CONSOLE or ENTRY TABLE - CURVED STEEL WITH WALNUT TOP

Metal and wood are always nice together. Curves are also nice. This build gave me the opportunity to try something I’d never done before: curving steel. Using a tubing roller I curved the square tubing to achieve the desired curve. If you notice, the legs aren’t only curved in a basic arc, there’s also a quarter rotation thrown in the mix. I achieved this using a set of specialty dies in the tubing roller. I also curved the center support bar using two different methods. For the main arc I used the tubing roller, but the radius on the ends is too tight for the tubing roller so I had to do something else I’d never done before: manually cut evenly spaced angled notches. Doing this allowed me to remove sections of metal so when I closed the gaps, it left me with a tight radius.

This project also got me under the welding helmet again, which is something I don’t do as often as I’d like. I welded flat stock to the bottom of the legs, creating the feet (with felt pads on the underside) and I welded the horizontal support bar to the legs. I also welded some shorts spacers at the top of the legs and welded a rectangular frame onto those spacers. This allows the walnut top to sit above the top point of the legs as opposed to resting directly on the legs themselves.

Additionally, as seen in the photos, I used a router to create a recessed area on the underside of the walnut, and this allows the steel frame to sit flush with the underside of the walnut. Speaking of the walnut, this was a beautiful piece of 12/4 walnut. After flattening, planing and sanding, it ended up being about 2-1/2” inches thick.

The walnut is finished with Odie’s Universal Oil and Odie’s Hard Wax, while the metal base was treated with Black Magic patina and several coats of semi-gloss lacquer. What’s interesting about the Black Magic is that for the most part the base looks solid black. But in certain light and certain angles, you can actually see varying patterns and shades of black. Patina finishes aren’t something I’m very familiar with but I have used this particular patina in a past build. I liked the results on that project and I like the results on this one too!

Thanks for checking out this custom console table! If you’re interested in a custom piece, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’d love to hear more about your project