I know I should not do that...

[Burkhardt]

So I went to the local Rockler store and found that pretty nice slab of partially spalted Oregon Myrtlewood like 22" x 60" x 2" for a well discounted price ($120 instead of the original crazy 750 bucks). I think $7 for a board foot is quite O.K.

Anyway, I had planned to make a smaller slab table from it but at closer inspection it turns out that it has too much twist for that. So much for my impulse buys...

Question: Should I slice it into 3 or 4 strips and glue back and plane flat (never tried that) to really build that table. Or should I try something else (and what)?

[phil_o]

Slicing it into 3 or 4 strips can work. After slicing you need to run one face over a jointer and then run the pieces through a planer to flatten the opposite face. A planer will not take care of the warp all by itself. Finally glue the pieces back together. A two inch thick board should yield a slab of good thickness.

Phil

[garyb]

depends on what you classify as too much twist.

You can use the twist to your advantage and machine a flat area for the table top blending to the twist around the outer edge then build the base to suit.
not everything has to have square straight and level lines.
Gary

[jTr]

I agree with Gary. Also note that the bottom does not have to be perfectly clean. If you can flatten the show face (cnc surfacing routine at that size) you may then flip to do a hit and miss planing on the bottom. If your leg assembly will be a traditional framed style, you'll probably desire a flatter surface where aprons meet the underside. However, if you take a Windsor chair approach to legs and simply bore holes from underside and insert legs, you can get away with a very uneven bottom. Just need to trim legs to level. A turned dowel end on leg with a wedge insert is very strong. Also could protrude top and sand flush, as this can be an interesting detail.

I just planed a 20x60 walnut slab. Was rough milled to 1.5". I lost .40" in the surfacing, but still have what I feel is a perfectly presentable table top at a pinch over 1" thick. Due to the natural curves/angles of the live edge, it doesn't seem disproportionately thin. Still appears to be what it is - a nice natural edge slab that is far above a 3/4" board from the big box lumber rack.

Speaking for all when I say, I'd love to see a picture of it - especially when you get it completed...

Good luck!

Jeff

[Burkhardt]

Thanks for the advice. The warp is unfortunately over 1 " and removing all that material to flatten at least one side would leave to little of that nice slab.

As for the strip cutting/gluing method, the problem is I do not have a jointer and would have to do the joint fitting with a bench plane, ruler, square and a lot of patience. Not sure if that is feasible.
At least I do have a 13" planer and 16/32 drum sander. FWIW, the slab has one straight cut and one natural edge and lends itself to a table that is positioned next to a wall.

I will take a pic of that slab and post here later.

[phil_o]

It is possible to use a planer to flatten a warped boards. Check out this video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UONmuQt_98

[Burkhardt]

It is possible to use a planer to flatten a warped boards. Check out this video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UONmuQt_98

Yes that would help flatten the strips. Obviously I can not run the entire 22" width through my 13" planer.
But I am rather concerned about the glue joint between the strips. I would probably use the circular saw with a clamp-on rail guide to cut the strips but suspect I would need a hand plane to adjust the joint surfaces for proper even fit.

Anyway, here are pictures of the slab. I splashed on a little paint thinner to show the spalting, grain and a little curly figure. It does look a bit wild but the fungus has not progressed enough to make the wood really soft. The other side is a bit more even figured.

The second picture hopefully shows the warp. On a flat floor it rocks somewhat more than an inch.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Cdm3PE87Ixk7bWOwOKYMj9oqQR0hr2FeB3sw_-nz7NUKBRA_QFhRj0S6yuAzqS1Ild2-tLplLyTUvaU4lUg0g9F1Gb8MJsrahHnh4bEdUYr1hYfLD1sbow ThMa1rXuk079VBqIorMZNWgGVlqm3Q3IgbqC9Z-lzbaYEaWWEm5mYDdY-DGryJ94xXvD1UhcjW1m2EHHQwA3e4c2vWCqHdhSpwXdOk7PRDF AyMdUsQXOCBDoaBIXibU19RxGffhQrGksknOmYrUMCems0VnEw nIeY-cwYyVgJF1K2mwn7aQQf1fUOyECFy9Zy0Yr5TX4riZjZtUR3TG0 qoS_o-iuh9umykbnxkICUl0px0nBMWfXuM7LodGrIAZvTFNLaUur5Uiy yKOcPcZ2H_5mrJMilKLJmuj6SnLthiAv3FY2kb2xSmWSG0QU7s mes2CkVH-Lg9JFUXv7UMyU6sFy-c32OCfD_y89GRdnxVMh9JXfz_Kv-xCIm3hGQxaEgOBchNxA6v2nrmOXG1y43AffakceukOMYEiE_1r G_whoDOlPNNYh87X0KVQwQQXIC8-83pWGeyhdqUFpy9g7755w2JvKckmag__Tvc7vexd2ygPmnZFev T-zDFPH46=w1888-h950-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/aN_N6niYrqAEQOLnLoH8EHI9jnGf_sTWTSVNAD8RFlCcHsj0kQ iif3znuOZx0YsUebZPoCKV1vA9CuAQ-VVLfjnXfV2_Il3rt98GLvDYz9O_IE5kT6RPBOtpFFMVY6OdRvg ztzxHOujLO3L5V2Ggbla4obM9SrPexQedwvBj3v7_h4jmpd3Ag rsK2TJsZH-A25Iikl0EnAzXzicnJE_hkJPtell8ThuRQNqpdiCO1I4atONr8 2j7NlsXUlN3YfpeEDA6HqgDHJoftnPelD71wn0Z-PRD0r2jiWs-_hb3iUn_ecFuKuUQXSLuqHTwfm_AVfPptA2jUscdBd-OhQdw_rb6iLpz0ZGCOjs40_F4llwqPQLuEf-AN6OcV6rplsqR8VVSH_23P1gSEkpU3EDnVe2kSVTc863-4vA9-MdKiqP5sycIwNrWtuVow8aveXfJ4FDny38ZimaVpXahwmXSJtW RP8CAAZFZZiRC2XGi4JYq_ySEqbyIBoAbe9AgpY2PpP4NScshl DFu6DQ-uZIP2pxGAgaDNJ6yRKPmVZc8QNqI6Jt14aKowZ1tJg5D0MStfW 0XJAxUPEzh-lp5d0iatVafxnlyGhgUssUMQcs9FFjDmmWF=w1920-h375-no

[srwtlc]

Don't know why anyone hasn't thought of this yet, but I think you should not bother with it and just send it to me! I'll give it a good home. ;) Beautiful piece!

[scottp55]

Nah Scott,
Gert should send it to me and I'll wet sand it to 600 with Tung and then wax it, and it will fit perfectly on a blank spot on my wall as Art:)
Upright it reminds me of a flame:)
I guarantee everybody through my door will touch it!
Gorgeous G. !!
G., If it was flipped, and surfaced, would the ends be the thin part? Might look like it was floating a bit if say the center 2.5-3' was a book/display case with 2-3 shelves with uprights and shelve out of live edge:)
scott

[phil_o]

A router can be used with a straightedge to joint an edge for gluing.

Phil

[willnewton]

split it in two. flatten one face. attach boards to table base and leave 1/4" gap between them. insert giant dovetails.

thank george nakashima for the idea.

29522

PS-if you slice that board into a half-dozen pieces and glue it back up, your ticket to woodworker heaven will be revoked. :)

[Burkhardt]

.........PS-if you slice that board into a half-dozen pieces and glue it back up, your ticket to woodworker heaven will be revoked. :)
Oh my. I better won't let that happen :eek:
The split table with the butterflies is a great idea and the gap will solve the joining flatness problem.

I appreciate the idea of sending the slab to one or the other Scott but I find it unconscionable to get them in the same quandary. So I will man up and solve the problem myself.