Garden table project log

Initial design in sketch up. Had planned on using used scaffold boards but what with covid supply and demand issues new boards were cheaper

Scaffold poles turned up, all galvanised 23mm sizing.

Frame setup loosely. This helped to give context on the sizing of the board for the top. Initially this was going to be shorter, but ended up 10/20 cm longer to gove enough space for seating at either end far enough away that people legs didn't foul table legs

Rough planing of high spots from each board. Given this will live outside a perfectly flat top was not the objective.

A reasonably attempt of edge jointing the scaffold boards by hand.

All of the shavings. They burned very well.

Creating spacing jigs for the placing of dowels to assist in the joining of the boards. Each hole was space 5 cms apart so as to avoid issues with later cutting out for additional accessories.

Centre finding jig, 3 holes 2 dowels 1 pencil. This assisted greatly as the scaffold boards were not all of them equal in their nominal thicknesses.

The resultant mark from the centre jig.

As seen the centre jig in action

Drilling guide jig.

Sized to fit the 12mm dowels used for this project

Drilling jig in use, you can see to the left where the spacing jig has already been used to place a pilot hole for the drilling jig to follow.

The boards all dowelled together

Being fresh cut boards, and still wet, you can see well here the about of cup/bow to them, though the dowelling and glue did much to aliviate this.

The top frame layer out on the underside of the boards. This to allowing marking out for threaded inserts.

Having run a router to add a chamfer on top and bottom. Not a huge fan of rounded edges. Much prefer the 45 degree top and bottom.

Few of the threaded inserts on the underside.

Bolted the boards to the frame.

Finish added. Have used a uv protect outdoor oil finish. Imagine that this will be a repeated application every few.years to keep on best condition.

An overhead view giving a sense of how the table fills the space. Overall the table itself measures 2.8m by 1.4m.

Shown here with inserted garden planters. Idea here is to either use them dry to store cutlery/condiments or wet with ice to keep drinks cool at the table.

A matched pair for either end of the table.

The cover was sourced from a third party and is of a pvc mix, with mesh panels at each end to assist with airflow and remove any damp from the boards.

And living up to the British weather lots of rain.