#nakashimatable #japanesecarpentry #liveedgetable The Nakashima Conoid table was a design I came across in George Nakashima’s book "The Soul of a Tree." Part memoir, part woodworking manual, and part esoteric philosophical discussion, I found this book to be highly inspirational in choosing my next woodworking project and it definitely qualifies as woodworking art. George Nakashima, a studied and experienced architect, had an appreciation for Japanese architecture and traditional design. George Nakashima's conoid design series specifically is one of the most celebrated furniture series of the 20th century and this live edge table is especially noteworthy. A lot of folks are extremely familiar with the conoid chair, but this conoid trestle style table is incredibly gorgeous and presents its own set of building challenges. So when I looked at his table design, which was both intricate yet subtle, I wanted to find a way to incorporate traditional Japanese joinery aka Japanese timber frame joinery.
This live edge table build features Cuban mahogany for the live edge table top, with live edges being a staple of traditional George Nakashima furniture.The live edge table legs or live edge table base rather, is constructed of 8/4 mahogany (2" thick), that is a slightly darker shade to provide a bit of a contrast. This is not your typical diy dining table, but rather a truly Nakashima inspired table, utilizing angular splay, and a variation on the traditional joint ari shiguchi.
While not a true reproduction of a Nakashima dining table, this live edge wood dining table draws strong inspiration from the traditional Conoid Nakashima table base and hopes to deliver you some non-traditional live edge table base ideas, better than the often overdone farmhouse trestle base. The book matched live edge wood table slabs give this Nakashima inspired table a true authentic feel, that is beyond the standard wood slab dining table. For finish, this live edge slab dining table was done with pure tung oil and this video will show you how to use that extremely simple product for finishing aa live edge table top, no sprayers or fancy finishing devices necessary.
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