I recently completed work on a new dining room table for our house! I have included some pictures and information about the changes.
Summary:
The table is made completely from Douglas-fir ( pseudotsuga menziesii ). It is constructed with wood joinery and glue, excepting the table top connection to the base. The table to base connection is made with screws in order to facilitate dis-assembly during transport.
The table began its journey as a tree in our backyard. The doug-fir was competing for space and light with a large pin oak. In consultation with arborists and native plant experts, it was decided to remove the doug-fir in order to save the oak. Native plant experts determined that neither species should be considered since pin-oak is not native to Oregon and doug-fr is native to the slopes of hills and mountains, but not to valley floors. As such, the arborists pointed out that due to the nature of the fir / oak positioning, the oak had been shielding the fir from winds. Removal of the oak would have resulted in the doug-fir toppling in a heavy wind due to the loose valley dirt it grew in as well as the non-symmetrical nature of the fir branches.
During removal of the fir, I requested that the lowest portion of the trunk be cut into two 8′ long sections. These trunk sections aged in our backyard for a year, with the bark on and the ends sealed. At 1 year, I had the logs milled locally at Urban Lumber in Springfield, OR. They then sat stickered and covered in a building in Chiloquin, OR where they dried a further 6 months.
During all this wait time, I slowly thought about and drew up a design for the table. I then spend 2 periods of 4 days (8 days total) working to plane the wood, cut the parts, assemble the base and top, and sand and seal the entire piece.
Tree cutting in the backyard:
Trunk diameters of both trees app 30″ at base. Tree bases at app 4′ on center apart from one another.
Logs milled at Urban Lumber:
In process photos:
Showing the base glue-up. Later the initial to to base fitting.
Completed table photos:
The table legs are designed with wide legs for support that taper and are hollowed in the non-structural middle to elevate and lighten the look of the heavy 3" thick top. The top is meant to withstand dancing on! Cross beam a the bottom add stability against racking and a foot rest. All wood is douglas-fir and has only been stained or treated differently for contrast and to highlight the elements.