My first attempt at making a table

Hiya guys

I am trying to make a table and would like some suggestions/tis along the way. I am luck at I am starting with some beautiful old timber from a trolley. My plan at the moment is to sand it and use the tea and vinegar/steal wool technique to add some nice colour. I will also have to remove the metal work and source some legs

This is going to be cool! Post pictures of various stages as you can.
I really like the coffee table they made here at hometalk.com.

I will be getting some steal wool tomorrow to.make up the steel wool/vinegar mix BUT I am too impatient to wait so I will try adding a baking soda mix to the four boards that i have already sanded and painted with the tea.

That is going to be a cool table.  My personal tastes wouldn't allow for the staining of that nice old wood, but its your table and not mine.  What are you planing on for legs?  wood, metal?  I'll be following this for the finished product.

Walt Chase wrote:That is going to be a cool table.  My personal tastes wouldn't allow for the staining of that nice old wood, but its your table and not mine.  What are you planing on for legs?  wood, metal?  I'll be following this for the finished product.

Set your expectations very very low I have zero experience/tools/knowledge.

But I do have another trolley so this one is the experiment, If the staining is rubbish I can always flip it over. I got the idea for staining from this video. The colours he achieves are beautiful

Oh, I bet you will do fine. It is a really awesome beginning and material to use.  I've used the vinegar and steel wool to stain before.  My wife wanted a planter made and I sawed the lumber on my sawmill for it.  It was nice and bright freshly cut wood and she wanted it to have that weathered look.  The vinegar and steel wool did the trick and it looked nice.  The wood on that old trolley is (to me) beautiful as is though.  

What would you suggest Walt? Give it a light sanding and some kind of varnish to protect it from spills.

I really am.open to suggestions

Jay Mullaky wrote:What would you suggest Walt? Give it a light sanding and some kind of varnish to protect it from spills.

I really am.open to suggestions

Please do it the way YOU want to.  You only have to please yourself, not me or anyone else.  I probably should have kept my big mouth shut and just admired what you were doing.  IF you want to try it, give it a very light sanding  and hit it with plain ole varnish in the sheen you like.  You could do this on only part of one board and see how you like it and if it doesn't float your boat it can always be removed after it dries by using lacquer thinner or just sanding.  Sorry for making you doubt what you are doing.

Not at all Walt I posted here hoping someone would tell me what to do lol and I actually mean that.

The baking soda staining seems to have worked but there is also a chance that the wood is still damp, so the final result may differ from the picture. I.will take a better picture in the daylight tomorrow as the flourscent light in my shed is messing up the colour in the pic

I also have my vinegar/steel wool mixture brewing.

Will the staining process affect the screws and bolts in the timber?

The old fashioned paste wax that is for floors would give it nice finish.

Jay, cool find and nice project. I like to use mineral or linseed oil for wood with character I want to keep. It is very hard to replicate actual wear! the patina on the fasteners is lovely and I would hate to see you loose that as well. either of those oils are very easy to work with and will protect you table for years, you can use as much as you like to gain a darker look or as little to retain some color. good luck!

jim hughes wrote:Jay, cool find and nice project. I like to use mineral or linseed oil for wood with character I want to keep. It is very hard to replicate actual wear! the patina on the fasteners is lovely and I would hate to see you loose that as well. either of those oils are very easy to work with and will protect you table for years, you can use as much as you like to gain a darker look or as little to retain some color. good luck!

Should I still sand it before adding the Linseed? I actually bought a random orbital sander today. I think it might be important to sand the trolley as it has been used in a cigar making factory for the last 30+ years and is coated in dust from the cigars, lovely smell tho. I have a number of these trolleys so I have room to experiment.

Also in regards to the metal, I would be inclined to leave all the scuffs and chipped paint and just clean it.

Tea and baking soda staining.

The trolley is wet in the picture but I am hoping once I add the varnish it will create a similar colour

Outdoor varnish Vs indoor varnish

Is there any difference? I can pick up some indoor varnish anytime so no hassle.

Couldn't find any linseed oil but would this antique oil offer the same results?

And finally is the antique oil essentially a protective varnish? Or should I add a coat of varnish on top of it?

Jay Mullaky wrote:Outdoor varnish Vs indoor varnish

Is there any difference? I can pick up some indoor varnish anytime so no hassle.

Couldn't find any linseed oil but would this antique oil offer the same results?

And finally is the antique oil essentially a protective varnish? Or should I add a coat of varnish on top of it?  

Outdoor varnish is more waterproof.  It can be used on interior furniture.

There is a difference between oil and varnish.  Varnish is more of a permanent finish.  An oil finish might be something that requires renewing occasionally.  Example:  My cutting board and knife handles have an oil finish.  When washed the oil is sometimes removed and needs to be reapplied.  My table has a varnish finish, as long as I don't set a wet glass on it the finish is protected.  Most floors have a varnish finish.

Paste wax can be used on bare or stained wood or over varnish but not on oiled wood.  I hope I have explain this correctly.

The stain on your wood looks beautiful.

Added a coat of the antique varnish listed above

I have also ordered 5 litres of boiled linseed oil and 1.5 of raw linseed oil.

Second pallet will just be scrubbed clean and get the linseed

Third pallet will get the vinegar/wire wool treatment and then linseed.

And then I will try both of the above after sanding pallets

That turned out really good.  The vinegar, steel wool will, or rather gave me, a grayish weathered appearance.  Looking forward to more!!!

There is a technique called " char finishing". It involves using a propane torch to " age" the edges. Other than that? Well done.    Larry

I'm guessing that wood is white oak which is strong and durable.
Have you decided on what the legs are going to be made from and the joinery techniques?
I'm very partial to oak dowels and NOT those cheapo store bought 1 1/2 fluted kind, but the long 3' pieces cut to fit..