Hi,

I'm just beginning to learn the craft. I've been doing a fair amount of reading and I decided a good starter project would be an outdoor table.


After some searching, the basic outdoor table found at ana white's blog (http://ana-white.com/2010/04/plans-s...ing-table.html) seems like a simple thing to make to get my confidence boosted.

Has anyone made this table before, or would there be a better one out there to start with?

many thanks

Lee

On 7/5/2012 5:53 PM, Lee Marrett wrote:
Hi,

I'm just beginning to learn the craft. I've been doing a fair amount of reading and I decided a good starter project would be an outdoor table.


After some searching, the basic outdoor table found at ana white's blog (http://ana-white.com/2010/04/plans-s...ing-table.html) seems like a simple thing to make to get my confidence boosted.

Has anyone made this table before, or would there be a better one out there to start with?

Looks like an excellent project/place to start. It is relatively simple
for someone with not much experience, and, better yet, a successful
completion will give you the pride and confidence to up-the-ante on the
next project.

I'd say a hearty "go for it".

--
www.eWoodShop.com
Last update: 4/15/2010
KarlCaillouet@ (the obvious)
http://gplus.to/eWoodShop

I'd say a hearty "go for it".

thanks! feedback appreciated.

On Thu, 5 Jul 2012 15:53:42 -0700 (PDT), Lee Marrett
wrote:

Hi,

I'm just beginning to learn the craft. I've been doing a fair amount of reading and I decided a good starter project would be an outdoor table.


After some searching, the basic outdoor table found at ana white's blog (http://ana-white.com/2010/04/plans-s...ing-table.html) seems like a simple thing to make to get my confidence boosted.

Has anyone made this table before, or would there be a better one out there to start with?

many thanks

Lee

I'd keep looking until I found something a bit easier on the eye.

On Jul 5, 5:53*pm, Lee Marrett wrote:
Hi,

I'm just beginning to learn the craft. I've been doing a fair amount of reading and I decided a good starter project would be an outdoor table.

After some searching, the basic outdoor table found at ana white's blog (http://ana-white.com/2010/04/plans-s...ing-table.html) seems like a simple thing to make to get my confidence boosted.

Has anyone made this table before, or would there be a better one out there to start with?

many thanks

Lee

That looks like a good starter project. What part of the country are
you from? The reason I ask is the table in the photo looks like it
might be made of redwood. If so, redwood will finish up beautifully
without a lot of special finish training. But it can be pricy if you
don't live in the western US region. I just built a couple of
Adirondack chairs from redwood and they finished very nicely with a
simple wiping varnish/oil mixture.

RonB

On Jul 5, 9:32*pm, RonB wrote:
On Jul 5, 5:53*pm, Lee Marrett wrote:

Hi,

I'm just beginning to learn the craft. I've been doing a fair amount of reading and I decided a good starter project would be an outdoor table.

After some searching, the basic outdoor table found at ana white's blog (http://ana-white.com/2010/04/plans-s...ing-table.html) seems like a simple thing to make to get my confidence boosted.

Has anyone made this table before, or would there be a better one out there to start with?

many thanks

Lee

That looks like a good starter project. *What part of the country are
you from? *The reason I ask is the table in the photo looks like it
might be made of redwood. *If so, redwood will finish up beautifully
without a lot of special finish training. *But it can be pricy if you
don't live in the western US region. *I just built a couple of
Adirondack chairs from redwood and they finished very nicely with a
simple wiping varnish/oil mixture.

RonB

On closer inspection it is probably made of stained pine -
construction grade 2x and 1x lumber? You could probably beef the
legs up a little by laminating two 2x4's instead of the single
shown. Messing with the plans is part of the fun of woodworking.

It would still look great in Redwood ;o)

RonB

Lee Marrett wrote:


I'm just beginning to learn the craft. I've been doing a fair amount
of reading and I decided a good starter project would be an outdoor
table.

After some searching, the basic outdoor table found at ana white's
blog
(http://ana-white.com/2010/04/plans-s...ing-table.html)
seems like a simple thing to make to get my confidence boosted.

Has anyone made this table before, or would there be a better one
out there to start with?
-------------------------
Very doable first time project.

Patience is your friend with these projects.

If in doubt, wait till the next day before attempting the task at
hand.

BTW, like Ron, I'd use two 2x4's laminated together for the legs.

Have fun,

Lew

Lee Marrett wrote:

Hi,

I'm just beginning to learn the craft. I've been doing a fair amount of
reading and I decided a good starter project would be an outdoor table.


After some searching, the basic outdoor table found at ana white's blog
(http://ana-white.com/2010/04/plans-s...ing-table.html)
seems like a simple thing to make to get my confidence boosted.

Has anyone made this table before, or would there be a better one out
there to start with?

many thanks

Lee

Lee, RonB, asked a very important question - "What part of the country do
you live in? That will determine a couple of very important things, 1) the
wood you use, 2) the finish you use.

For instance, I am in South Central Alabama (not far enough south to worry
about salt and not far enough north to worry about snow.). My choice is
wood would be Cypress heart wood (I would buy the boards and remove any
obvious sapwood prior to construction) Then I would finish with an very
good grade of exterior oil (I usually use General Finishes, available at
Woodcraft)

If you are further north, white oak would be an acceptable choice, as long
as it is kiln dried. Again the exterior oil finish. Urethane works well,
but I just like the oil for durability and ease of repair.

I mentioned the finish, if you are either in the South or South-west, you
want something with a very high UV rating. Further north its not quite as
important.

If you are on the West side of the country, redwood would be a great choice

If money is not object, mahogany, jarrah, Ipe, or various other exotics
(read a lot more expensive) are good choices.

You are going to use this outside, I assume you will leave it outside.
Therefore, Titbond III is about your best choice for glue. Use Stainless
steel screws to join.

The advice for using two 2x4's glued together for the legs is an excellent
idea. You will need the mass and its a good way to get it. But going with
any of the woods I mentioned above, you are probably going to be limited to
4x4 stock (actually 3/4" if you are using wood from a Big Box store or a
lumber yard) and will have to glue up the legs and then cut them down.
Still you really need the mass on those legs as they will take a lot of
stress, which a 3x3 leg will be able to handle. It will also look a lot
better than a thinner leg.

WHAT EVER YOU DO - "DO NOT" - REPEAT, DO NOT, BUILD IT OUT OF PINE (most of
which is fast grown and has a much shorter life than the more slowly grown
pines). IT WILL GO AWAY IN NO MORE THAN TWO YEARS.



Deb

On 7/6/2012 4:58 PM, Dr. Deb wrote:

WHAT EVER YOU DO - "DO NOT" - REPEAT, DO NOT, BUILD IT OUT OF PINE (most of
which is fast grown and has a much shorter life than the more slowly grown
pines). IT WILL GO AWAY IN NO MORE THAN TWO YEARS.

Tell that to the chair I built 30 plus years ago that has been living
outside 24/7 the whole time. Built out of construction grade pine and
finished with regular redwood stain. Pine is fantastic outside wood,
just not in ground contact. No wood is really good in ground contact,
even treated wood unless rated for it. If you plan on using it off
ground, most any wood will work, pine is super because it is cheap.

The problem with outdoor wood is no finish will hold up long, so if you
got the money, Redwood, Cedar, Teak are good choices because they look
OK unfinished. If you finish it with oil, stain, paint, anything, plan
on redoing it routinely or it will look like crap. This includes the
fancy, expensive woods.

Here is a picture of the chair.

http://jbstein.com/Flick/P1040481.jpg

The redwood stained chairs are identical, one made out of pine 30+ years
ago, the other a couple of years ago. I can't tell from the picture
which is the old one.

Here is a picture of pine railing I made for my pickup truck 46 years
ago. It was painted once, and has been sitting outside at my brothers
farm all 46 years. (My brother never throws anything away) It has some
mold on it, but no rot anywhere other than the oak legs where they
contact the ground.

http://jbstein.com/Flick/P1040684.jpg

While thinking about it, the pine window frames on the wall have been
there since the turn of LAST century, 112 or so years.

This is in Pgh. PA where the weather is not friendly to anything
outside, not in winter or summer.
--
Jack
Add Life to your Days not Days to your Life.
http://jbstein.com