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Small table contest entry

Earlier this year I came across a woodworking contest sponsored by a local woodworking supply store.  The concept was to build a small table no larger than 32″ in any direction using any wood, so the design options were endless.  The contest was open to woodworkers of any skill level.IMG_20131214_135310_797

 

I had 3 months to complete the table so I entered.  I figured it would be a fun challenge and I could build something unique of my own design.  I looked around the shop for materials to use and found some leftover harewood veneer from a past project.  This is a really neat looking silver color wood which had a lot of curl to it.  I immediately decided on a contemporary design.  I only had a small amount of this veneer so that determined the size of my table top.  IMG_20131214_135202_504I wanted the rest to be made of a contrasting wood and found a sale on Sapele, which is a reddish wood similar to mahogany. I designed this table on the fly, meaning I drew no plans but just started with the top and worked my way down. I used a 100% waterborne finish in order to maintain the silver color of the veneer.  A waterborne sanding sealer really magnifies the grain, then I applied 3 coats of conversion varnish for a beautifully smooth finish.

 

There were about 75 entries from Phoenix to Tucson and they were to be judged on several factors such as design, finish, and execution.  I didn’t win the grand prize but won a nice tool bag.  It was great seeing what others came up with, too.  There were a lot of neat ideas and it was great to be a part of the contest.

 

This entry was posted on Sunday, July 6th, 2014 at 3:32 pm and is filed under Side Projects. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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