Harvest Table (Part 3)

TO READ PART ONE, PLEASE click here!
TO READ PART TWO, PLEASE click here!

PLANS FOR THIS PROJECT:

If you are interested in building your own version of this project, I have a set of detailed plans available for purchase for a modest price.

This includes Measured Drawings as well as Sketchup files for BOTH styles of table discussed on this web page and also a worksheet you can use to help you resize the table design to your own preferred size of table. Read More... »

As a quick recap... I started this table over the Christmas Holidays, and by early January it was complete except for finishing with lacquer. I needed to wait for the weather to warm up enough that I could apply lacquer in our garage. The instructions on the can of brushing lacquer were that a minimum temperature of 13c (55 Fahrenheit) was required.

THREE MONTHS LATER...

It was a long cold winter and I was getting more than a little impatient to finish this table! It finally warmed up in mid March enough that we could, with the help of a space heater, consider applying lacquer. My son helped me carry the table up to our attached garage and I got busy.

I used a natural bristle brush, a good respirator mask, and started applying the lacquer. It applied thick and clear. A lamp was necessary (visible in the top-left corner of the photo) to cast a bright light across the project. The finish is so clear that it is important to bend frequently and look across the project, so that the bright directional light will reveal what parts are still unfinished. (This is more visible in the video.)

I applied two coats of finish to the bottom, and three coats to the top. The lacquer dried quickly, and almost completely smooth. There were maybe a handful of small bubbles after each coat. I used some 400 grit sandpaper to buff those spots out. After the final coat there were 2-3 bubbles that required sanding and then some spot touch-ups with lacquer.

I'm pretty satisfied with the quality and clarity of the finish. But I would never, ever, do this again at this time of year. It was warm enough to apply finish in the garage, but it was NOT warm enough to open the big garage door, so the stink of the off-gassing finish gradually penetrated partway into our attached house. It was not pleasant. Once the final coat of finish was dry we opened the garage door as often as possible to allow the garage to air out.

I left the table top for a further three days in the garage to off-gas, and three more after that down in my basement shop to harden up. The can recommends waiting seven days after finishing before putting it into use.

We then carried it up to the kitchen and laid the top upside down on the floor, with an old flannel sheet for padding.

The leg-and-apron assembly was then brought in and I measured it to be centred on the table top, and placed some painter's tape to mark the corners in case it got bumped.

I used these metal table clips (From Lee Valley Tools) to attach the table top to the base. They fit into the slot that I milled along the top of the apron, and are screwed to the table top.

The next two photos show part of the process of drilling pilot holes and attaching the clips with screws. I probably used too many; I just scattered them around on the apron.

Last two screws being attached. The label is now a bit wrong -- I started the table in 2014, but did not finish it. Oops.

And that is about the end of this project page. There was not much to show here, as it was just the lacquer finishing that needed to be done to complete the project. Much more information is on the preceding two project pages. Links below!

Here are a few more photos...

Remember, click this link for information as to how you can purchase a set of plans for building your own version of this project.

TO READ PART ONE, PLEASE click here!
TO READ PART TWO, PLEASE click here!

Harvest Table (Part 3)

PLANS FOR THIS PROJECT:

See Also: