Black Locust - It aint just for fence posts anymore - Page 2

Black Locust - It aint just for fence posts anymore · 10-25-2009, 10:04 PM

Here's another table I'm working on for the front porch, it's Quarter Sawn Black Locust HARD wood, it sure is pretty though... This wood about worked me silly, it burns real easy and had to progressive sanding fom 20 grit to 220 grit. I sanded every piece. It's silky smooth now and hard as a rock... The top is 7/8 x 28 x 28 and it stands 25" tall. Since it's for outside, I used water proof glue and will make the drawer out of ERC and the drawer runner out of WO. Should last a little while, I know he bugs won't eat it.

Nice job on the Kiln Drying Scott

Finish sanded to 220 and first seal coat.

Thanks

Jeff Mills · 10-31-2009, 09:17 PM

Originally Posted by cpowell

Too pretty for porch furniture but definitely a good species for it!

The table looks good.

How did you end up supporting the drawer?

Chuck

Chuck - I made up some J's out of 3/4 WO like I mentioned in a prior post. They worked great with the ERC drawer. Even with 100% humidity outside today the drawer slid smooth when I opened and closed it. Here's a rough sketch of the J drawer runners.

Thanks

gsdoby · 10-31-2009, 10:06 PM

Nice Piece of furniture. I've heard locust can be rough on your health. Any issues?

Jeff Mills · 10-31-2009, 10:18 PM

Originally Posted by gsdoby

Nice Piece of furniture. I've heard locust can be rough on your health. Any issues?

nope I'm good with it... I didn't eat any leaves, young shoots, pods, seeds or bark, I just snorted the dust

MrAudio815 · 11-01-2009, 12:20 AM

Originally Posted by Jeff Mills

uggg... I hate drawers, I need a drawer making class. Anyways here's some more pics with the drawer in and sliding.

I can't see why.... You Make them look soooo Good~!

WOW Jeff, I really like how you used one piece for the front & drawer to keep the grain matched up.

By the way, How did you cut that out? I don't see any cut marks and the space between the drawer and front is so small for a bit I believe.

Jeff Mills · 11-01-2009, 02:21 AM

Matt, I cheated on this one, I'll try and explain how I did it... The front rail is 5" wide. With a narrow kerf blade in my tablesaw I ripped 7/8" off the top and bottom and saved those two pieces. Then I took the 3" peice from the center to the chop saw and again with a narrow kerf blade I cut 3" off each end and saved all those pieces.

Then I glued all the pieces back together except for the drawer face. I attached the glued up rail to the table. Made the drawer a 1/8 smaller (1/16 each side top and bottom) than the opening and hung the drawer nice and snug off the table top with the J runners explained in a prior post.

Then it was just a matter of fitting the drawer face, I think I trimmed around a little less than a 1/16 off each side, top and bottom on the tablesaw and sanded the edges to remove any saw marks. I Shimmed the drawer face in the opening with thin strips of wood till it was equal all the way around. Then I attached it to the drawer with screws. Small dowel centers or tight fitting nails protruding a little from the drawer screw holes, help mark the back of the drawer face. It just takes a little bump by sliding the drawer forward to put dimple marks on the back of the drawer face to mark the pilot holes.

Lastly I Installed a drawer stop on the back rail so the drawer would not push to far in and it was as close as it could could get to being just slightly proud in the opening. Sanded the front rail with the drawer in till flush.

I like the way it turned out, Heck I cant even tell it's a glue up and I did it

The drawer face sits just right in it's opening, grain matched and all. I was pretty amazed with myself that I actually pulled it off, and I didn't even have to call FredP for advise

Thanks

FredP · 11-01-2009, 07:05 AM

ya shoulda called...... I don't mind givin out useless advice.

table looks great and I know what it took to get it that nice.

I wanna see pics a year or 2 from now. that stuff is fairly elastic outside

. if ya know what I mean.

McRabbet · 11-01-2009, 08:45 AM

Great job on the drawer/apron assembly -- that's the very best way to achieve those kind of results. Excellent job, Jeff.

Trent Mason · 11-01-2009, 10:36 AM

Jeff, I like that table a lot. I did the front of my nightstand the same way you described doing the front of your table. Definitely looks great. Nice job!

sawduster · 11-01-2009, 12:56 PM

Dood, you definitely do purdy work !!

LeftyTom · 11-01-2009, 06:40 PM

Originally Posted by Jeff Mills

uggg... I hate drawers, I need a drawer making class. Anyways here's some more pics with the drawer in and sliding.

Looks tight as a banker's heart. Nicely done.

Jeff, I hate makin' and hangin' doors.

Maybe we should start a list, so somebody in the know can clue us in on our WW'ing shortcomings.

Mike Stanley · 11-02-2009, 08:53 PM

That's a really beautiful use of low-cust. Bunches of it around here that I've been splitting for fence rails. Now I think I'm going to cut some boards to dry and use it maybe next year.

Jeff Mills · 11-02-2009, 10:28 PM

Originally Posted by Mike Stanley

That's a really beautiful use of low-cust. Bunches of it around here that I've been splitting for fence rails. Now I think I'm going to cut some boards to dry and use it maybe next year.

Mike, honestly quarter saw it, it's a lot more stable that way than flat sawn. Ain't that right Fred?

FredP · 11-03-2009, 08:02 AM

Originally Posted by Jeff Mills

Mike, honestly quarter saw it, it's a lot more stable that way than flat sawn. Ain't that right Fred?

uh huh!

the only way to keep flat sawn locust strait is to park a truck on it.

Mike Stanley · 11-03-2009, 09:17 AM

I have a 40,000 dozer that I have parked on locust boards, but last time I looked, the dozer was sitting up on one side with a curl of lumber under one tread.
We lifted a tractor trailer up and sat it on the dozer and the board actually went flat for a couple of days, then curled right up again.

Quarter sawing seems to be the answer, thanks.

Jeff Mills · 11-03-2009, 11:59 PM

Originally Posted by Mike Stanley

I have a 40,000 dozer that I have parked on locust boards, but last time I looked, the dozer was sitting up on one side with a curl of lumber under one tread.
We lifted a tractor trailer up and sat it on the dozer and the board actually went flat for a couple of days, then curled right up again.
Quarter sawing seems to be the answer, thanks.

You should see what happened to some flat sawn sweet gum I got air drying, talking about swisted sister... Some of the boards must have twisted 30 degrees from one end to the other and that's with about 1500 board foot of oak on top of it. It's a real shame, that sweet gum was some of the prettiest lumber I ever cut. I might be able to salvage some of it but the lions share is junk.