Today I had the pleasure of speaking with a gentleman named Bob. Bob, along with his friend Howard, created a stunning multi-functional table for their church in Michigan. In the past, the church had been using long fold up tables with white table cloths for dinners and events. Inspired by a bar top Bob had seen at a friend’s business, a new table design was formed. Here’s how it happened:
Bob has been an artist since he was young. In fifth grade Bob won a poster contest, and the creativity has grown ever since. A beautiful black walnut pulpit has been added to his church, courtesy of Bob’s gift for art and woodworking.
One day, Bob caught a glimpse of a bar top made of one solid wood piece. The top was stunning, and he quickly inquired as to where the board had come from. The Red Pine piece came from a tree that had fallen in a storm at a nearby home. The tree was 36″ across, and the owner had cut the fallen tree into boards and was selling them. The idea was perfect!
Bob quickly called his friend Howard to assist him with the table project. At first, the two planned to build their own table legs. The idea was to create a set of tapered legs to finish the job. After much thought, Bob and Howard decided to take a look at some catalogs for ready made table legs.
The duo scanned catalogs for some time, but could not find the perfect legs to match such a magnificent table. Bob did notice, however, an ad in the corner of one of the magazines for Osborne Wood Products. A catalog was ordered and the perfect legs were finally found. Bob told us that he took one look at the catalog and found the Islander Dining Table Leg (Part #1150). “That’s it.”
When the legs were received the building process began. A laser level was used to ensure that everything was perfectly straight. After tedious hours of sanding and securing, the 14′ 9″ long table was finally created. The legs were fixed with castors so that the table could be easily moved. Bob told us that the table top itself was 14′ 9″ long, 20″ wide, and 2 3/4″ thick. He wasn’t able to pick up even one side of the table on his own. However, with the castors attached Bob noted, “I could move the table with one finger. That’s because of how perfectly balanced the table was on the castors.” The frame of the table is black walnut, while the top is Red Pine. The table was sealed with 4 coats of sealer to ensure moisture would not affect the top. Bob also noted that 4 coats of zip guard were also used. The table now stands proudly in a large room in the church. The room is used for dinners and other events hosted at the location.
Bob told us, “the legs arrived and were absolutely beautiful. My wife said they were so beautiful too! We will definitely recommend your company!”
As you can see, the final results of the table are absolutely stunning. What wonderful craftsmanship Bob and Howard! Thank you so much for the photos and for sharing your story with us.
