After my old cable spool had aged sufficiently, it was time for it to transform into a table that was a bit more appealing. It starts by cutting it down to size. I quickly realized that the center holes are not necessarily centered in the boards. After a second cut to true up the edges, it was off to clean up the table top. There are a ton of nails and other hardware. These give the table the character that I was after, but they also require some careful maneuvering during the cutting, shaping, and sanding process. The legs are 3 x 3 re-purposed steel tubing that are cut at 5 degrees and give the table a finished height in the 17 - 18 inch range. It's important to know that you can cut the table, and legs to whatever you want, after all, it is your table. I use 1/8 X 2 inch flat bar for the banding and a glue that will expand in the gaps that run throughout the boards. The metal is finished with Jax metal blackener, and then a coat of spray on poly. The top gets several coats of a water based poly, because that is what I had laying around.

I am very pleased with this table. It is beefy, rugged, and handsome (like me, right mom ;)).

Please be careful with any project and all tools. They are dangerous and require attention and respect. Since I'm not there to hold your hand, you are on your own and accept all the risk.