George the Tenth Tilt Top Table

[Rojo22]

This is a table that has been almost 3 years in the making. I took a marquetry class with Paul Schurch, and cut out the table skin almost three years ago. The skin is walnut and ash veneer. It took nearly 4 hours of cutting on the scroll saw to get the pattern that you see. It was one of the most challenging cuttings I have done to date, due to all of the VERY small pieces that can blow up when cutting the pattern.

The table top core is Medex, and the back of the table top, and the edgebanding are walnut veneers.

Fast forward (yeah right) two years, and I was fortunate enough to assist Don Russell with his tilt top table class at the John C Campbell folk school. It was a challenging week with the students, but all 11 students we had made beautiful mahogany tables. I made the pedestal, tilt rails, legs and locking mechanism in between helping the students. All of the table pieces but the top are solid walnut.

This past May, I completed the table and wanted to share the results here. The finish is 15 coats of Laquer, hand rubbed out, with Ren Wax as the top coat. If you are in the Georgia area in October, you will be able to see this table on display at the Georgia International Fair, in the Fine Furniture Competition. I would love to hear what you think about the table.

 

[THarvey]

Beautiful Table Robert.

 

[bgibb42]

Wow, that is spectacular!

 

[Whaler]

Absolutely beautiful!

 

[rjwolfe3]

Now that is something that is worth a million or two. Simply stunning.

 

[kruzzer]

spectacular piece of work.... bravo

 

[nava1uni]

What an exquisite piece of craftmanship. I can see why it took 3 years. I wish Georgia was closer so I could see it in person.

 

[bitshird]

That's an outstanding piece of craftsmanship.

 

[papaturner]

Beautiful,The hard work sure paid off.

 

[dntrost]

That is truly a piece of art. I am very impressed Excellent Job!

 

[jleiwig]

well your no Norm, but......





Who am I kidding? That is a nice table. Are the legs dovetailed into the column?

 

[Rollerbob]

Robert, furniture building is one thing, but adding marquetry to it raises the bar to an all new level. Excellent work!

 

[leehljp]

I love beautiful faces, but the legs are outstanding also, and so is the body! :biggrin:

 

[fiferb]

Simply stunning, Robert!

 

[mickr]

Amazing

 

[Rick_G]

A great looking table. Wish I could see it in person. Wish you luck in the competition.

 

[cnirenberg]

Wow. Indeed a work of art.

 

[Rojo22]

well your no Norm, but......





Who am I kidding? That is a nice table. Are the legs dovetailed into the column?

LOL....I have met Norm, and I am definitely not worthy! I have been lucky enough to find some people here in Georgia who are unbelievable craftsman, and have been fortunate enough to have them share their talent with me. Paul Schurch is one of the best instructors around, and when it comes to marquetry, he does some of the most incredible work you will ever see.

The legs took over 5 hours to shape, sand, sand, sand, sand, oh yeah sand, and finish. They were hand sanded to 500 grit, before being sprayed with the laquer, and then sanded again.....did I mention I sanded the legs.....LOL....

The legs are Dovetailed into the column. Don Russell has a jig that he custom made for the specific lathe we turned the columns on. The column for this piece is a faithful reproduction, with exact measurements for the entire column all done by hand. The Dovetails are all done on the lathe with a jig and a router. There is a button that is turned for the bottom, to cover up the dovetail details. It makes the bottom of the table a little cleaner looking than with the brass covers that used to go on the bottom.

Thank you for all the input! I appreciate the feedback!

 

[Jim15]

Awesome work of art, beautiful.

 

[rpearson]

Man, that is outstanding! Something to be very proud of. Love the marquetry.

 

[broitblat]

Wow! I can only begin to imagine...

-Barry

 

[shull]

Absolutely BEAUTIFUL. Gives me something to strive for. Good luck in the competition.

 

[scoutharps]

Wow. I think you must have cut the two layers of veneer as a stack and then fitted the cut out into the hole? If so, could you then make a "reverse" table with the "scraps" of the first?

It is truely gorgeous. If it needs a home....I'd drive down to claim it!

 

[Rojo22]

Wow. I think you must have cut the two layers of veneer as a stack and then fitted the cut out into the hole? If so, could you then make a "reverse" table with the "scraps" of the first?

QUOTE]

When you cut these out, you use a stack cut, and use in this case, ash and walnut. You could use anything you wanted though. When I cut this out in class, my partner wanted the table that had the walnut background and the scroll work in ash, which is the exact opposite of my table. His table top is in North Carolina, but I have not heard if he has made a table with it yet. You drop the pattern out of one of the cutouts, and use it to make the opposite of the other table. So in essence you get two table skins out of the effort.

Thanks for the volunteers to come and give the table a good home, but like I said, If the table goes, I have to go...LOL.....

 

[ronhampton]

very nice table, robert! are you going to bring it to the meeting?

 

[skiprat]

Absolutely beautiful craftsmanship!!!:biggrin:

 

[VisExp]

Stunning work. You must be very proud. Well done.

 

[workinforwood]

That is really awesome. Your scrollwork is masterful!

That marquetry technique is called Boulle work. It is very popular, but the inventor was not! He owed a lot of money and the people he owed it to took it out on his shop..perhaps they too where inventors of the ole Molatof cocktail! He was forced to move into King Henry's palace and work exclusively for the King.
"When you cut these out, you use a stack cut, and use in this case, ash and walnut. You could use anything you wanted though. When I cut this out in class, my partner wanted the table that had the walnut background and the scroll work in ash, which is the exact opposite of my table. His table top is in North Carolina, but I have not heard if he has made a table with it yet. You drop the pattern out of one of the cutouts, and use it to make the opposite of the other table. So in essence you get two table skins out of the effort."