Pecan slab and steel table...

[steve_g]

I’m having to brush up on my old welding skills! I’m doing a series of Pecan slab tables with a 1 ½” X 1 ½” square tubing frame and legs.
After leveling the top, I turn the slab over and cut a trench the shape of the steel frame… this lets me leave the bottom side of the table slab with varying thickness, yet my top sits level and firm.

SG

[myxpykalix]

Very nice steve. I have several walnut, cherry, maple and oak slabs that i want to make some tables with. What does something like that go for? I just made some thick maple countertops that i used bowtie joints to join the pieces together (decorative)
Good job Steve!

[steve_g]

Jack…

“What does something like that go for?”
Good question!
Because I’m getting mill culls for free, I don’t have any pressure to get top dollar… I have less than $100 in this table (Steel, hardware, urethane and minimal overhead) and very little labor. I priced some slabs through a different mill and would have to pay over $300.00 to replace the slab, but then it wouldn’t have the characteristics that got this slab culled! How you deal with cracks, splits, bark inclusions and other “flaws” determines the value of the table… Since my name isn’t “Nakashima” my name adds value in a very small circle!

Marketing is the next problem… unless you have people lined up to purchase your next offering, you’re going to have to pay someone a commission to sell it for you! I’m told that in the right Dallas gallery, this table would likely fetch $1800.00 or so… Commission, 50% thank you. People at “trade days” craft fairs ETC. are there because they’re looking for a bargain… maybe $250.00.

My problem is I enjoy the craft but not the marketing.

In the end, I anticipate this table quickly selling in the $300-$400.00 range. Higher prices will come when people see these in friends and neighbors homes and come to me looking for pieces for specific situations!

I’d be interested in hearing how others have marketed this type project!
SG

[kurt_rose]

Nice job Steve. I've also been making similar tables and like you it's a labor of love for sure. I have a few slabs leaning up against the wall awaiting inspiration. Have you ever checked out this guy? http://gregklassen.com/ Love his river tables. Gonna have to figure out how to cut glass and give one a shot myself.

[Brian Harnett]

At the shows I go to my tables or small benches go from 425 to 600 on average, I have people tell me the price is to low of course they are the ones that never buy one, Last show a woman told me you can sell them in NYC for 2000, I said I will sell you as many as you like and you can sell them there.

I have seen some really badly done stuff in "Art Galleries" at top dollar.

Next month some of my work will be in a Hoity Toity gallery with a bunch of local artists, we do it every other year a few pieces may sell, its good exposure.

[David Iannone]

Steve,
table looks great. You are mixing metal fab/welding with woodworking/cnc. That table demands $999.99 at least or just keep it for yourself and use/abuse it and still use it as a show piece. I am in the process of raising my prices all across the board, even to all my wholesale customers. I am thinking about a 25% increase. I am ready to earthier start padding my bank acct or I will go back to working on my own projects.

But never stop getting out there and handing out business cards everywhere you go. Keep up the good work.


Dave

[steve_g]

Here’s another in my steel and wood table series… it’s a bar height table.

The table is 42” tall and the slab is 18” X 89”. I used the bot to surface the slab and cut five small round plugs/patches to repair some screw/nail holes…

The first attached image is the rendering I did in SketchUp for my customer. The 3D warehouse had the stools already for me! It’s a great tool for helping customers visualize what you’re proposing…

If you look carefully at the slab photo, you can see some of my plug patches… unusual for me, normally I make my patches big and bold and contrasting colors!
SG