So I have been working on the outside picnic table. So this is one of the logs I used for milling. This next pic is when I glued the slabs together. I also used pocket hole screws on it. Then I built a router sled for flattening the top. I was also able to use the router sled as a work bench too. Put the legs and braces on.
Then here I have the underneath side of the table stained after sanding. After getting a couple of coats of spar urethane I turned it over to start on the top. I got the top sanded and stained. Later this week I will start on the urethane for the top.
So some of the things I made mistakes with. I had the table top sitting outside on the router sled covered up and we had some rain come thru. It started to warp the top again so that is one mistake I will not repeat. The other issue was the pocket hole screws I thought were deep enough to run the router sled over. Wrong I hit several screws. I should have taken them out before flattening and then put them back in. The last thing I had issues with was with the belt sander. I was sanding with the grain but it left some grooves in the wood which was a pain in the neck to get out and smooth. But it is just an outside table and I do not want to get overly picky with it but so far I am happy.
I cannot see any of those mistakes from my house. Table looks awesome, and you know a few things to avoid going forward. BTW, thanks for sharing the mistakes, it may help others much more than a pic of a finely crafted table. Great work Mag Craft
Just an outside picnic table?! That thing is beautiful. I like the part where you just whipped together a table for your sled. Like no biggie . That's a build thread all in itself.
I wish I had done the router sled earlier with some of my other projects. It does make for less sanding. I am also still in a learning curve with all this but it is fun. I have a great spot for the picnic table when done.
I do not know how much this table weighs but it is just shy of 8 foot long and 2 3/4 inches thick. It is 42 inches wide and after getting the legs and bracing on, it soon became way to heavy for me to handle by myself. When I took it off the router sled I had to call my neighbor to help me with it. Very stout table. I will not have to worry about the wind blowing it away.
Finished the table the other day now have it in its final resting place for use. I ended up spraying the last three coats of finish on the table top because I did not like the looks of the brush strokes all over it.
Nice table! Do you have pics of the building it's sitting in? Looks like a type of shelter house perhaps? Curious.
Now that's what I'am talkin about!!! Sweet. Thanks for posting the pic. That'll get my wife thinking.... That's some serious BBQ dedication!We have been tossing around some similar ideas. My problem is that I would likely load it with of firewood in the fall
