a 60 wide slab of claro walnut

well, we got a big one here. its going to aspen when its finished. this is the widest slab of claro walnut we have ever had ... it clocks in at 63" at the wide point ... after we trim it up a bit, it will be about 60" wide at both ends and about 8 long. it will have one of our new trapezoid bases. click the photos to enlarge them....
couple close ups of the rough slab here ... were working on it in my garage as were a little jammed up at the shop at the moment.

heres the cad drawing
will and trevor wheeled it out to the shade by the woodshed yesterday to begin the flattening process. fire up the makitas ...

the slab was astonishingly flat for something so wide ... a tribute to skip and norman at good hope hardwoods and their ability to dry this stuff so we can work it up. its truly amazing. that really is a four foot level there on the right end. the winding sticks are about 45" i think.

time ran out before they could completely smooth the face, but the bottom side is pretty much ready to sand and they should be able to finish this side today ... more later as we progress.

today we finished the rough smoothing of the top of the slab, did some rough sanding and mocked up the base with some 2 x 4s we had from when we picked it up at our friends loading dock.

just like this only in natural finish steel .. all for now

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a claro walnut slab desk with a secret compartment

well, here they come ... first project in a group of six claro walnut slab pieces that will be finished in the next two weeks ... we have this desk, a 12 table, a 10 table, a coffee table and a small bench, all with steel bases of one form or another ... this desk is about 42 x 66 and is sporting a new dan/sam welded steel base with our natural finish ... the slab wasnt big enough to be a dining table, though now it could seat 6, even with the bases close to the ends .. the metal at the floor is actually kind of cool when you are sitting at the end. click the photos to enlarge them ...

the base is a pair of 1.5 x 3" rectangular tube trapezoids with vertical aprons. it was sams brainstorm to weld the long aprons vertically rather than on the 10 degree angle, which allowed us to more easily construct the drawer box.
without the desk attached

top view .. this desk is one of the walnut slabs from back in february. we cant wait for customers to come along forever ... actually, this piece is for a show were in that is opening in housatonic, massachusetts on the 24th. more on that later.

one 24" drawer centered on the 45" apron.

and, one of our favorite things, the secret compartment ... push down on one end of the pencil tray and lift it out ...

to expose the folding brass tool sam made to hook onto the small drawer at the back of the case.

the tool unfolded ...

hooking onto the compartment ...
ta dahhhh ... 6.5 x 23 by 2" deep ... room for lots of stuff ...
here are some of the other projects. some of which will get their own blog post as they are finished. this is a small bench we used to get the color and finish right on the 12 expresso finish slab above it.this is a 10 with a rainbow finish base that will be in stowe on the 31st.
and this is another one for the upcoming show ... a coffee table 45 x 55 x 18 ..
and this 10 table is waiting for the apartment in nyc to be finished ... its got a blackened steel base and incredible curl ... best slab ever .... all for now

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