Pics on A.B.P.W.
Coffee table in Ambrosia Maple in Walnut with pegged breadboard ends. BLO, shellac, Behlens. 4 coats of good old Johnson's.
"leg_and_apron_detail.jpg" Legs were cut from bastard-grained stock and cut so that the grain runs parallel to the slope of the outside edges of the legs.
"coffee_table_top.jpg" Breadboard ends and side pieces on the top used stock re-sawn to "quarter-sawn", rather than left as flat-sawn. In the case of the breadboard ends, this meant that I glued up two "bookmatched" pieces for each end. In the case of the side pieces on the top, they bookmatch each other.
"top_detail.jpg" About the best I could do with a digital camera and no special lighting...
What I learned this time through that I didn't know:
1.) Shellac's wunnerful stuff. Easy to apply, quick to dry, not too bad to rub out. (Thanks, Patrick.)2.) Behlen's Rock Hard is called that for a reason. Rubbing that stuff out is _work._ ;> ("Thanks", Patrick.)
3.) It's worth the expense in time and wood costs to get the grain of the legs "bastard oriented". I _really_ like the way these turned out.4.) In the future, it will be worth the time to fill the little Ambrosia bug holes in the top with some epoxy. I didn't even think about it, (maybe I did and I just figured the shellac would fill them), and now they trap wax. Not good, but not the worst thing that's ever happened to me, either.
5., and probably most importantly) In the future I need to measure and calculate less and trust my eyes more. (cf: the 107-foot radius post a few weeks ago) In the end I eyeballed the aprons and they turned out just fine. (Thanks, TW!)Things I learned that I didn't even know I didn't know:
1.) Although I'm pleased with this piece, I think I'm not really a "shiney-wood" kinda guy. I'm half tempted to strip everything off of this and go back to BLO/varnish/terps mix then wax, and no rub-out.Michael Baglio