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Finally finished the Ash Table

Bruce Moffitt

Bruce Moffitt

Member
Messages
34
Location
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Back in November I asked a question about finishing the ash Table I was working on and said I would post pics when it was finished:).
Well yesterday I finished it and moved it in to the Dining Room:thumb:. It’s not perfect but boy have I learned a lot.
During the process I had a table saw accident that cost me part of my ring finger and for the most part disabled my index finger:(. That being said I was very lucky and am back in the shop and enjoying it:D.
After a number of mistakes :doh:with over sanding and spraying lacquer :dunno:that forced me to strip back to bare wood and restart it's finally finished.
 

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beautiful. I wish I didnt have to read about your accident, very sorry to hear that, my biggest fear. Glad you are back to woodworking.

I was looking through my ash pile today, as Im about to start a coffee table, as a gift for my SIL this week. Hope it comes out anywhere close to yours, Id be thrilled.
Great work, thanx for sharing the pics.
 
That came out great! Good color, it looks solid and structural like a dining table should. As to the side discussion about guards; I too am sorry to hear about the pinkies. I run an overarm guard and when it cannot be used, Grr-Rippers or some other push block are used instead. Every now and again, I will go to plug the saw or RT back in after changing cutters only to find I have forgotten to unplug them . . . stops my heart, everytime.
 
ash table

Thanks to all for the kind words. I have put the guard back on my saw and I now use a gripper / push stick when I can't use the guard. I would sure encourage everone to do the same.
 
Bruce that table is stunning. I have been taught another lesson. Never ever did i think one could take ash and make it look so good. Boy the table will last forever I like the hardness of ash and the color and finish makes it look real fancy and posh. Now thats a word you Americans dont really use Eh!:thumb::D

Couple more questions, can you enlighten me on the finish you used and the technique. Oh and the chairs did you make or buy them cause the covering and style matches the table...dont know if i missed a post on the chairs or not.

How about a few more pics of the finished item. It looks real good.
 
table finish

Thanks Larry.
Rob: The finishing process - sand 180 grit, tried filling pores using Elmer’s wood filler (Lee valley) and sanding smooth but this was a waste of time, dyed with numerous coats of dark walnut aniline dye (Lee Valley), sand off the fuzz using 220 grit, light coat of lacquer and sand again (I sanded through the dye and had to start over :().
On one of the leaves I forgot to sand off the fuzz (senior moment:doh:) and when I sprayed the lacquer on I got bubbles forming around the fuzz which forced me to start over on the leaves. I applied the lacquer liberally and continued to sand after each coat until the pores were almost totally filled. This took as number of coats and just before the final coat I smoothed the surface with 0000 steel wool, wiped it clean with a tack cloth and sprayed the final coat. It turned out not too bad :rolleyes:.
The chairs were purchased at Costco and the colour match is very close.
I tried to take close-up pictures but the camera flash makes the top and the chairs look very brown and not nearly as dark as they actually look. I will try again (I'm no photographer).
 
ok rob, fer yer edmificashun. in the heyday of ocean liner travel, ocean liners had no air conditioning. so when they sailed to the far east colonies, passengers who could, booked thier staterooms on which side would be the north side, as there would be cooler breezes from the north. so it would be Port Ooutbound, Starboard Homebound. in other words, posh.
 
Dan Noren said:
rob, do you know what posh stands for? :D
Click to expand...

Port Outbound Starboard Home Goes back to the early days when ships would leave England bound for America. By getting a stateroom on the portside of the ship on the outbound leg you were assured that the smoke from the galley would not enter your port hole because of the prevailing winds and the same for the return trip by being on the starboard side. :D
 
I thought I'd commented on this one earlier, but I see that I hadn't. I really like the table, Bruce. I don't think I've seen ash dyed that color, but it sure looks great to me. Very well done.
 
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