Black Walnut Dining Table
November - June, 2020
The actual need for a dining room table was my excuse to kick this project off. There were a handful of firsts - my first slab work, my first welding project, and my first inlay. Set to a comfortable standing height, this table can be used as a standing table or paired with barstools for sitting - perfect for both dinners and parties. The black power coated steel legs complement the classic oil finished black walnut top for a modern look. The big controversy for this project was epoxy or no epoxy...more on that in the technical details.
A shoutout to Peter Verdone for assisting with the design review and fabrication of the legs.
I also have to give alot of credit to Cam from Blacktail Studio as the majority of my learning came from his channel.
Technical Details
Tabletop Wood: Black Walnut (with bloodwood bowtie inlay)
Leg Material: Steel, MIG welded, black powder coating, removable from top for transport, adjustable feet
Top Dimensions: Approx. 72x35in
Table Height: 40in
Finish: 220grit followed by hardwax oil (Rubio Monocoat) and ceramic top coat (Black Forrest)
Project Challenges and Lessons Learned:
This was a big one (literally). Slabs take alot of time to work through. There seems to be a never ending amount of cleanup, shaping, and sanding. Do not underestimate the amount of labor hours that can go into a project like this.
One of the most fun parts about this project was going to a local warehouse and looking through their collection. There were so many options, and the mind just starts racing with what you can do with all of them. I ended up selecting this one because it was a good size and thickness, had beautiful grain and color, and most importantly had some very unique cutout features. Ok, so the controversy...I did not do this table as an epoxy fill. I would estimate that 90% of the slab tables I found online for inspiration and learning were filled with epoxy. For me, personally - I just did not like the idea. I think it takes away from the natural character of the cut. You have this beautiful walnut slab and you are going to fill it up with plastic. Meh, but to each their own. For the really big cutouts I just did a bark removal and cleanup along the sides. I decided to fill the smaller holes with little pieces of wood from other parts of the table. Taking the time to get the fits right was important. Using the sawdust and wood glue trick will only take you so far. This goes the same for the bowtie inlay. Get your fit as snug as possible, especially with drastically contrasted woods.
As for the legs, this was my introductory to MIG welding project. Yes, yes I should learn TIG. I will. Regardless, I would not have been able to do this without a welding table and help from an expert. I definitely could have improved the manufacturability of the legs by thinking through the angles and table setups more. You can read a detailed blog on this here: Angles for Welding Tables.
The last thing I will say is that wood moves. Really really think about this before diving into a project like this. I can happily say I did. It starts with getting wood from a reputable source. This slab came from Peroba in Richmond, CA. It had already been both air and kiln dried, free from bugs. With that said, I still invested in a high quality moisture meter and double checked the entire slab. Once confirmed I had them flatten it. Do not even begin work until the piece is acclimated to your environment - trust me, it's going to hurt. One of the first things I did after flattening was installed steel C channel (loose fit to allow a little movement) to the bottom side to keep it from warping. I also installed a bowtie on the main crack to keep it locked together. Keep your environment dry and wrap the wood up in plastic wrap to slow down the moisture ingress. This is all important until you are done finishing the wood.
