Antique/Industrial Shelf Project

[gckless]

This is a project using live edge wood slabs with black iron pipe for support and Edison bulbs for light. My first project with using live edge or solid hardwood, so we'll see how it goes.

Went up to the local sawmill, Berdoll Sawmill. They're located in Austin, TX, and are awesome. Have some really nice pieces, some really huge. Those ones in the lower picture are about 15ft. high. That piece wrapped in plastic would be an awesome table! If I had the space of course.





I picked up these two slabs. Not what I went there for, but what I went for turned out to be not so great, and would have taken a lot of work to make nice. Mesquite, one's 42" and one's 39".



I wanted to keep the bark on, but it was just way too soft on these edges. Most flaked right off with my fingers. What you see here is just a little peeling and some light wire brushing. I'm going to work more on the edges, I'm pretty concerned with them as I think they can make or break the live edge look (maybe that's obvious though lol). Might try to leave some bark on there? I dunno. Have to pick up a chisel and wire brush attachment for the drill.



Went to the local woodworking store, this is what I came home with. Seal-a-cell for the initial base layer to seal and bring out grain, Arm-a-seal gloss for the first top coats and satin for the final. Want satin as my final coat, and don't want all satin for all coats because it might cloud the layers, so you use gloss until the final layer.
Was originally going to go with tung oil as a base layer and then just polyurethane on top, but the guys there said poly probably wouldn't stick to the oil. I took their recommendation.



Chiseling sure makes a mess. But, it's a hell of a lot easier than sanding. And yes, on carpet in the spare room. Because shop vac. Also, because renting.



The whole point of the mess was to get the bark off the slab. Over time it would flake away, and it's also prone to accumulate bugs. Plus, it was super soft on the one end, so I wanted to take it off the whole thing. I'm not quite sure if I'm all the way through the bark or not, but it sure feels like it.



I had gotten all the bark off, but still had that light-colored layer of sapwood (new growth in the tree). It was very hard, as hard as the darker hardwood, but I wasn't sure if it could remain. I emailed Berdoll Sawmill, and they recommended that I remove that layer completely. So.....



About one hour, some blood, and a ton of wood shavings later, I have this. I'm getting pretty good with a chisel.



Here is where they stand. I have some light touching up to do on the edges, but the edges are mostly complete. Still have a lot to do, but this is a pretty fun project.

[chithead]

You know I'm intrigued by this

[gckless]

Got the live edges rough sanded. Got the flat sides sanded smooth also. Started with 80 grit, then 100, 120, 150, and finally 180. Used abranet on a random-orbit sander I just got from a coworker, and it worked awesome and saved a ton of time. Abranet is a type of mesh sandpaper. Got some finish sanding to do on the live edges, and also on the flat edges, but what you see here is pretty much ready for the Seal-A-Cell.

[chithead]

That is too cool! Very nice prepwork, should do very well with the finishes you've purchased.

[bobditts]

awesome project. Excited to see the finished product. Any plans to address the cracks in the wood so they dont continue to crack?

[gckless]

awesome project. Excited to see the finished product. Any plans to address the cracks in the wood so they dont continue to crack?

Well, was just going to drill a small hole on the bottom of the boards at the end of the crack, and hope for the best. I know the de facto answer here is bowtie/dovetail splines, but besides that, you have any other tricks?

[bobditts]

you can try a clear epoxy to fill in the gaps and hope it holds it together. The bowtie technique is the preferred method... and it looks badass.

[gckless]

you can try a clear epoxy to fill in the gaps and hope it holds it together. The bowtie technique is the preferred method... and it looks badass.

I've thought about it, and I'm going to take my chances. I don't want to fill the gaps (I like the open look), and splines are out because I don't have the proper equipment and I don't trust myself to be steady enough with a dremel. I can see it catching or slipping and gauging the board.

I'll probably come to regret this later.

[gckless]

Sanding is done. Well, I think. I don't know if I want to address the cracks (to prevent them from splitting more) or not. On the bottom of the boards, I have drilled 1/16" holes at the ends of the cracks, but that's all I've done. Don't know if I really need to do more, or just let it ride. Chances are pretty good I'm going with the latter, if for no other reason than laziness. Hopefully I don't regret that later.

[gckless]

Used the Seal-A-Cell. One coat, lathered on with a foam brush and wiped off the excess with some T-shirt material. Not super thrilled about the bottom portions of this, pretty dark. I definitely sanded enough, so it's just how the wood is. On the other hand, wood is an organic thing, and not perfect. It gives it character, and will add to the overall antique theme of this.

In any event, these are the bottoms of the shelves. Tomorrow I'll flip 'em over and hit the top and sides. Then Monday I'll start the Arm-R-Seal.