Mystery hardwood revealed: it's an end table!

Don't be confused; it's not the world's smallest end table. It is the most engaging of the 96 little tiles I sliced from an old timber.

I kept that timber for a reason, but for a long time it was unremarkable, waiting for the right moment to speak to me.

While organizing the workshop, I saw some mold on one end and went outside to cut it away. That's when the timber spake, "Behold, my intoxicating fresh end grain and sawdust like a terra cotta murder scene."

 I decided to slice it into tiles. Wanting to preserve the distinct rough-sawn marks on either side, I ripped them off first.

I liked the little slats, so I sliced the timber into three sections to cut two more at the same width.

  Any subtle change in the light or the surface reflects in the coloration and natural luster.

(first layout attempt)

 (from Reboot)

 This end-grain wood floor was the original inspiration.

 I'll be going with the layout below:

(six tiles shy)

I can now see an end table coming together. The tiles will be wrapped in rails, those four slats ripped from the same timber. From the house where I found the timber I also salvaged some old tongue and groove flooring painted a pale aqua and various weathered boards. The T&G will serve as a base for the tiles and from one weathered board I'll create legs.

With excess irregular tiles, I can also form bookmatched coasters.

It really doesn't smell like Cedar. It's rich and earthy and behaves more like Walnut, besides the purplish cast and clay colored sawdust. The man who built and lived in that house milled the wood from his own land; I can't imagine it's not indigenous. Despite looking different in every photo, the tone is consistent throughout so it can't be stained. I'm still not sure what kind of wood it is, but I am sure I love it!

FOUND: Tiny Legs!

You may remember my little floor table assembled from uncut upcycled deck board cutoffs.

 At the end of that post, I vowed to be vigilant in search of tiny  legs to make the table more ergonomic and functional. And vigilant I was.

As evidenced above, I found suitable material quite awhile back. It was the last haul in the old reliable Ford Ranger. These cutoffs were left over from making massive stakes and braces from lineal 2x4s.

I have finally gotten around to Project Tiny Legs, by the simple virtue of procrastination: I was able to put off another project by completing this one! I firmly hold that both designing and making are visual processes, so I always organize available materials visually before selection and layout.

Even for something as simple as attaching three legs, this exercise ensures that I think everything through before I start screwing it all . . . together . . .

With the legs attached, I turn my attention to the final detail: feet. The idea behind a three point base is to avoid rocking, regardless of the levelness of the floor. This is best achieved if the feet can end in a ball joint, allowing 3D rotation, or a single* point. (*theoretically)

 Opting for the simpler solution, I used an electric sheet sander to shape the feet. A sanding block or sandpaper would have worked just as well, only taking longer. This could also be done with a chisel, band saw, or jig saw. The curved facet is as close to a single point as it needs to be, ensuring that each leg lands on a relatively small surface area. Since a tangent is preferable to a sharp point, wooden spheres make excellent feet for furniture.

The table takes wing!

Now that I have finished a prototype, I'm itching to make a more refined variation . . .