Up Against the Wall!

Hung it on the wall for now.. and I like it. I am thinking of a spot light of some kind on it.

Re-Finish

After the glow wore off, I took a harder look at my work. Not very good. Brush strokes and a bit rough. Soooo... I have been sanding with 220 grit and smoothing things out and applying some more shellac. Turning out much smoother (and prettier).

In one of the earlier posts I described the "tools of the trade." One was a pair of kitchen shears that I used to cut sandpaper. I made the smartass comment that they would surely get sharper. As it turns out, they did. The blades are very sharp. Amazing.

Phase 1 Complete

I have completed the finish. I must have five or six coats of shellac on it, and I think it looks great. Lots of character. I am leaving it over the fireplace for now while I try to decide what to do next.

Spray Finish

I started finishing the other day. Out in the driveway. I used the spray can of shellac on the edges and irregular spots. Chewed through the whole can in nothing flat. The slab seemed to almost soak it up. I will use a brush to add some layers to it now that the little cracks and crevices are somewhat covered up.

The edges darkened up nicely; however, when I do the flats, they will darken too. So I am not sure of the final look.

Glass

My neighbor suggested that I put a glass top on the slab and make it a table. I hadn't thought of glass before. If I were to put it on standoffs (maybe marbles or rubber feet) it would both protect the slab and provide a nice level surface. I called a couple places for glass prices. For a 1/4-inch piece, 42-inch-diameter round, the price varied from $160 to $350, and that's more than I want to spend. Perhaps I should hit 2nd hand stores. I bet I could get a whole table with glass cheaper than that.. and just repurpose the glass.

Ready to Shellac

I finished sanding today. 220 grit. Then I borrowed my son's electric air compressor and blew off all of the dust. As it turns out, I also blew off a bunch of loose stuff from the sides that I didn't get picked off earlier. Next step is to shellac the sides and irregular areas using the spray. I am nervous about overspray and will try to protect the flatter surfaces that I will do with a brush. I used some mineral spirits on it the other day to wipe off dust. Someone told me that the mineral spirits give a preview of the finished look before they evaporate. It was quite dark. I guess I will find out soon. I decided not to use the blow torch on the edges. I think they will be fine as they are.

As for uses... I am leaning toward hanging it over my fireplace.

Which Finish?



I talked to Jeff Watson at Woodcraft about finishes. He had some great information. We decided that shellace would be the best option. It doesn't yellow, is easy to repair, and is attractive to boot. I bought a can of spray for the edges--they are so rough that I could never brush them. But the spray isn't very good for the finish on the flat areas. It could end up with an orange peel unless you spray with a sprayer. Two options are available for hand-applying the finish to the flats: (1) brush, and (2) I think he called it patting. The patting option sounded a bit complicated, so I am going to brush it. Shellac is a natural resin mixed with alcohol.. and dries very fast. I may practice on something else first. He also sold me some synthetic steel wool to rough it up a bit after the first coat and to knock the gloss down on the final coat if I choose to do that. Jeff thought that the plant idea was great (I am not convinced). He also said that if I go with a table, black wrought iron legs would be his choice. See my earlier post with options. All in all, a good visit... Thanks for the help, Jeff.

New Idea

A friend suggested making a table with some kind of container below it and making a planter. Plant growing up through the gaps. Would be cool with a fern of some kind.

Choices....so many choices

I have been doing some research on finishes. Steve told me that they use spray lacquer, and that might be the best choice for me. This is a good summary:

 Choosing a Finish 

I don't have to worry about durability. Even if I decide it's a table, it won't get rough use. I don't want the finish to yellow. And I don't want it to alter the color much. I am thinking a satin finish rather than the high gloss that is normally seen.

Spray or wipe appeals to me rather than applying with a brush.

Options

I have considered several options. Option 1 is a table with some generic wooden legs that pretty much "disappear."


Option 2

Then I thought about modifying this table (Option 2). It is hand-hammered wrought iron, but the top isn't very nice. On the other hand, my slab is pretty open and might not make a functional table. In addition, the back is very rough (and not parallel to the front). Then again, I plan to finish both sides. But then again... redwood table.. legacy technology for sure.

 

Option 3 is a wall hanging.

 

Option 4 is to hanging it in the open from the ceiling--maybe over the island in the kitchen or where the big plant is over the fireplace.

The last option is to put it on a stand. It could be either in a fixed position or movable (maybe rotating on a big mounting pin.

Time will tell (but leaning toward 4 or 5).

Option 4

Tools of the Trade

I am doing this pretty much by hand with tools I happened to have lying around. The little srewdiver is really a bit of a chisel (I am not sure whether it came that way or whether Dad filed it down for some reason). I am using three grades of sandpaper--80, 120, and 220. The scissors are a spare pair of kitchen scissors to cut the sandpaper. I am just sure that they will be sharper and better after this.  (sarc). The torch is to darken the edges. Steve said that they use a torch to do that. However, the edges on mine are darker already, so I am not sure how that will turn out. As you can see, I have been doing my share of cleanup and sanding. 

The Slab

Back

Front

This is it. The top, or front, depending on what it becomes, is in pretty good shape. The bottom, or back, is very rough. It's about 2 by 3 feet. All kind of dirt and loose bark to get rid of. Also, as Steve pointed out to me, the slab is used to 100 percent humidity and will need to adjust to Boise's 20 percent. It's a bit "punky," but that might change as it dries out.  A bargain IMHO.

The Buy

 

Steve in Orick, California

I found it on a trip to Brookings, Oregon, with my friend Kathy to see her sister, Sharon. Sharon was kind enough to take us south into California to see the redwoods.

I am in awe of the redwoods. 1,000+ years and still growing. It's an amazing experience.

Sharon took us to Orick to pick up a base that she ordered for her redwood table. I talked to Steve about redwood and how he worked with it. He assured me that all their wood was from deadfall and legally obtained. He also answered all of my questions--patiently. An artist. And a great guy.

I looked around the yard at the unfinished burls and slabs and found mine. $69. And very interesting.