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I consider myself super lucky to be a maker in this digital age that we live in, able to show off my favorite projects and share with you all what I do. I’m far from alone in this appreciation; not only do other makers share their work online, but people love the satisfying feeling of seeing projects being made.
One of the biggest trends in the ‘so satisfying’ video collections on the internet is the live edge river table: a classic table filled with epoxy resin for a natural flowing look. If you follow me on social media (which you obviously should), you know that I’ve created a handful of epoxy resin tables, including a giant conference table for Black Rifle Coffee Company.
Well, I was tasked by Westminster College to tackle a project like this again. This time, no bullets or logo, just a classic and extremely large river table for their entrepreneurial center. The slabs were donated by my friends at Mitcheltree Lumber. I had a blast building this project that involved some interesting design choices and plenty of problems solving along the way. Check it out and let me know what you think!
Before getting started, be sure to clean off your wood from dust, dirt, and debris. Remove all tree bark as well.
Get started by flattening your slabs. I used a jig for this process, which will really enhance the end product that you create. Be sure to fully secure your slabs before doing this.
My design for this live edge river table included a metal base. Begin by cutting the steel for the base. I ended up using a plasma torch due to the thickness of the metal.
Once cut, begin the build-up of your base, tacking together and squaring pieces. Once all is good to go, begin welding all seams, rotating around the structure to avoid warping.
Next, begin building a sealed mold for your table large enough to fit both slabs and the river.
The fun really begins here. Start by mixing your epoxy and adding pigment as desired. Once mixed, pour your epoxy into the river of your table and any voids in the wood. Once poured, stir with a wooden dowel and use a blow torch to remove bubbles. This will need to dry for approximately four days, so go have yourself a long weekend.
Once dry, I headed over to the neighbor’s shop to use their massive CNC. I flattened the top and bottom using the CNC, then sanded by hand using an orbital sander.
My neighboring shop owner suggested that I find a way to soften the edges of this massive table. I chamfered the edges with a router for a nice edge finish.
Once all way sanded down, it was time to add a spray finish to really liven this thing up. Once transport was completed (with the help from my guys at the Westminster team), she was good to go!
And that’s a wrap on my live edge river table! If you liked this post, be sure to let me know in the comments and check out some of my other recent posts:
Want to try this build out for yourself? Download the digital plan now for step-by-step instructions, measurements, and a detailed look at how to punch this project in the face.
I used to be an offensive lineman in the NFL, Now I run my own furniture business and am completely self taught. In my videos and posts you'll see a variety of wood and metal work as well as some tips and tricks. Enjoy!
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Pittsburgh-based custom wood and metal worker. Tool Reviews, DIY Projects, and a whole lot of yinzer pride. Join the movement & punch your next project in the face.
