Working on a little table - Woodworking Talk

**Daren** · 07-08-2008, 02:23 PM

I don't know how long it will take to finish this little table I started, so this is a sneak peak of what I am working on in my spare time. I will post finished pictures...whenever? I milled some walnut crotches awhile back, they just came out of the kiln. The picture of the wet one is fresh off the saw, same crotch just different slice than I am making this table with.

I had a couple pieces split on me during air drying (the tree was blown down by a tornado, that didn't help) Perfect, I like busted wood, I like butterfly patches like in the picture. I made them from quilted rock maple.

This flitch and a another had a small bump that was hollow. It was a dead/overgrown limb. I knew the day I milled it I was keeping one of those and just filling the hole with "something". It's a Nakashima knockoff with a Daren twist

.

The hole is filled with epoxy and a walnut shell I sliced on the bandsaw. Do you know how many walnut I sliced open last night looking for the perfect "skull" ? A bunch. The closest walnut tree is a block away in a vacant lot I walked down there with a bucket and scrounged up all last years shells I could find (squirrels had chewed and ruined most of them)

There is so much figure in this piece once it is sanded out I bet the shell face is not even noticed right off the bat. Because of that dead limb there are 2 crotch feathers, the big one down the middle is 24" long and 6"-8" wide. The little one is cool too.

I am going to try to finish with the butterflies this afternoon (between customers stopping by) I am not even touching the sawmill today. Just in the shop with the stereo blasting

mmwood_1 · 07-08-2008, 07:59 PM

Pretty cool, Daren. That is an awesome piece of wood. I like to put shells and dried flowers into the holes when I fill them with epoxy. The walnut shell is pretty cool. I've never seen one that was so evocative of a skull like that.
And speaking of tables, I will be posting pics, soon, of the trestle table I solicited ideas for back in March. I did a variation on one of the photos you posted.

**Daren** · 07-08-2008, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmwood_1

I will be posting pics, soon, of the trestle table I solicited ideas for back in March.

Looking forward to it. All I got done was cutting the butterflies in, busy day, long story.

JMendez035 · 07-09-2008, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daren

Looking forward to it. All I got done was cutting the butterflies in, busy day, long story.

i wish i could find pieces of wood like that and make tables all day long

**Daren** · 07-09-2008, 02:11 PM

I had a chance to sand it out this morning. I wiped a little water on it to see what I had (I am going to 400 later, after it is together)

I reckon this will work

.

frankp · 07-09-2008, 02:27 PM

Holy crap, that's a pretty piece of wood. Daren you ship any wood in sizes like that or is it just not worth your time?

And completely rude and mildly off-topic but am I the only one who sees something vaguely pornographic in the last image on the right?

Terry Beeson · 07-09-2008, 02:32 PM

Geez, Frank... Get your mind outta da gutter.... LOL

(yeah... I saw it too...)

**Daren** · 07-09-2008, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankp

Holy crap, that's a pretty piece of wood. Daren you ship any wood in sizes like that or is it just not worth your time?

Yea I ship wood of all sizes, used to be almost 80% internet sales actually, UPS picks up in my shop and I use LTL freight companies for larger stuff ...believe me I make sure the price makes it worth my time

.Not to turn this into a business thread, but a $100 bill would not touch any of the rest of the flitches from that crotch

...Well unless I was broke, been there

. I think I have enough under the mattress I can not give these away.

frankp · 07-09-2008, 02:45 PM

Daren, I totally agree. I'd expect to pay a few hundred (at least) for a crotch like that, but I'm not sure how big it is. I do know you tend to sell for less than I can get good wood here for, so it's something I've been thinking about lately. I'll send you a PM about maybe checking on some of the Osage and such you just posted about in that other thread since I like the colors I've seen lately in people's pics and I don't think I can get osage locally. May not be right away, but I will send you a message.

**Daren** · 07-09-2008, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankp

I'm not sure how big it is.

24" at the widest and 36" long. Not huge, but nice small table size.

**Daren** · 07-09-2008, 02:54 PM

My problem is Frank (and TexasTimbers will tell you, he thought I was nuts more than once for turning down crazy money for wood) I just have a hard time parting with some stuff. I have a stash of stuff I have milled that I just won't sell. Dudes will be over here looking to buy and stumble on a stash piece and I say "Not for sale !"...they get plumb frustrated

frankp · 07-09-2008, 02:57 PM

Daren, I can totally understand that. I'd definitely be the same way if I were in your position. We do seem to have the same preferences for woods and figure though, so I figured (ha ha) it might be good to just buy some stuff from you and let you pick it out or something like that. I'll PM you when I'm ready for some new woods.