Industrial coffee table - reclaimed mahogany

[germdoc]

I need some help with a coffee table project. I have some mahogany reclaimed from a boat and want to use it for an industrial-style table similar to this:



I have 3 old industrial casters - unfortunately couldn't find 4 at local architectural salvage. Such things are hard to come by these days! But 3 would be ok for something taking its style from an old cart.

Here are a couple of pics of the wood roughly cut to size:





2 of the boards have been lightly cleaned to show the weathered finish. The finish on the boards is not uniform, which isn't such a big deal if I want to keep it as is. However, I'm not sure what to do with the exposed edges that have been freshly cut - try to replicate the finish with staining? Paint or stain it black? Brass strips - I kind of like this idea...

Or strip off the old finish and refinish, either natural or a faux-vintage stain.

Any thoughts?

[cabinetman]

If you like the rough look as it is, you could just mottle the fresh cut edges and put a little shine on them. For casters, you could check in your area for a Habitat For Humanity Re-Store. My local one has all kinds of vintage (or just plain old) hardware stuff.

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[phrog]

Jeff, where you been so long?

[mpc]

What about framing the top - making the black material frame the reclaimed wood pieces rather than being underneath them? That would hide the fresh-cut edges though it wouldn't quite match your example table.

mpc

[leehljp]

Hey Jeff, Glad to see you posting again! Sure could use your germ fighiting abilities down south with all the crud going around down here!

[germdoc]

Hey Jeff, Glad to see you posting again! Sure could use your germ fighiting abilities down south with all the crud going around down here!

I've been fighting pestilence all over the Midwest...

Glad to know I've been missed!

[JR]

I'd probably strip and re-finsh. The finish you have now is not particularly interesting, IMHO. If stripped, the wood could be made to look pretty much however you want.

Here is a coffee table I made with maple reclaimed from a bookcase. It was my first piece of furniture ever. The maple had been stained with a very dark color and coated with shellac. SWMBO suggested the new color. It's finished with poly.

[cabinetman]

I've been fighting pestilence all over the Midwest...

Who was that masked man???

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[jking]

I have no useful insights on your project, but, I'm glad to see you posting. I've driven through Omaha several times and wondered if you were still there, or, moved on to somewhere else.