I actually completed the finish of the base prior fabricating the tabletop, but I wanted to document the entire finish process in one post.
Details regarding the finish process are identical to the ones for the console. I started by first putting on the black-tea wash to introduce the required tannins for the next step as well as to raise the grain. After the grained was raised, I did a quick sand to get the surface back smooth.
After the tea, I applied the iron acetate and let it darken the wood prior to the application of the dye. Once all that was complete, I applied the final finish of shellac followed by Sutherland Welles Murdoch’s Hard Sealer and Murdoch’s Table Top.
Black tea application
Camera:
iPhone 7
Taken:
July 6, 2017
Aperture:
f/1.8
ISO:
100
Exposure:
1/13
Focal Length:
3 mm
Letting the iron acetate do its thing
Camera:
iPhone 7
Taken:
July 6, 2017
Aperture:
f/1.8
ISO:
100
Exposure:
1/6
Focal Length:
3 mm
Final protective finish
Camera:
iPhone 7
Taken:
July 9, 2017
Aperture:
f/1.8
ISO:
20
Exposure:
1/60
Focal Length:
3 mm
Completed base
Camera:
iPhone 7
Taken:
July 11, 2017
Aperture:
f/1.8
ISO:
50
Exposure:
1/15
Focal Length:
3 mm
Next was the tabletop. the same steps applied.
Black tea application
Camera:
iPhone 7
Taken:
August 13, 2017
Aperture:
f/1.8
ISO:
64
Exposure:
1/15
Focal Length:
3 mm
Iron acetate darkening
Camera:
iPhone 7
Taken:
August 13, 2017
Aperture:
f/1.8
ISO:
100
Exposure:
1/15
Focal Length:
3 mm
Final protective finish
Camera:
iPhone 7
Taken:
August 17, 2017
Aperture:
f/1.8
ISO:
64
Exposure:
1/15
Focal Length:
3 mm
With some help of a friendly neighbor, I relocated the tabletop from my garage to the dining room to mate it with the completed base. I am pretty pleased with how the table turned out. And no, I don’t do chairs! Those have been ordered and will be here soon so we can enjoy the table.