Creating a Coffee Table for Steph

[rox]

Eddie,
Nice project. Probably you are ot going to do this, but casters ont he bottom would make it easier to move for vaccuming etc, considering the size.

 

[Staghead]

After reading the original post I can't help but comment on how my wife also is somewhat consumed by the desire to scrapbook. Her subject matter is typically our son and makes a scrapbook page about pretty much any "event" that happens.

I often compare her desire to scrapbook to the desire of many of the members on here to use/fix/improve their tractors.

I am waiting to get my tractor until spring and my wife is already pointing out how she can scrapbook for years and still have much less invested than one tractor purchase.

I ended up building her a scrapbooking desk (basically a computer desk) that she uses and have plans to build paper and other item storage to attach to the top.

I'll get some pics and post them.

 

[EddieWalker]

Rox,

The table wont move. The wood legs are just for looks. The weight of the table is on the supports that the drawers are attached to and there is a cabinet style towkick. There is just six inches of carpet under the edge of the table.

Staghead,

You should ask your wife if her scrapbook will mow the pasture? hahaha Of course, you can always have her start a scrapbook of you and your tractor!!!

First Picture,

I spent the morning sanding the table top with my 120 sand paper. I got it nice and smooth, then wet it down with a rag and sanded it again after it dried.

Second Picture,

I stained it with some Minwax stain called Early American. Then after letting it dry all day, I put a coat of Minwax Polycrylic. It's still wet in this picture, so it's looks shinier than it will when dry.

I've found that those cheap foam brushes work the best for putting on the finish coat. No streaking or hairs from a brush.

Thanks,
Eddie

 

[Michael_E_Tx]

Hey Eddie. Lookin' good.

I'm assuming you will be putting more than one coat of finish on the table top. Now is a good time to gently rub out the first coat. If you ended up with much dust in the first coat, you can very gently sand, almost like dusting, the surface with 220 or 240 grit aluminum oxide paper. Don't touch the corners, they will take care of themselves.

If the first coat is pretty much dust free, then gently rub out the surface with 0000 steel wool. If you sand the surface first, you will still want to go over the surface with steel wool. You'll be able to feel the surface smooth out, you don't need to be extreme, just try for a uniform level of smoothness.

This will result a finish that more closely resembles the oiled finish look you are shooting for.

Rub out your final coat with 0000 and burnish lightly with a cotton denim rag. You will find that the final coat rubs out much easier than the first coat.

Remember, leave the corners alone so you don't rub through your stain. By the time you're done the corners will be nice and smooth just from the 0000 having skimmed them while rubbing out the flat surfaces.

Enjoy.

Mike

 

[scott_vt]

Good Evening Eddie,
Mike likes steel wool and Im kind of a fan of Scotch Brite abrasive pads. They come in different grits which the color denoting the different grits. You would probablly be using the gray which is very fine for slightly removing any imperfections in your initial coat. You can also use a tack cloth to clean the surface prior to your second coat. Steel wool is fine but if your using a water based finish and by chance a piece of steel wool breaks off on the finish then you could potentially get a rust spot

Anyways lookin good so far !!!

 

[Michael_E_Tx]

Hey Scott.

You are correct about my preference for steel wool. I've used Scotch Brite abrasive pads also. Can't say as I care for them much. My main concern in rubbing anything out is to always have fresh "abrasive", no matter whether pads or steel wool. The problem, as you undoubtedly know, is clogging. It's just a finer version of the problems you run into with sandpaper if you use it too long and continue anyway.

The problem I've encountered with pads is that it isn't always apparent when you've worn a smooth spot on the pad, or it's getting lightly clogged but doesn't appear that bad. IMO, this gets worse the finer the grit of the Scotch Brite pad. With steel wool, it's easy to see when your steel wool is getting used up and clogged, and the solution is turn your pad to some fresh.

I don't care for 3M sandpaper either. My preference is Mirka, which I believe is made in Finland. It is the least clogging paper I've ever used. I find 3M paper to be very uniform in abrasive particle size, but it clogs much worse than open coat Mirka.

Your advice about a tack cloth is, of course, right on. As to water based finishes, if Eddie were using one, I wouldn't be offering advice about finishing. Minwax Polyacrylic is not water based. I have never used a water based finish and hope to avoid same forever. I know these finishes are common in both modern cabinet finishing and quite a bit of furniture, but I don't care.

I started my woodworking career in '78 and "retired" (read used up my back) in '95. Not very long really. But in that time, the state of California banned almost all materials I commonly used for finishing, with the exception of shellac, which I never cared for either. The state, in it's infinite wisdom, dictated low VOC water based finishes.

My feeling is that you are much more on board with a lot of modern woodworking techniques than I am, and that's something I respect. Me, I'm sort of old school. Rigid by choice, I guess I'd call it. I do feel that I know a fair amount about working wood, but I try to stay within the limits of my knowledge and experience. I do enjoy sharing my experience, which to me, is one of the really cool things about TBN.

Mike

 

[scott_vt]

Good Evening Mike,
You know what Mike, im startin to warm up to your thinkin I like old fashion ! Youve got some good ideas !

If your using scotch brite pads you can use an air gun to partially unclog those pads, this really helps when they are getting laoded up !

In any event I wish you were closer, I would like to pick your brain on that top end furniture refinishing, Im sure you could teavh this old boy a thing or two, and Im not too old to start learnin more !!!

 

[EddieWalker]

Hi Mike & Scotty,

Thanks for the advice.

Before I stained, I finish sanded with my 110 paper to a nice smooth finish, then I wet the wood and let it dry to raise the grain. I sanded again before staining.

When I put the first coat of finish on, it felt like the grain was raised again. I sanded with some 320 paper to a super smooth finish and cleaned it real good. The second coat of finish dried very smooth, but not perfect. I sanded that one just lightly. The third coat dried to a perfectly smooth finish. It's so smooth it feels soft. Isn't that funny when hard oak can feel soft to the touch? hahaaha

Last night we put it all together. Mounting the angle iron to the table top was tricky, but after awhile I figured it out.

The toughest part of the brackets was to make them the right size and mount them in the right location so it would be comfortable to eat when in the upright position from our sofa. It took more hours than I want to think about, but now that it's together and working right, it was all worth it.

We had our first meal on it last night and wouldn't change a thing. Then after we ate, she set up her scrap booking stuff and finished off day one of our honeymoon. She kept remarking about how much room she has and how nice it is to have the table up at the perfect height. When she was done, she put everything away in the drawers and we lowered the table.

She is very happy with it, so I'm very happy!!!

Thank you everyone for your help and advice,
Eddie

 

[meledward23]

Okay the pic with coffee table in the eating position has just ruined my life. One more project that I dont need.... I must make one. Great Work Eddie.

 

[Michael_E_Tx]

Hey Eddie.

Most excellent! Congratulations on a very original project!

Mike