Get in shape

Ok, progress on the slab table is happening.  First thing I tackled was giving a little curve to the straight cut on the slab to try and round some of the edges.  I had thought about using a jig-saw for this, but my Dad suggested I could likely use my bandsaw if I supported the slab with a box on my table saw.  Well, voila!  This actually worked pretty good.  Kind of a daunting experience, but went better than I thought.

Cleaned up the cut with my jack plane, I think it'll work.  Next thing to tackle was shaping the legs.  Now, when I started this project, I had the romantic notion that I would be able to complete the entire project without ever touching a piece of sand paper.  I figured that I could plane the top flat, and spoke shave the legs to shape and go right to finish.   Well, I think I am realizing that hand planes minimize sanding, but do not completely eliminate it.  This became painfully obvious when I tried to spokeshave the cuts left by the bandsaw on my legs.  It worked pretty good on the flat sections, but for the sculpted insider corner, despite having a round-bottom shave from Veritas, I had issues there.  In fact, on one leg, the blade tore out a chunk of wood when I crossed the joint (changing grain direction.)  So I got pretty nervous, and decided that I would need to use a rasp on this section of the legs.  Here I used a Nicholson #49 rasp, worked great, but now how to clean the rasp marks?  Well, maybe there is a better way, but for me I figured my only choice was to go to 80 grit sandpaper and clean up the cuts left by the rasp.  Then to 120 etc.  Seemed to work out so far, but I still need to try out the finer grits.

 

So, on the rest of the inside legs, I used a flat-bottomed spoke shave handed down to me from my grandfather.  Works great and is rewarding to use a tool that I spent a lot of time in his hands as well.  

 

On the front of the legs, this is a straight section so I used a block plane add pillow to these.  Not a lot, I'm trying to be subtle, like the work that Nick Nelson puts out (see my blog list).

Sorry about the rotated picture, for some reason, this blog program won't save rotation settings (you'll have to turn you head).  So here is a shaped leg next to one that is yet to be pillowed etc.  And the three legs after initial shaping. 

Next is to finish sand the legs.  I'm hoping that all that flattening and shaping will allow me to at least start sanding at 180-220 as opposed to 120 that I usually start with.  And also spend much less time sanding in general.  I'm going go to 320, may be higher, we'll see. 

But prior to that, I need to prepare the legs for attachment to the slab.  I got some 1/4 x 2" lag bots from The Depot, but when I did a test I sheared the lag bolt right off!  I mean yes I am ridiculously strong, but this surprised me!  I bought some 5/16 bolts, but they seem too beefy, maybe I'll get some stainless steel 1/4 versions but they a bit more expensive (like $2 a bolt!).  I don't figure I'll need to account much for wood movement as the bolts will be pretty close together (4 inches or so and two per leg).  The legs will either be inline with the grain or at an angle, so I can't image movement being a big deal.  If anyone thinks lag-bolting these legs to the slab is a bad idea, please stop me now!

Ok, last thing I did, was try and determine leg placement on the slab.  I thought I could do this geometrically by drawing major axes on the slab and pointing all the legs to a common point and strategies like that.  But in the end, nothing look quite right, so I basically almost free-placed them in a manner I thought was appealing.  I think it is the only way to go, but you're never really sure.  I used double-sided tape to attach the legs temporarily to the top and tried it out.  Take a look.

At first I wasn't liking it, I can't say why.  But after about 15 mins, and a little re-assurance from my wife, I started to really like it.  I think in the end the legs are not too-thin an the placement towards the edge of the slab should make the table more stable (important with a 10 month old).  I think they are elegant and kind of contrast with the bulk of the top.  Should look nice with the Deft Danish Oil I plan to put on it.  With any luck the next post will have some better pics of a finished table!  Now, where to put the thing?