ambrosia maple hall table

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Oliver Springs, TN
I've built a few hall tables for family and friends but never one for my wife. Well I decided that it was time to build her one. I've been wanting to build something using ambrosia maple for a while. This past summer while at a local flea market there happened to be a guy selling some great looking maple. He also had enough curly maple for the legs. The edges are purple heart. I gave this to her for Christmas. The only thing I wish I would have done differently is the legs. They are 2x2 and taper down to 1x1. They look a little thick.

The ambrosia and curly maple were a lot different in color, so I used transtint honey amber color to "pop" the curl and tone the woods to better match. I then hand rubbed several coats of general finish seal a cell.
 

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i dont think those legs are to thick they show the curly maple just fine,, that turned very nice,, now how do you hide something that big from her while you were making it??? bet you got grin for that one:thumb::D
 
That's a great looking table John, and the purple heart give it a great touch:thumb::thumb:

I wish I could get that sort of wood here.

Only a small criticism if I may, I think that if on the top you had put the right slab in the same position but on the left side, the joint would have been less evident but I guess that you made your own trials before gluing and this was the best choice for you:dunno:
 
Great looking Table! Ambrosia maple is tough to match up w/out showing the seam, but you did a fine job with it! The legs look fine in relation with the rest of the table. I'd be proud if I'd made it!!!:thumb:
 
That's a great looking table John, and the purple heart give it a great touch:thumb::thumb:

I wish I could get that sort of wood here.

Only a small criticism if I may, I think that if on the top you had put the right slab in the same position but on the left side, the joint would have been less evident but I guess that you made your own trials before gluing and this was the best choice for you:dunno:

Thanks for all the comments. Toni, the top is three boards. The board in the middle is narrow (about 4"). I had to cut the top down in width and I didn't want the narrow board on the edge if that makes sense. I did look at what you talked about. The figure in the boards kind of pointed in one direction. I looked at flipping that board around but I decided to keep everything pointing the same direction. I didn't show all sides of the apron, but I kept the figure pointing in the same direction also.
 
Thanks for all the comments. Toni, the top is three boards. The board in the middle is narrow (about 4"). I had to cut the top down in width and I didn't want the narrow board on the edge if that makes sense. I did look at what you talked about. The figure in the boards kind of pointed in one direction. I looked at flipping that board around but I decided to keep everything pointing the same direction. I didn't show all sides of the apron, but I kept the figure pointing in the same direction also.

I was pretty sure that there should be a reason...:thumb::)
 
What a beautiful piece! I came across this as I was looking for insights into working with ambrosia maple, having decided to use it to build a primitve cradle for our young neighbors expecting their first child. I'm very much the novice woodworker, focusing on violin building but always finding myself drawn to projects like the cradle or a music stand for my oboist wife -- projects with an emotional content. So I picked up a lot of tips from this thread and want to thank all of the contributors. I'll be sure to post pictures of the cradle when finished -- assuming it survives the sophisticated weight bearing test of a couple sacks of black-eyed peas!:rofl:
 
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