Black Walnut Modern Coffee Table

Customer wanted a modern style coffee table in the form of a cube. I found a local sawyer who had some air dried black walnut that had been sitting in his barn for about 8 years. The wood had more knots than I wanted but it was too nice to pass up.

Final dimensions are 18" high, 24" wide and 41" wide.

The doors have Sass hidden hinges and touch latches.

There are adjustable shelves in each side.

The entire table is finished with 3 coats of a linseed oil, polyurethane and thinner mixture. Each coat was hand rubbed and buffed.

Two coats of Rockler’s polyurethane gel were applied to the top for added protection.

Lyn picked up the table today and is taking it to its new home in Bosie, Idaho.

Alder closed form

I have trimmed the alder turning blank twice because of cracks that developed while I shuffled it around my shop the last couple years. The last time I found it, while looking for some thing else, I trimmed it with the lathe. The original piece was much larger and would have featured the feather figure more prominently if it had been roughed out about 4 years ago as planned.

I used a glue block for turning to get the maximum height possible from the whittled down alder blank. I wanted to raise the piece which is why I added the bubinga foot. I used bubinga for the collar to match.

Sandy wants a finial added to the collar. I was considering a finial made from figured alder added to the existing collar. As you can see the collar is not glued in place so a completely new collar and/or finial can still be added.


Finished with 2 coats of witch's brew(equal parts of linseed oil, polyurethane and naptha) and 4 coats of Rockler's brand gel polyurethane. The finish combination brings out the figure and adds depth. No buffing has been done to the finish yet.

Although the piece looks good without the collar I have already sanded the inside to 600 so a small opening is required. According to Wally Dickerman every one of his pieces with a small opening has been sanded to 600 before applying the collar. And I want to emulate Wally.

Silktree acquisition.

On Veterans Day 2005 I joined several turners in Gresham, OR to partake in the dismantling of the largest silktree I have seen. When I arrived about 9:30 the trimmer had set up his pulley block and starting to trim the smaller branches.

Every time he took a break the turners descended on the limbs like ants on honey. I had my new chain saw that Sandy bought to replace the one that walked away from our garage last August. It was fun to cut the wood into turning blanks. Silktree is a soft wood and my Stihl 310, with 24" bar, went through it like water through a sieve. There was plenty of water from the sky and from the wood. Silktree is structurally weak, probably because it is so porous and all those pour are full of water. The first few bowls were roughed out the next day on the 12th. During the drying process they lost nearly 50% of their weight. Not surprising considering how much water sprayed out while cutting it.

By the end of the day the tree was dismantled and most of it carried away by a succession of turners. A couple of diehards, like me stayed for the final thump of the trunk. I was wet, tired and glad I was invited by Dave Ramer to help myself to his in-law’s tree. I met a lot of great people from the two Portland turning clubs which was icing on the cake.

The first bowl with one coat of Rockler's gel polyurethane. This bowl will return home after several more coats of finish. It is about 2 1/4" high and 8" in diameter.

Lemon bottle stoppers.

A customer asked for bottle stoppers to use with bottles of lemon liquor he makes and gives to friends. I suggested lemon shaped stoppers dyed yellow. This is what I came up with. About 1 3/4" tall and 1 1/4" wide. The picture doesn’t show the little dimple in the top to simulate the stem scar. Turned from pear and dyed with Homestead lemon yellow(of all things) alcohol dye. Finished with several light coats of Deft gloss lacquer. This what I came up with.


Today I received a message from the customer along with a picture of a stopper in a bottle.

Hello Dave,

The stoppers arrived with today's mail. I am EXTREMELY pleased with them. They are exactly what I was hoping for. Thank you very much. Nice job.
I've attached a photo of a stopper in a bottle.

John P.


Thanks John that sure made my day.