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Let's talk about tables

8K views 50 replies 13 participants last post by  hdavis 
#1 ·
I watched some guys on TV build a table. Some live edge stuff, rough saw cuts visible and so forth. No attention to the seams other that butting them up. ONLY nailing everything together and bragging about the old nails. No glue. No joining methods. Just nailing some stuff together. No power tools which they bragged that it put the table a step up from modern methods when I see it as a step down. It appraised at 3500. When I saw the lack of attention to detail on this table it floored me. Now I build tables, bars etc... but I spend time to make things as strong and beautiful as possible. It's hard work. Am I missing the boat? Do I need to start buying 2x12s and break out the framing nailer? I mean I love what I do but damn.
 
#3 ·
Sometimes crap just looks good to people.
 
#9 ·
Yeah, you guys are missing the boat. American Primitive is a style of sorts, and some people REALLY go for it. Nails, carpenter's hatchet, auger, simple methods with a fairly crude product. The crudeness (crudity?) is part of the charm.

Here is one example - notice the nail joinery - only $1900:

https://www.chairish.com/product/382030/american-primitive-kitchen-table
 
#11 ·
A couple pointers - cut nails go with the style, but antique cut nails are the most desirable. I have a friend who does restoration work for museums (and anyone who can pay), and I periodically give him a bunch of old cut nails I salvage.

Old "barn boards" are very desirable for this type of stuff. People love the character. $25/ bd ft for good ones being sold to high end projects.

That 30" wide 25' barn board you're thinking about trashing? $1500 to the right market. It'll make a bunch of table tops....
 
#27 ·
Hand hewn barn beam mantels, 60 bucks for a 8 foot chunk, two hours to flatten one side and trim ends, etc. builders are picking them up and paying me 900 bucks. I hate them, but I love money. I have a stash of old machinery bases, legs etc., put a nice hunk of lumber on them and I can name my own price.

I despise most of these trends, but I love money.



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#29 ·
I think the thing I don't like about it is all the years I've spent perfecting my woodworking skills. Being able to turn several pieces of wood into one solid seamless object. Although I will say that the guy I've been building counter tops for built a few of his own and he was mesmerized by the ones I built an mentioned how beautiful they were. I think if you put the same price tag on a nice custom built table and a crappy table then they would go for the nice one.
 
#30 ·
It's just a board, right?

 
#35 ·
#39 ·
The table under the flowers rates as an ugly table. Notice the nails holding the top picture frame in place.

This is a ~3" thick chunk of green marble that was set into a crude base and a picture frame overlaid. In it's previous life, it was used to store cans of oil in a home garage.

The furniture in the background is Eastlake style ~$2K for the set.
 
#46 ·
I built our front bathroom pedestal sink base with a kd 2x4 top and old 4x4 shop legs. Everyone that sees it loves it.

I will be rebuilding the top using the Kreg HD jig eventually. This one I just screwed the "picture frame" to the outside because my folks were coming to visit and all we had was a toilet in the room. It's been 2 years, but I'll get to it. Probably poly it too then.

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#49 · (Edited)
I saw the show that you are talking about. I actually enjoy the show, but that able was trash. If they get $3500 for the chit someone is out of there mind. With the legs on that thing it will be flat on the ground in a few uses with anything on top of it.

If you start building furniture to sell just use the word "reclaimed" they will line up for it. People don't know the difference between old wood and rough sawn lumber. As long as it has the saw marks in it it's gold to the public looking for "rustic" furniture.

Just get on youtube and check out all the stuff people are building with 2x4 or 2x6's and look at the comments. sand off the stamp on a chitty 2x, stain it and the general public thinks it's a fine piece of furniture.
 
#50 ·
If the public had any idea what goes into as good table.....
I heard A great quote from a fellow table maker.... "you could fu$% on my table for thirty years and leave it to your kids and they could do the same."
And that table was pure junk. Looked good to someone, but it will not last for generations without regular repairs and maintenance as they stated.

And that is my favorite show.
 
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