Dining table before and after

So remember that dining table I showed you last week. Well, it's done. I think it turned out pretty smashing, but it was hard earned. I have found that the finishes used on early 20th century pieces, like this table, are damn near impossible to remove. You have to sand them for hours, weeks, years. Patience is the only remedy. Luckily, I made an important discovery in my furniture refinishing journey last week. I can read WHILE sanding. And so I managed to read books 2 and 3 of the Hunger Games series while sanding this table top. After sanding, I mixed three different colors of stain (mini wax ipswich pine, red chestnut, and dark walnut) to really capture the beautiful wood grain, and capture the age and feeling of the table. The legs are painted Martha Stewart's Onyx black. I put five coats of poly on the top, since dining surfaces need to be as waterproof as possible. The time commitment paid off though, and the table is bound for a new and loving home shortly.
Befores and afters below.