Compliments of the season all,
Every time the Outlaws and accessory people decide it's our turn for Christmas lunch, I end up making a table for them to sit at. This time its a Merbau outdoor table, 2.4m x 1.4m in size, with 6 bench seats. And so much time to make it in...not!
This is the saga, spread over several posts.
Pic #1 shows the general layout, complete with supervisor. The slats are standard 90mm x19mm decking. The frame is 110 x 45mm Merbau, cut from 290mm boards using the TS75. I like the grunt the 75 has and that's why I bought it.
The whole thing is dominoed, using 10 x 50mm and 6 x 40mm "outdoor" dominoes with Titebond IIi glue.
You can see the 10 x 50's hanging out the side. There are four in each corner joint and two in each center rail joint.
Pic #2 shows the domino mortices cut into one of the center rails and
Pic #3 shows the domis in position.
Pic #4 shows the top glued up and clamped.

More to follow,

Regards,

Rob

Nice Rob. I wondered what you've been up to. Nice cloud lifts on the base.

Nice work Rob.

Where's the pic of the new table in its upright position so we can get a better look? And tomorrow we expect one with all the benches finished and nonchalantly (yet accurately) placed positioned it. 

http://www.damnfinefurniture.com just abouts sums it up I reckon.  Nice job. 
I've got a silly question - you said Christmas and outside table in the same phrase - you must live somewhere warmer than I do - it's -6 degrees centigrade here - that "a bit chilly" in farenheit I suppose.

You're going to need a bigger golf cart now, Rob, preferably with knobby tires. We just moved up to Upwey. New house. I already found a guy with a whole pile of redgum slabs.

Perhaps a Moke instead!!!!!!!!

Mike

Hi all,

Here's some pics of the all but finished table. Just need to sand and finish the benches. Next pics will be of the table decked out with food'n'all on Christmas day.
Thoroughly recommend Interstain as a finish. >60% Wood Turps, but brings the grain up beautifully. (see pic #2)

Regards,

Rob

Oops, forgot the table!!!

And so..Chrissy day!

What wood do you use for your projects WT? Nice job Rob, another family seated and fed.

Hi Woodentop,
I am sensitive to your concerns and would like to let you know that, prior to making any project, I like to review the status of the timber I wish to use, so as to have as little impact upon the planet as possible. I did this with Merbau and in my naivete, believed what I read. A more intensive review reveals that people at both ends of the spectrum, (endangered v common) are quite vocal. I pride myself on making rational decisions, so while you seem convinced by the endangered lobby, the jury is still out for me. Call this convenient if you like. I also ensure that I buy from reputable timber merchants and thus pay premium price so as to ensure that I am buying timber logged in conformity with sustainable, or, at minimum, supervised or approved harvests.
Just a note,though. You didn't really answer Eli's question as to the kinds of timber you DO use. "lots" isn't really an answer.
It seems to me that we, in Australia, are a little more concerned about conservation of timber resource than your countrymen. We do not import old growth Honduran mahogany or Brazilian Rosewood for example. While you have taken the edge off a table that I am proud of, I feel that I have done the best I can to ensure that I made what I wanted, while performing as much Due Diligence as possible.
Have a happy Holiday season and enjoy your woodwork.
Also for the record, fairly disappointed.

Rob McGilp

Spoilsport as a moral position.  How deeply satisfying that must be for you.


Wrong.  Sensible people around the world question various aspects of global warming.  This makes it difficult for the Ecos pushing their New Totalitarianism.


...And we are all so grateful that you exist as a moral compass for us...


Once we decided to dismiss God from His responsibilities, that left a void of uncomfortable meaninglessness.  Unless..wait a minute..if there's nothing higher than us...we must be in charge...and capable. And from that point on, the fleas, full of hubris, thought they were in charge of the dog.

Let me be clear.  We understand only small bits of our world.  Small bits of the present, even less of the past, and virtually nothing of the future.  Humans are unable to reliably predict whether it will rain next week--predicting long-range trends is simply laughable.  We don't know, and it is my belief that we can't know.

The only thing that is certain about global warming is that it looks to be an excellent vehicle to power over others by the innately bossy among us--you know, those who at one time would have been saying "Don't you know there's a war on?"

What Larry the Woodentop should take away from this note is that--shock!--some here do not subscribe to his faith, and that even though he has found the True Way, FOG isn't the place to bear witness to his religious beliefs.

This forum is not the place for a debate on such things.  I speak up here--once--only because I am tired of tolerating the intolerant.

Ned

At least be honest with yourself. People being happy is exactly the opposite of what you're into. I'd prefer not to hear from you on any topic.

PS-for the record, when I first moved to Melbourne, having never met me, Rob picked me up from my house and drove me around to four or five timber places and showed me where to get recycled and sustainably harvested wood. Thus far out of everyone I've met he's one of only two guys I know locally that even think twice about it. So it's ironic that you'd punch him right in the spot he's most sensitive. 

Hi LF,
Chrissy day was very pleasant weatherwise, but we'll be getting your high 30's-low 40's over the next week.
I've got to say that the Interstain finish I usede is great stuff. I had my wife rolling with laughter when I said I had to move the table back under cover when a shower went over. No marks from the water and no food/glass marks on the timber. The product is >60% wood turpentine. Not sure what the rest is.

Regards,

Rob

I can't help but continue the hijacking of Rob's thread. - Nice table Rob.

There are a few topics here: conservation of timbers, conservation of natural eco-systems (including threatened or extinct fauna), and climate change. All are interconnected, but not all are equally involved when we choose timber for our personal or business projects. We could talk about the interactions, impacts, and what people believe as truth, until the cows come home - which is not a bad thing. We all need to think about our consumer choices with the information we have available to us, and hopefully choose wisely and with an unselfish attitude.


Without trying to start an argument, I would like to challenge your above comment Dave. Is it not sensible to err on the side of caution with respect to climate change. What can we loose to be cautious - a cautious approach is controlled and considered. A natural disaster hurts a whole lot more. I believe we do need to reverse climate change to the best of our human abilities (whether it is natural phenomenon or man made). I don't need television or a celebrity to make me aware of this. I only need to look around me to know (see below re state of Oz). It's what I can't see in underprivileged countries that would really frighten the heck out of me I am sure.

I am guessing Dave, that you don't live here in Australia where we are now experiencing an unprecedented drought, many farms are considered just plain dead and the farmers have walked away from them as it's very unlikely they'll recover again for the benefit of human food production. Water is pretty scarce in the country, and a majority of city reservoirs around the country are at all time lows due to continued reduction in rainfall. I also assume you are not a resident of a small Pacific island which is suffering from a little bit to much water, and are unlikely to ever see waters recede again.