Turning lemons into lemonade

Table is delayed due to the vendor fabricating the steel base/legs for it. They are weeks behind schedule...but just waiting for the call that it's ready...maybe this week...I hope...

Preparations have begun...



Ready...

So, I thought I would share some photos of the unfinished table first. I had posted some photos just after the pour, and we visited a week or so later after it had cured, so here are a couple of quick shots I took then, just looking at the epoxy river:





So it looks more yelow coloured once removed from the mold. After the epoxy is cured, they use their router machine to remove the top layer of the epoxy, and to flatten the top again. Then the sanding begins - this is the underside of the top after sanding with 60 grit sandpaper:



So in the midst of this project, the owner of the business left for the Philippine's for 5 weeks, where his fiancée was due to give birth to his first child. Then they had a wedding, and during that time he was away, they expected the base to arrive from the fabricator, and that the table would be delivered. Apparently the hold up was with the paint shop, so the base only arrived last week.

The owner is now back, and today it all arrived - here is the base:



The base is in the space:



I'll show a few details before I post an overall photo...this is the final epoxy - it's gone from being more orange, to being more yellow, to now being quite amber - exactly what we were shooting for. It will change a bit in different lighting I expect, which is great. I am holding a pen under the area in question and you can see the shadow of it, just to give you an idea of the transparency:



If I put my hand under this area, I can clearly see my fingers - the photos make it look more opaque than it really is.

This is one of my favourite areas of the table - so much figuring in this wood:



And here is the whole top:



We love it. It fits the space really well - and even the old chairs look okay with it:



We aren't done yet. There are a number of shelves being made, plus a wall hanging, and we are very likely going forward with getting that barn door in our bedroom replaced by one made from this wood. So more to come!

Thanks for everyone following along with this.

Really great result !
Thanks for sharing !

Nice Lemonade! Congrats. 👍 It came out very well.

I really like all of the texture and variation in the epoxy, I wasn't expecting that. Looks fantastic.

Beautiful. I really like the more yellow color in the first pictures, as well as the amber color in the final ones. Congratulations, it’s good your tree can make you happy on a daily basis.

That tree lived quite a life. It overcame a lot of struggles. +1 what Dan said. The flowing, boiling amber is surprising, and adds a lot to the effect. Very fun watching this. Thanks for sharing an congrats on seeing it through from idea to reality.

Ha! So going back in the thread, I can see someone was quite prescient about the final result 😉


And on another note… you mentioned black cherry wood you’ve been storing for 20 years, and which you used for those dutchmen. So what are you going to do with all of that black cherry wood now? Seems you’re on a roll, would it not be a pity to let it go to waste? 😜

It’s been fun to read this thread. The table is just beautiful. A glorious glass of lemonade. I love the bow tie joinery.

Wow, Al. It turned out wonderful! Thanks for letting us come along on that journey.

So much character in that table, and love that you were able to turn a negative experience into something positive. I'm sure it will serve you well and make you smile whenever you are using that wonderful piece. Unique, stunning, and practical all in one.

I wonder if you determined how old was the maple tree. I've looked through the whole thread, but did not find an answer.

We should have a raffle where people guess the age and win donated prizes. Al can count the rings to determine the winner. 😁

I could donate this:

Errr.........
My guess is one year old.
Do I win (hope not).

🙁

The epoxy pigment had some metallic parts to it. During the curing process, heat is generated inside the epoxy, moving the metallic particles around, and leading to this pattern forming in the finished product.

I sold most of it many years ago, but I still have a number of boards in the basement. Not quite sure what to do with it all, but one day I'll find a project for it.

The best estimate I came up with was that it was at least 120 years old...

Previous photos were taken when it was overcast, but the sun came out and shone on the table through the skylights, and I took this of the grain...



I also took a shot from the underside of the table, which gives you a better idea of how transparent the epoxy is: