AHill
Honored Veteran
Registered: 01/16/06
Posts: 5142
Loc: Antelope Valley, California
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I have a very nice piece of figured (like curly maple figure) walnut slab about 5.5" thick x 18" wide x 4' long that I'd like to turn into a slab coffee table. I have some 12/4 walnut that I will use for legs and the stretcher. My question is twofold:
1. Is 5.5" thick too thick? I haven't weighed this thing, but it's definitely heavy - like 2 folks to lift if heavy. I'll lose a bit of thickness flattening it, but not much.
2. How do I attach the legs? mortise & tenon? Screws? The recent issue of Wood showed figure 8 connectors. That doesn't seem adequate for such a heavy piece. My inclination is to use M&T Given the weight of the top, I think it could the legs could just fit into mortises on the underside of the top without any glue or other attaching hardware. Just a dry fit.
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Still Learning,
Allan Hill
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Ken Vick
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Registered: 06/12/06
Posts: 3079
Loc: Niagara Falls, Ontario
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How high will this thing sit above the floor? With a top that thick, there won't be much room left under it unless you jack it way higher than usual. Of course you can use it. It's a matter of personal choice. Such a heavy bulky top will require a similarly heavy undercarriage to support it. I would think a free standing base with lag bolts from the base up into the underside of the slab, probably 1 at each end centered on the width of the top. Ken
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Bill Wilson
This is Your Life...and we bet it will be a really good one because he works hard and really, really
Registered: 09/26/04
Posts: 6647
Loc: S.Western PA
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AHill said:
Given the weight of the top, I think it could the legs could just fit into mortises on the underside of the top without any glue or other attaching hardware. Just a dry fit.
Would there be any risk of it coming apart if/when someone tried to pick the table up by it's top to move it?
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No one ever worked so hard that milk squirted out their nose.
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Gary G™
Thank You, Buckeyes!
Registered: 10/20/03
Posts: 7535
Loc: Florida
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You could do a thru M&T with a contrasting wedge coming thru the top.
I'm personally of the opinion 5.5" is too thick; Sounds more like you have two slab tops, not just one! 
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Gary
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Steve Friedman
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Registered: 06/17/09
Posts: 1335
Loc: New Jersey
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Gary G™ said:
You could do a thru M&T with a contrasting wedge coming thru the top.
I'm personally of the opinion 5.5" is too thick; Sounds more like you have two slab tops, not just one!
+1 - or a book matched 36 x 48 top that would still be more than 2" thick. I love slab tops and have no design expertise, but I'm wondering what kind of furniture might go with a 5" thick coffee table with 3" thick legs.
Pictures!!!
Steve
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Funky Space Cowboy
Sharpens with Fairy Dust
Registered: 12/21/05
Posts: 2396
Loc: Houston TX
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Gary G™ said:
You could do a thru M&T with a contrasting wedge coming thru the top.
I'm personally of the opinion 5.5" is too thick; Sounds more like you have two slab tops, not just one!
+ 1
Might also be fun with a slab that thick to use that funky double tenon / dovetail joint Chris Schwarz has been using on Roubo bench builds lately.
-Josh
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YSU65
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Registered: 04/14/05
Posts: 709
Loc: Binghamton, NY
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Second the others saying 5.5" is too thick. I made several with 2-4" thick and feel that 2" is plenty thick enough. There is no visual advantage to make it thicker IMO.
I did an ash one that was about 3" thick, used 8/4 legs. That sucker weighed 107 lbs! Really really glad to see it go from the shop.....
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FordPrefect
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Registered: 12/17/04
Posts: 2290
Loc: Manitoba, Canada
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I have friends who have a "slab" coffee table. It's fake wood about 5" thick with metal frame, but design it right and it could look good.
I would use mortise and tenons and either wedge from the top, or use a housed fox-wedged tenon (never done one but have always been intrigued by it)
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AHill
Honored Veteran
Registered: 01/16/06
Posts: 5142
Loc: Antelope Valley, California
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Hmm. Good ideas. I've considered splitting the top. Way too heavy for my bandsaw (and too wide), but I do have an arsenal of handsaws that could tackle that. The top is figured, but bottom is not. There are checks in the bottom wider than the top, but I plan to butterfly them a la Nakashima. I do like the idea of splitting it up and making one large table out of it.
As far as height goes, standard coffee table height - which would be about 24" or so. The legs would be slab legs also. I'm a little concerned that if I do wedged tenons, that makes the whole thing easily 200 lbs or so and quite difficult to move around. If the table top is more or less knock down, it could be relocated easier. No rush to get this done, so I will consider all the options before I proceed.
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Still Learning,
Allan Hill
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bj²
Gwoine Fishin/forgot bait
Registered: 01/30/04
Posts: 6086
Loc: The Shoals, AL
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AHill said:
As far as height goes, standard coffee table height - which would be about 24" or so.
You want a 24" tall coffee table with a 5.5" thick top? How tall are you? 
Just joshing you, but 24" is waaay too tall for a coffee table.
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