Currently in the shop is a very substantial coffee table, made from 3" thick slabs of Claro walnut.
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Unfortunately, unlike the rendering, the actual top slab has some significant checking going on, so first order of business was to get that under control. This is an air-dried slab, so its moisture content is only down to about 12%. That means itll experience more seasonal movement than a fully dried piece would, but the big crack can be stabilized using butterfly keys (a technique popularized by the great George Nakashima). The first step was laying out a pleasing arrangement, which I did with paper cut-outs of various sizes.
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After the layout was set, the butterfly keys were milled from 4/4 wenge stock using a simple band saw jig.
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Once the keys were milled and inlaid into both the top and bottom surfaces, the edges were shaped. The curves were rough cut with a jig saw, then faired using a hand plane and sanders. You can see the installed butterflies in the photo, as well.
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Heres what it looks like with all the edges shaped and faired.
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Check back periodically over the next few weeks to see how the base unfolds....
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