easilyconfused Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 Finally got the coffee table finished from the summer for moving in with my girlfriend. Collaberative effort between the two of us. Pounding 3/4" sucker rod really makes a guy wish he had a power hammer let me tell you. Top is just simple pine laminate shelving sanded with a satin varathane. Bolted to the frame with carriage head bolts textured to look like rivets and nuts from an old diamond harrow for the old square nut look. Wanted to be able to change the top if we found something better but it turned out better than we thought at the start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
easilyconfused Posted January 6, 2009 Author Share Posted January 6, 2009 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MRobb Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 I like it! Very nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flaming S Forge Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 Nice job. I like the fish tail scrolls. I guess next you'll be making 2 matching end tables since the 3/4" is so much fun to hammer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferrous Beuler Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 Very nice work man! I like how simple it is at first glance but then all those juicy little (well executed) details start popping out at you. Nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackbeard Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 Very well done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Browne Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 Great job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuge Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 I really like the piece. The photo makes me want to take a nap. If you are serious about your metalwork do what it takes to get a good shot. Find a good backdrop, maybe a friend has a good setup. Make it happen, before you know it that thing will be gone and you wont be able to show anyone what you can do with steel. The table is really nice, great lines, very appealing. Not trying to bust your ba**s , keep up the sweet work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 Nicely done. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
divermike Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 I love the table, like you, I am not a professional photographer, and I might take an attitude with the comment below, especially if I was just trying to get feedback on my work. I understand the point he was making but c'mon, this is a blacksmith website. Keep up the good work, and yes, by all means keep a portfolio, and as your sophistication grows, the need for higher and higher quality photography will likely manifest itself, but for this venue, the contrast works to allow us the view, keep up the fine work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dablacksmith Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 i like it ! i wonder what keeps the legs from moveing ? i think i would put 2 bolts in each leg so it cant move...other than that nice job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
easilyconfused Posted January 8, 2009 Author Share Posted January 8, 2009 (edited) Thanks for the comments all. It's always a well needed ego boost. After spending all day 7 days a week studying in vet school, it's nice to actually finish a project. It's a weird feeling for a kid growing up on a farm and with a pair of craftspersons for parents to not accomplish anything you can touch and see as the completed thing. Start to feel like your just spinning your wheels after a while. I don't take any offence from the photography work, I know it's crap. It wasn't meant to sell the piece, just show off a bit . I think I wouldn't be able to enjoy the money if I sold it. It was a gift for my girlfriend we started in the summer when we decided to move in together and found our first apartment together so.... Ironically though, My crappy photography has garnered more interest from my classmates than I can handle at the moment....someone would buy a set of the leaf hooks I've made if I made more. That's how much time I have to forge.... If I was making a professional portfolio, I would spend a bit on a good set up. These were taken quickly to show some friends that wanted to see what it looked like as a whole. My friend is a pretty good photographer and I may get him to make a light box and such and come with a tripod. Might have to in the near future though. @ dablacksmith: The legs are held pretty tight with friction. The nice thing about wood is you can compress it under the bolt head and it acts as a relatively good spring. The mild steel strapping has also divoted a bit to cradle the harder legs. One moves a tiny bit if hit hard but it's easy to fix with a light tap from a foot when it does. May get worse with age but we'll see. All part of the testing phase . Originally I had planned on using copper tube strapping from the plumbing section behind the bolt but I fubar'd during planning. Didn't realize how much flex the table would have without the strapping frame under and cut off too much post-bolt so I couldn't attach it well once I made the frame. I thought about a second bolt but couldn't come up with a good way to position it that it would look as good to me. My uncle worked as a grain elevator operator and when they tore his down he grabbed the 2x12's from the grain chute that he offered me parts of when he saw the WIP. Haven't seen the boards but he said the grain sliding down it has left some neat grooves and patterns from wear. Been thinking on it lately and I may have to see what it looks like and make some end tables like suggested using it as the top. Edited January 8, 2009 by easilyconfused Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuge Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 Like I said, no offense intended. Photos are important, and its not that difficult to get a decent one. Maybe about as hard as forging a nice fishtail scroll. And once you get into the habit... Photography is the #1 mistake made by people attempting to make a go of a career in the arts. I am 100% guilty and wish I wasn't. What I really would like is some good shots of my early raw work when I didn't know any rules or techniques. Live and learn. Criticism is O.K., even if its a little tangent to the original discussion or author, who may not care. Nice table, very marketable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
easilyconfused Posted January 8, 2009 Author Share Posted January 8, 2009 Most of my raw work is still hanging on my wall or at my friends house. They generally have to steal it before I let it go because I'm too critical of things. I'm definately wanting to get a good picture of the table though. My friend talked about making a soft box for lighting to take them last night. Would need a power hammer to be marketable. All in all, post planning stage took me probably 80 hours which could probably be cut down to 60 at the best by hand because most was heavy hammering with a 3 pound hammer and full body swings from tip-toe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuge Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 Here's a good, if long, thread on DIY light boxes.Another DIY light box, with build and test pics - Canon Digital Photography Forums Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 Even for a momento a good photo is important. It doesn't need to be professional grade but at least good. In focus and reasonably well lit. Unless you're photographing jewelery it doesn't take sophisticated equipment. A bright overcast day and a decent backdrop works very nicely for larger pieces. A piece of tissue paper over the flash or if you have a proper flash attachment aiming it at the ceiling or a piece of paper diffuses the light nicely. Eliminates reflected glare from the flash. Choosing a good backdrop is almost as important as good lighting. It should contrast enough to make the subject stand out without clashing with it. It shouldn't have a busy pattern unless you can position it far enough away to be out of focus. A backdrop is there to keep the attention on the subject, compliment it and enhance it. However, if all it does is NOT distract from it you're ahead. It isn't particularly difficult in general, there will always be exceptions of course, and it doesn't require a pro. Most folks can't tell the difference between a good pic and a great photograph. As long as they can see what you're showing them clearly without distraction you're good to go. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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