Sailboats can be a woodworker's dream, or thier nightmare. Nothing is square or flat. Usually curved and sometimes in two directions at once. A lot of hand tool work and careful fitting involved. Rewarding but not for the faint of heart.
A proper desk to go with my FP's
- Thread starter Yanks27
- Start date
The two happiest days in a boat owner's life- the day he buys the boat, and the day he sells it
I would not attach metal legs to that beautiful piece of wood.
The two happiest days in a boat owner's life- the day he buys the boat, and the day he sells it
Amen brother. And no, I won't go into details.
- Thread starter
- #25
I've done three sessions over the last week, shoring up the bottom of the desk. The first session, I sanded it with the belt sander and did the first epoxy coat over the checks and knots. I put over a cup of epoxy and had nothing to show or it, as the wood sucked it up. There was almost no buildup.
I came back a couple of days later and had to sand off the excess epoxy coating. This time the epoxy had a orating, so it didn't soak into the wood. Come back the next day and do it all over again. Belt sand and put another level of epoxy. After three sessions it looks like I got all of the bottom except the knot on the end. I used the orbital sander, with a finer grit, and the surface is starting to feel smooth like furniture is supposed to.
Here's a picture, which is not the most current, but shows some progress:
Last edited:
That's going to look spectacular. Not sure how may coats you are planning, but for an air dried slab like that, I would make sure that the top and bottom have an equal number of coats. Otherwise, differential water vapor movement in/out could cause some cupping of the finished piece over time. Even tough you're using epoxy, no finish completely stops wood from breathing.
- Thread starter
- #27
I will definitely do multiple oil coats on both sides.
I still don't know what I'm going to do for legs.
I still don't know what I'm going to do for legs.
Same wood, turn some really simple legs on a lathe and finish them a bit darker than the top.
- Thread starter
- #29
Everyone is saying go with the wood, so this stubborn mule will have to look harder at doing them this way.
- Thread starter
- #30
I filled up all knots/cracks on the bottom side, except the pesky one on the end. I also went from the 60 grit sand paper to 220 grit. Now it really is smooth like glass.
I flipped the desk, to the top side, and did my first epoxy attempt. Now I have to wait a week, until I can get to my father's again. I would love to finish this quicker, but all I can do in this stage is sand down the last epoxy coating and apply a new coat (and hope that it doesn't evaporate into the wood, which would take another trip). Stay tuned, progress is being made.
- Thread starter
- #33
The spending is endless...
I will definitely have to find the right chair to go with it as well.
If it was me, I'd go with something along these lines..
- Thread starter
- #35
Nice.
+1 nice
- Thread starter
- #38
That was my number one choice, Jason. I'm still considering that company and have one other top choice. I will post that web site as well.
I've finished eypoxying the top side and sanding it to a furniture quality finish. I have to reshape the pesky end knot and it's ready for the tung oil finish.
Now there's a new sinkhole of spending coming up. I'm going to need a comparable desk chair to go with the desk. I like The Eames aluminum management chair. I will post that as well.
I've finished eypoxying the top side and sanding it to a furniture quality finish. I have to reshape the pesky end knot and it's ready for the tung oil finish.
Now there's a new sinkhole of spending coming up. I'm going to need a comparable desk chair to go with the desk. I like The Eames aluminum management chair. I will post that as well.
Awesome project!
