?.
> 
> No, the slabs haven't split yet they were thick but when i put it through the machine it went smoothly.
> 
> Have been working all day on the table today but wont get a chance to do any work till next week now as I'm working nights.
> Will post some more photos soon.


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## JP Sinclair

Jester-I'm curious to see how mine fare in the kiln. I'm getting closer to getting it fired up for the first batch. I had thought that maybe a slower drying with less heat would be easier on big slab pieces.


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## darrenbooy

Hi there, I am a complete newbie, so I aplogise for this question but where in the UK can I find thick oak panels for making a table?

Many thanks


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## JP Sinclair

Jester-I finally got the pics figured out. This is the birch bar top slab I was talking about. 3" thick, 8' long, about 18" wide. I think the spalt line with the flame should make a real nice effect, especially after I get a chance to put the danish oil on it to bring the flame illusion up even more. 
:thumbsup:


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## JP Sinclair

*Table?*

My tree service pal dropped this monster off yesterday. It's too short to get clamped into the dogs on the mill bed but I had a thought to get a bigger bar for the chainsaw and cut some 3" pieces for coffee table tops. Make a frame for it to sit on and I think it would look pretty nice. The tree was incredibly solid for being that big. Big Dave-Any suggestions??


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## Big Dave

Those would make cool coffee tables. It would take a little work to get em cleaned up working with end grain but definately doable.


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## JP Sinclair

I'll give it a try. The worst that happens, it becomes fodder for the kiln...:laughing:


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## jesterchef

They look fantastic, the wood will come up brilliant once you finish JP, I agree with big Dave coffee table would work well. What is the diameter of the slab?
Also here are some pics of table so far.


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## jesterchef

and a few more pics of the joins. My dog tess finds it cooler on the slabs as we are almost in Summer down here in Oz.


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## jesterchef

JP Sinclair said:


> Jester-I'm curious to see how mine fare in the kiln.
> 
> Jp I am not sure about kiln dried timber as I bought my slabs natural dried, there was a little warping and twisting but the thicknesser got most(not all) of that out.


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## JP Sinclair

My kiln is going to have 2 seperate chambers so I can have two different temperatures going if I want. My thought was to put the slab pieces in the separate chamber from the 5/4 lumber and keep the heat turned down to around 80 degrees. If I try to dry it slower, I think I'll have less chance of warping. Plus I'll really put some weight on them, especially until I see the MC get down under 20%. My thought was to bring it down to around 10%. I think that will strike a good balance in the natural MC for the seasons around here. I'm real curious (and somewhat scared) about the first wood that I run through. I know there will be some mistakes. I've gotten to know the local family that run a big industrial kiln business in the next town from me. They're real nice and have been very helpful in giving me a crash course in drying wood. 

Your table is really shaping up!. The joints look great. My first few efforts won't look that good but I've got to start somewhere :icon_wink:


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## Big Dave

Very nice Jesterchef. It looks like it is coming along nicely.


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## jesterchef

Thanks Dave.
Jp I will be interested in how you go with kiln drying as I haven't done it myself keep me posted.
Will have the table frame put together and glued by tomorrow heres hoping.


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## Burlkraft

Jester,

The table is starting to come together...and looks awesome by the way...:yes: :yes: :yes: 

Be sure to keep sending those progress pics...:thumbsup: :thumbsup:


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## jesterchef

Have been busy with that job cooking all week and haven't been able to do anything on the table but will on the weekend. I will add some more pics then.


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## TexasTimbers

JP is that slab birch too? 
How 'bout an update on that if you have done anything with it.

It would take some time, but you could make a router slabber to grind that down. It leaves little swirl marks, but a RO sander takes them out. 
You could also clamp it to a long enough board that your mill clamps could hold. that would be easier.


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## JP Sinclair

Yep, I got 3 real nice slabs out of a huge yellow birch log. I just bought two more monster yellow birch logs last weekend. One has a nice twisting pattern in the bark which I'm betting will be in the wood grain. 

I got tired of waiting for the foam insulation contractor to come insulate the kiln. There is an industrial supply place in the next town over and I stopped in and spoke with the owner. He told me about a company that makes foam insulation kits in 600 sqft, 400sqft and 200 sqft. The kits are two propane sized cylenders with hoses that run into a gun with replaceable tips. I bought the 600 kit and shot the kiln walls and tin roof sunday, it came out great. The foam really seals up the cracks and seams between the plywood. Plus it cost me about $625. The contractor had quoted me $1200. Now I've got to do my baseboard heat and get the electrical hooked up. I'm trying to stay patient but my wife says it really isn't a virtue of mine....:huh:


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## TexasTimbers

I'm just itchin to get my kiln going as well. The mud has slowed me down the past few days, and even though the weather is forecasted clear for the forseeable future, it takes time to dry out, so I'm limited on what i can do right now concerning sawing and logging.

Patience - the bane of us ADD types. :glare:


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## bob4814

JP Sinclair said:


> My tree service pal dropped this monster off yesterday. It's too short to get clamped into the dogs on the mill bed but I had a thought to get a bigger bar for the chainsaw and cut some 3" pieces for coffee table tops. Make a frame for it to sit on and I think it would look pretty nice. The tree was incredibly solid for being that big. Big Dave-Any suggestions??


I'd pull out my belt sander and turn the entire slab into a table. Finish it with a good coat of poured epoxy (bar coat). That would make on sweet table. Definitely a unique piece.


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## JP Sinclair

That sounds good, the epoxy would toughen up any small drying cracks. I think at 3" thick, even some small cracks wouldn't bother it too much, it may even give it some more character. More character=More $$$$$$!!!!!. Or so I'm told...


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## jesterchef

Hey guys, Im back. Had a holiday, as we all do this time of year and I have finished my table,Horray!!!
Only thing is on hol's I dropped my camera "ouch" and it's in the shop getting repairred, so no pics just yet they say in a few weeks but I'll try and get a photo with another camera.
JP sounds like you have been busy with your klin,coming along nicely.


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## Big Dave

jesterchef said:


> Hey guys, Im back. Had a holiday, as we all do this time of year and I have finished my table,Horray!!!
> Only thing is on hol's I dropped my camera "ouch" and it's in the shop getting repairred, so no pics just yet they say in a few weeks but I'll try and get a photo with another camera.
> JP sounds like you have been busy with your klin,coming along nicely.


Glad to hear the table is done. Sorry about the camera. I feel your pain cause I just did the same thing and still don't have mine back. It's been about 5 weeks now and it's killing me.


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## jesterchef

found a camera I can use so here is final table finished.
Sorry to hear that Dave I am forced to use a 2megapixel camera gosh!
ancient technology, but at least it works.


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## Big Dave

WOW. That is awesome. I couldn't have done better myself. I like the little scrollwork braces. Did you have a hard time getting the slabs to join together without gaps?


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## jesterchef

Joining the two slabs did caused some problems but in the end a long hand plane was the answer, as the jointer wasn't long enough to it 100% perfect so I had to plane it alittle til it was close.
The brackets are a practical reason so I can take the top off the legs to move if I need to, its not glued to the legs just with mortise and tennon join and then the brackets.
Bare in mind I am a chef not a capenter and my next job is already in progress its a chopping board (a smaller task) huh.
And I dont think I will attempt to make the chairs.


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## TexasTimbers

jesterchef said:


> Bare in mind I am a chef not a capenter


You have well-stated you are not a carpenter you are an accomplished woodworker! That's a higher calling and level of achievment. :thumbsup: 

That thing is gorgeous! Very, very nice.


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## Burlkraft

Nice job Jester.....If this is your woodworking I can only imagine what the first meal will be.....Excellent...:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:


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## JP Sinclair

Nice job Jester, I love the sweeping grain patterns.


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## jesterchef

Thanks all, I appreciate the praise.
Look forwards to my next task.


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## sawmiller

Jester,
Hi, I am new to Woodworking Talk and I also come from Canberra,
on the south side. Your table is a credit to you as you say you are not a carpenter, but I believe a carpenter builds things but a woodworker creates things of beauty, you should be very pleased with what you have created.:thumbsup:


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## Orson Carter

Hi JesterChef,
That is New Guinea Rosewood I see as the ends of the table, yes,no? Beautiful timber when finished.:thumbsup: as will be the entire table.:yes: 
Course, in Melbourne we'd have done it a bit different.:yes: 

Regards,

Orson


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## Gerry KIERNAN

That should be one beautiful table.


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## solidwoods

Nice slap tops all.

Floors have a moisture barrier underneath and they are made of narrow strips that are not glued together. They move in width allot.
Always seal the bottom of a table top.

Flattening. I use a set of rails to run a router over top of a slab so I can flatten it. If the slab is wider than the planer, I flip the slab over and rout it to thickness.
A planer/thickening machine wont flatten, it just makes lumber thinner. Even the slightest twist makes a glue up hard, and then you still have the need to flatten the top.

Book matched walnut from a branchy top log.


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## Jeff

Awesome table, where do I get one.


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## dinning10

*Great*

Nice!!! Thanks


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## steveatkins

hi troy i have some great plans and designs if your interested, just click on my signature, i hope that helps


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