BOARDROOM TABLE JOURNEY

From roadway to conference...

Following is the journey of the 14 seater boardroom table commissioned by Best Tractor Parts, Mackay. Measuring in at 4.65m long and 1.6m wide, it was constructed during October 2009 from recycled timbers of the Broken River Bridge adjacent to Eungella National Park. The table was installed on the 5th of November 2009 with the assistance of a crane and several people at both ends of the journey. The building is open, with an open day coming soon. There will also be a feature in the Mackay Daily Mercury on the 23rd of January, so look out for that. Thank you for taking an interest and as always feel free to call me on (07) 4958 4751 if you would like more information.

Salvaging the Timber

Starting life as the decking timbers atop of Broken River Bridge early last century, the timber has given passage to thousands of vehicles and pedestrians over the years. In 2005 the original decking was removed and replaced with marine ply. The sections were cut away in 3m by 6m blocks and dumped nearby. With the help from my father and our neighbour the blocks were ripped apart into planks. Although the majority of the 4 inch thick bitumen shook free of the planks, the remainder and residue had to be removed before any machining could be done.

Machining

The Peterson saw mill was used to straighten the edges and remove any bow in the timber along with any surface tar and grit that remained. The boards were then planed before having all the holes, cracks and other damage filled with resin. Once set, the boards were planed to the desired thickness and run through the sander.

Construction and Finishing

The boards were biscuit joined and glued to form both the table top and legs. After being cut to shape and detailed, the items were further sanded and finished with several coats of clear polyurethane timber finish.

The Real Journey

Once complete, the table was loaded onto a flatbed truck with the help the Eungella locals (thank you once again for your help). The table made its way down the windy and steep range to its final location in Mackay. The boardroom of Best Tractor Parts is on the second floor and with the option of walking it up the stairs out of the equation due to the approximate weight of 400kg and akward size, the table top had to be craned through a window. With helpers on hand and nerves high, the operation was completely successful without so much as a scratch to the table.

Assembly

Once the table top was inside and wheeled into position the assembly of the legs could begin. The table has been designed to accommodate all communication and presentation needs with the cabling coming up the centre leg and being routed around the table on the inside of the rails. With another ten man lift the table top was placed on top and secured into position.

The Finished Product

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