Tiger maple table for our kitchen

Julia had a great idea to create a table that would abut our island in our kitchen. Since we rearranged our house to put the dining table in the dining room and move the TV into the living room we have had a little "extra" space in the kitchen.

I had been saving a piece of maple I found at home depot for several years waiting for the perfect project. I combined it with some other nice maple that I bought from an old guy in Los Gatos who mills his own lumber. Anyway I put the table top together pretty quickly. Then I bought some banister stiles that I used for the legs. I made the apron out of maple and did some mortise and tenons to join the apron to the legs. I stained the top dark brown, I think it came out great. I also made breadboard ends from the left over pieces of curly tiger maple. The table is 1450mm by 460mm.

Even though the wood is really visually busy, Julia suggested we beat up the table top to make it look a little old/weathered. It was cathartic to beat the table top with a cloth bag full of nails, sockets, wrenches, and chain. Then I did a little more sanding before the final finish.


Apron leg assembly


Stain applied.


Finished product.

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Tiger maple table for our kitchen

Julia had a great idea to create a table that would abut our island in our kitchen. Since we rearranged our house to put the dining table in the dining room and move the TV into the living room we have had a little "extra" space in the kitchen.

I had been saving a piece of maple I found at home depot for several years waiting for the perfect project. I combined it with some other nice maple that I bought from an old guy in Los Gatos who mills his own lumber. Anyway I put the table top together pretty quickly. Then I bought some banister stiles that I used for the legs. I made the apron out of maple and did some mortise and tenons to join the apron to the legs. I stained the top dark brown, I think it came out great. I also made breadboard ends from the left over pieces of curly tiger maple. The table is 1450mm by 460mm.

Even though the wood is really visually busy, Julia suggested we beat up the table top to make it look a little old/weathered. It was cathartic to beat the table top with a cloth bag full of nails, sockets, wrenches, and chain. Then I did a little more sanding before the final finish.


Apron leg assembly


Stain applied.


Finished product.

Read more...

Halloween 2010

Sophia went as Olivia the pig! She loved her costume for the most part- the ears were a little challenging for her to keep on the entire time.

We celebrated first by trick-o-treating at Happy Hollow, which included not only treats, but also rides and feeding of the goats (Sophia’s first time doing that!).

Next we stopped at auntie B’s house to get some treats and watch a few innings of the Giants game, before it got dark.

Finally we headed home and went door to door trick-o-treating. At first Sophia didn’t want to go, but after 2 houses she marched right up to the door, said “trick or trea”, picked out candy and then said thank you. Then she would show us what she got and ask us to open it so she could eat it. Needless to say quite a bit of candy was eaten yesterday.

When we got home she had a great time handing candy out to the kids and then saying bye kids as they left. She was sad when she had to go and take a bath and would yell mom, kids from the baby tub every time she heard the doorbell ring.

It really was a wonderful Halloween for all of us. I loved how excited she was to trick-o-treat and am already looking forward to next year. I am already planning on bringing a camera trick-o-treating, as I see I missed many picture opportunities this year (though I still have the mental memories).

Read more...

Halloween 2010

Sophia went as Olivia the pig! She loved her costume for the most part- the ears were a little challenging for her to keep on the entire time.

We celebrated first by trick-o-treating at Happy Hollow, which included not only treats, but also rides and feeding of the goats (Sophia’s first time doing that!).

Next we stopped at auntie B’s house to get some treats and watch a few innings of the Giants game, before it got dark.

Finally we headed home and went door to door trick-o-treating. At first Sophia didn’t want to go, but after 2 houses she marched right up to the door, said “trick or trea”, picked out candy and then said thank you. Then she would show us what she got and ask us to open it so she could eat it. Needless to say quite a bit of candy was eaten yesterday.

When we got home she had a great time handing candy out to the kids and then saying bye kids as they left. She was sad when she had to go and take a bath and would yell mom, kids from the baby tub every time she heard the doorbell ring.

It really was a wonderful Halloween for all of us. I loved how excited she was to trick-o-treat and am already looking forward to next year. I am already planning on bringing a camera trick-o-treating, as I see I missed many picture opportunities this year (though I still have the mental memories).

Read more...