new table

[harvey b davison]

I have been asked to make a new table for a friend. They have asked if it would be possible to use scaffold boards as the top, ( after they have been planed), i've said yes its doable but i dont know what it will look like when finished.

 

So, has anyone else made a table from scaffold boards. Pros and cons please

[Mike Dempsey]

For a start they will be full of grit and dirt and will totally wreck your planer thicknesser blades within a couple of passes. The wood is quite soft and of a low quality. You would be much better of persuading him to have a different timber.

[Mull]

Unless it's brand new boards!

[agg221]

I believe most boards are spruce, and are fairly rigorously graded which means they are likely to be white, very straight grained with minimal knots. Most people use them for the 'industrial' look, which means a light sanding to remove nibs and splinters and a quick coat of varnish. There isn't much point in planing them - you might as well just buy spruce boards.

 

I agree that they will wreck planer blades - if they insist on using them I would sand rather than plane, use a weld grinding sanding disk on an angle grinder as a start, then go finer.

 

Alec

[gobbypunk]

Hi As Agg says just use an angle grinder with a 26 grit pad then an orbital for the (industrial look) easy to sand and cut new scaff boards are about £15 each I would use them or does he want the used look if so just ask a local scaff company for old boards I just got a load for free for table tops will post picks when done hope this helps a little

Cheers Mark

[harvey b davison]

Hi chaps, they will be new boards. He is a decorator, so he wants the bare boards so he can decide and have a play with what finish he wants. Good point about just sanding them.