Building a Miller Table

[DizzyDigger]

Made a diligent search for a suitable piece of slate or other appropriate stone material
(ie: affordable), but have decided instead to build using a solid wood top and numerous
coats of chalkboard paint.

Poking around my shop I came up with this old table leaf I'd shoved in the back of
my wood stack some years ago. We gave the table away to a young couple, but they
didn't take the extra leaf as there wasn't room in their dining area for the table to be
any larger than it was.

I checked it using a 5' level, and the surface is perfectly flat from end to end and
side to side.



Looks to be solid maple, with a thin layer of hardwood laminate covering the
top. I've since cut it to 16" wide, as there's an area notched along one edge that needed
to be removed, and a 16" width will work just fine. Next step is to sand all that old
stain off, and prepare it for a coat of sealer. (which I'm about done with as I write).

Finished table will be 15-7/8" wide by 43" long.

For a sealer coat I have a full can of Helmsman Spar Urethane, and plan to apply
several coats (to all sides/edges), with sanding between coats to insure a smooth surface.

Pics as it comes along, and as always, I'm completely open to helpful suggestions.
(Just don't get too far ahead of me..)

 

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[Goodyguy]

Did you try a billiard table dealer for scrap slate? They usually give it away.

GG~

 

[russau]

Did you try a billiard table dealer for scrap slate? They usually give it away.

GG~

If they have any left over! i tried them awhile back!usually their scrap peices are real small to keep the waste/loss down to a min.

 

[stefen]

Granite or marble counter tops is another option, although weight may be a problem...

Soapstone can be another option over slate...

 

[DizzyDigger]

Checked the "local" billiard supply outfits (no manufacturers up here) and pretty much
struck out. One fellow had a piece large enough, but he also wanted a premium price
for it.

I simply don't have the funds to go buy an expensive piece of granite or other stone
material, and from what I've read using a properly prepared hardwood base plus several
coats of chalkboard paint will work very well.

Made the cut to 16" wide, and have completed hand sanding off the old finish. Used
150 grit to remove it, and now I'll give it some more sanding with some 280 and
then 400.

Q: When sanding off the finish I followed the grain direction, but would it be better
in creating minute striations horizontally if I did the rest of the sanding perpendicular
to the length?

 

[roadrunner]

I would use a jitter bug sander so there no scratches either the length of it,or the width.
They just vibrate back and forth.
That is what I am going toi use on mine I am building now.
Mine is going to be a little smaller though.

 

[stefen]

Checked the "local" billiard supply outfits (no manufacturers up here) and pretty much
struck out. One fellow had a piece large enough, but he also wanted a premium price
for it.

I simply don't have the funds to go buy an expensive piece of granite or other stone
material, and from what I've read using a properly prepared hardwood base plus several
coats of chalkboard paint will work very well.

Made the cut to 16" wide, and have completed hand sanding off the old finish. Used
150 grit to remove it, and now I'll give it some more sanding with some 280 and
then 400.

Q: When sanding off the finish I followed the grain direction, but would it be better
in creating minute striations horizontally if I did the rest of the sanding perpendicular
to the length?

View attachment 840884

Neccessity is the Mother of Inventions...wood well sealed should work just fine...

 

[Goodyguy]

Checked the "local" billiard supply outfits (no manufacturers up here) and pretty much
struck out. One fellow had a piece large enough, but he also wanted a premium price
for it.

I simply don't have the funds to go buy an expensive piece of granite or other stone
material, and from what I've read using a properly prepared hardwood base plus several
coats of chalkboard paint will work very well.

Made the cut to 16" wide, and have completed hand sanding off the old finish. Used
150 grit to remove it, and now I'll give it some more sanding with some 280 and
then 400.

Q: When sanding off the finish I followed the grain direction, but would it be better
in creating minute striations horizontally if I did the rest of the sanding perpendicular
to the length?

View attachment 840884

Keep it as smooth as possible. You don't want the black sand getting hung up.

 

[greenerlumber]

Does no one use the self healing cutting mats anymore?
I'm gettin' ready to build my table and that's what I bought to use for the top.
From what I watched on YouTube that was a great and cheap alternative to slate.
RP

 

[greenerlumber]

I'm planning on a build like the one Duane Idler did on YouTube awhile back:



Take a look and let me know what you think.
I'm here in Mizzou like Russ and as fine as the gold gets here I know I'm not getting it all with a pan.
RP

 

[jcazgoldchaser]

Does no one use the self healing cutting mats anymore?
I'm gettin' ready to build my table and that's what I bought to use for the top.
From what I watched on YouTube that was a great and cheap alternative to slate.
RP

https://www.google.com/search?q=miller+table+hobby+mat
Or toss 'forum' at the start of that and find all the build threads.

Checkout post #7 in this thread:
http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/gold-prospecting/366552-what-best-material-miller-table-top.html


For flatness and dimensional stability, many DIYs use MDF for cnc router builds (checkout cnczone). As long as you seal the wood/woodlike materials well, it would make a great miller table base.

 

[DizzyDigger]

One great thing about being retired is you don't have to be in a rush
to get anything done..

Taking my time with this project, but the damn humidity has been running
at 70%+ with temps in the 80's in the daytime. Humidity worse at night
when I'm up.

Have now sanded the table with 280 grit, and will start with the 400 tomorrow
or later this morning. When I'm completely satisfied that it's as smooth as glass
then the coats of sealer will go on. Can't seal it in this humidity!

 

[TerryC]

Suggestion... instead of using varnish, try one layer of glass mat and epoxy all around and under. Will take a better beating than the varnish. TTC

 

[DizzyDigger]

Suggestion... instead of using varnish, try one layer of glass mat and epoxy all
around and under. Will take a better beating than the varnish. TTC

Thought about that, as I do have some System 3 resin remaining from a driftboat
project I did about 10 years ago. I did a complete restoration on a vintage Don
Hill hull, and when it was done it was just too pretty for me to go bashing it down
the river. Sold it to a fellow who's still using it down in Oregon.

Gonna pass on the glass though. It's tougher, but 2 or 3 coats of this Spar Urethane
should do a good job, and I don't have to go through sanding down the glass. (appreciate
the thought, but I hate the stuff.)

 

[TerryC]

I did a Cheasapeake Light craft sailing dingy some years back. I now will use epoxy for any wooden project I want to last. TTC

 

[wa-au-nut]

Oh the joy of grinding/sanding fiber glass, Don't it make you itch just thinking about it. I have hand built 3 driftboats in my Time. Done some repair work on several fishing boats. The last D/B I built. Sitting 20' away for sale. Can't use it no more. Never been in a river, just lakes. That's a shame.

 

[DizzyDigger]

View attachment 844660View attachment 844661

 

[wa-au-nut]

Dizzy, Chines are about an inch thick or so. !6',48" bottom. Side anchor system, anchor Bracket mounted off to side for putting on trolling motor, front Knee brace deck I bought from Lavro(Lazydrifter), all stainless hardware, front lockable seat/fish box, Sawyer Polecat F/G oars(2), 3 piece spare 4 Fishon Seats all swevil . Front seats slide side to side. Rows sweet in a lake. Never been in a river, just Fish Lake About 6 times. Trailer isn't much. Converted utility trailer. Would take $2000 for it or trade for a Jeep Grand Cherokee.
Boat only took me 10 years to Finish. Couple heart attacks got in the way! LoL

 

[TerryC]

Dizzy, Chines are about an inch thick or so. !6',48" bottom. Side anchor system, anchor Bracket mounted off to side for putting on trolling motor, front Knee brace deck I bought from Lavro(Lazydrifter), all stainless hardware, front lockable seat/fish box, Sawyer Polecat F/G oars(2), 3 piece spare 4 Fishon Seats all swevil . Front seats slide side to side. Rows sweet in a lake. Never been in a river, just Fish Lake About 6 times. Trailer isn't much. Converted utility trailer. Would take $2000 for it or trade for a Jeep Grand Cherokee.
Boat only took me 10 years to Finish. Couple heart attacks got in the way! LoL

Well built! But it ain't no car-topper. TTC

 

[DizzyDigger]

You got that right Terry!

Here's my last 2 DB's, and both are ClackaCraft's:

First, the 16 footer, and one of the sweetest boats I've ever rowed (and
over the years I've rowed just about all of 'em..)



And this was the ClackaMAX - this beast was 18'6" down the centerline.
Rowed like a dream with 2 guys up front, but when I had 4 large men, plus
myself in faster water it handled more like pig. Chines were min. 2" thick of
hand laid glass.

Pic is from 2007, and that's little Jimmy with his very first Wild Steelhead..
(and yeah, I'm holdin' the fish..) It was a nice little nate hen of about 12 lbs.,
and his dad was sitting just off camera, proud as any papa could be!



Another friends son, Tony, with his first Wild Steelhead. This fish was a
bit of a toad, and the battle went on from one side of the river to the
other for about 15 min., and he did a great job with it.



And this was a nice buck (wild) Steelhead that my prospecting buddy
Ken got while he and his wife were visiting some years back. This fish
was probably in the 16-18# class.



All fish are released unharmed, as this is one of the very few remaining
populations of steelhead in the US that is still a truly wild, naturally spawning
fish.

NOW: Back to the topic before I get accused of hijacking my own thread..

Went to get the Chalkboard paint today at Lowes, and the fellow was just about to mix
me up a quart of dark green chalkboard paint when I told him what it would be used
for. He immediately started telling me that the paint was LATEX based, and could not
be used in water. Told him folks been using it for some years on these tables, and
he still argued that it was not what I could use as it would not take the water.

I decided to come back here and ask, first, before buying paint I may not be able
to use.

OK...is there something I'm missing, or was this chap full-of-it?

Closest big store to home is over 35 miles, each way, so basically I made a
70 mile round trip for nothing (I did get me a new dew rag, but that wasn't
part of the plan..).