# Marking Out Table



## Artie

A few months ago, in another thread (I cant remember who or where) it was mentioned that granite bench topping would probably be suitable for a marking out table top. I thought that these are damned expensive as a mate just had some installed for megabucks.

Then I though... these have to have a hole cut for sinkls and cook tops to be installed dont they? So I dropped in to a kitchen carpentry and joiner and asked him about them. Yeah they cut them out with a special holesaw and disc saw. What do you do with the of cut? Throw em out....

I dropped him off some beer and he gave me a granite slab. Simple......







Now Im making a table frame, more pics to come... I have a heap of Oregan Ill use for it.. anyway the slab is 19mm thick and I have to trim the edges off so im putting the masonry disc on the angle grinder in the morning... Ill update the progress.....


----------



## tel

Nice score Artie. When you box it, put a bit of felt under it.


----------



## b.lindsey

That should be nice Artie, thick enough to be rigid, and yet not weigh a ton either. Nice find!!

Bill


----------



## Artie

Actually Tel I was going to silicon it down, but I like your idea better and I have a sheet of felt put away.... tah mate.....


----------



## Artie

b.lindsey  said:
			
		

> That should be nice Artie, thick enough to be rigid, and yet not weigh a ton either. Nice find!!
> 
> Bill



Gday Bill, surprisingly it does weigh a ton, in a former life I had (employer owned) a cast iron marking out table. Its amazing the amount of work we did on that beasty, im looking forward to this thing.

Rob


----------



## b.lindsey

Ah well....better make that stand good and stout then ;D

Bill


----------



## Artie

And good and stout it is Bill!

Well with a masonry wheel on the angle grinder and a piece of angle iron as a guide this cut really easily. Once square I got the timber out and started on the frame. This was a heap of Oregan thats been in stock for many years and finally found a project worthy. You DID notice the dovetail joints I hope... 











Then made a top fo rit as its surely gonna be a great place to put stuff... The cover was made from Pine and plywood, all came together well....
















Over all pretty happy with the way its turned out. Not cheap by any means, rep,lace ment value of th Oregan alone was about $200 aus, luckily it was already in stock...


----------



## b.lindsey

That looks great Artie, and as you say...with the cover it will serve as a nice table top too. I think the casters are a fine idea too. Just have to ask...what is Oregon...a native species of wood, or where it originally came from (i.e. Oregon, USA)?

Nice job on the project!!

Bill


----------



## tel

You probably know it as Douglas fir Bill.


----------



## b.lindsey

Thanks Tel, I thought it might be that but wasn't sure. There is some family interest in the lumber business in Oregon is why I was asking.

Bill


----------



## bearcar1

Wow Artie, a great looking table/stand. It looks almost too good to be used in the shop, reminds me of some of the maple cutting/serving tables in kitchens. :big: Terrific job, did you hand cut the DT's or use an INCRA jig and router?

BC1
Jim


----------



## Kermit

Nice Dovetails  8)  AND the crossmembers are set in a 1/2 inch dado. Very nice. Screwless construction?  Did you put in a few hidden dowel rod pegs? Yellow aliphatic glue or brown Urethane glue?

I already see a potential lower shelf, upon which to pile loads and loads of stuff... :big:

Love it,
Kermit


----------



## chuck foster

now thats a nice piece of wood working there mate :bow: :bow: 
that would look good in any house as furniture!!! 8)

chuck


----------



## Shopguy

Very fine job. Beautifully finished Thm:
Regards
Ernie J


----------



## Artie

Thanks Tel,I didnt know how to answer Bills question, I just learnt something..

Jim, Kemit Chuck and Ernie thanks for the feedback. 
Dovetails were done with a router and jig (gifken jig, aussie item) dowelled and no screws, quite correct Kermit and yes its assemballed with alphatic glue. The resin stuff I use required 24 hours set time. I was on a roll and couldnt wait that long.

Jim the thing is based upon a kitchen chopping block stand I saw once, I think the design is pretty generic, hence you are reminded of something I was inspired by, circles within circles.

I had a mate working with me today and we had a few discussions about the finish. "its only intended for the workshop" was a common theme... many spirited discussions, it was his (Johns) push that got it dowelled, I wasnt going to. All in all, a nice rainy day project.

I have always wanted a unit like this and I have to thank the guys here for teh inspiration and the opportunity to 'show off' the results, surprisingly, that helps motivate me, getting something ready for you guys. Thanks to all. I am looking forward to using it.

Too good for teh workshop? I think not..... :big:


PS, it is getting that bottom shelf and a thin drawer right under the top... its never ending is it?


----------



## ksouers

Artie,
Nice table and a nice big chunk of rock to top it off. Great find. I've been thinking of hitting one of the kitchen remodelers to look for cut outs. I'm curious though, have you measured the granite for flatness? If so, how did you go about it?

I've been using a granite floor tile but I'm not sure about it's flatness. It reflects light OK, the reflections don't look very distorted though there is a tiny bit of "pebble" effect. But I have run a DTI across it with my layout gage and it seems to be a bit uneven. However, the results have not been very repeatable, so I don't know if it's the stone or my method that is the problem.

Anyway, that's one great table. I like that it has lots of room to work on, I find my little tile to be a bit cramped at times.


----------



## SAM in LA

I like the stand you made.

I use a 12" x 12" glass mirror tile as my flat plate when wet sanding my parts.

It seems flat enough for my use.

I just need a place to store it out of the way so it won't get broken.

I am going to check with one of the counter top shops in town and see what I can beg off them.

SAM


----------



## bearcar1

And another thing Artie, don't let the mrs. see it or she will be using it to make pastries.  :big:

BC1
Jim


----------



## Tin Falcon

I think BC is right lots of house wives, pastry chefs, and candy makers would love to have that or one like it . The Mrs may need one of her own. You see it as a lay out table others would see it as a kitchen work station.
Tin


----------



## seagar

Your a gleyer old bugger .Well done mate. :bow:

Ian (seagar)
Coffs Harbour
Australia.


----------



## seagar

Wish I could type.


----------



## bearcar1

Tin Falcon  said:
			
		

> I think BC is right lots of house wives, pastry chefs, and candy makers would love to have that or one like it . The Mrs may need one of her own. You see it as a lay out table others would see it as a kitchen work station.
> Tin



You know what, now that I have thought about it some more, give the table to your wife. Tell her she can make all the bread in the world on it she wants with the only stipulation being that you have permission to use it on occasion. Let it take up space in her part of the house instead of your shop. Rof}

BC1
Jim


----------



## tel

seagar  said:
			
		

> Wish I could type.



 Rof} I saw that little slip of the finger - thought you'd just lapsed into Klingon again!


----------



## Ed T

Or Scottish.


----------



## Artie

ksouers  said:
			
		

> Artie,
> Nice table and a nice big chunk of rock to top it off. Great find. I've been thinking of hitting one of the kitchen remodelers to look for cut outs. I'm curious though, have you measured the granite for flatness? If so, how did you go about it?
> 
> I've been using a granite floor tile but I'm not sure about it's flatness. It reflects light OK, the reflections don't look very distorted though there is a tiny bit of "pebble" effect. But I have run a DTI across it with my layout gage and it seems to be a bit uneven. However, the results have not been very repeatable, so I don't know if it's the stone or my method that is the problem.
> 
> Anyway, that's one great table. I like that it has lots of room to work on, I find my little tile to be a bit cramped at times.



gday mate, I simply eyeballed it against the light (reflection), I couldnt see any distortion to speak of. As its a ground surface Im going to use ignorance (mine) and faith to create a sense of well being.... ;D


----------



## Artie

SAM in LA  said:
			
		

> I like the stand you made.
> 
> I use a 12" x 12" glass mirror tile as my flat plate when wet sanding my parts.
> 
> It seems flat enough for my use.
> 
> I just need a place to store it out of the way so it won't get broken.
> 
> I am going to check with one of the counter top shops in town and see what I can beg off them.
> 
> SAM



Sam, perhaops a wooden box without teh legs? Sit it on the bench then put it away when finished? even at only 19mm this things was damned heavy... its also didnt need to be this large... just my 'bigger is better' mentality... :


----------



## Artie

Hi Jim and Tin, well Im chief cook and bottlewasher round here. We, the girls and I, lost our best friend 16 years ago so I do the bread and pastrys... (badly), ergo If I say this is a marking out table, then its a bread board!


----------



## Artie

seagar  said:
			
		

> Your a gleyer old bugger .Well done mate. :bow:
> 
> Ian (seagar)
> Coffs Harbour
> Australia.



Old? Bloody north coasters.... mate Its 20 years before I can even think of retiring.... my other hobby is furniture making.... this was easy in comparison.. :-\


----------



## Deanofid

It sure is nice, Artie! Looks way to pretty for my shop, but I'd do my best to struggle through. ; )
The value of the wood was a jaw dropper. They really get you for the brown stuff down south, eh?

Keep on showing us your stuff. Great shop inspiration.

Dean


----------



## Swarf Rat

bearcar1  said:
			
		

> You know what, now that I have thought about it some more, give the table to your wife. Tell her she can make all the bread in the world on it she wants with the only stipulation being that you have permission to use it on occasion. Let it take up space in her part of the house instead of your shop. Rof}
> 
> BC1
> Jim



I think this is a good example of superior problem solving skills


----------

