I’ve managed to aquire half a tree trunk – unsure of wood but might be birch, it is about 1.5 foot tapering to just under a foot and about 6 feet in length.

I’ve also managed to get 2 rack server bodies and I’d like to remove wood from middle of trunk so I can place the computers in, then place some glass over it, add some legs and make it my coffee table.

(I may look to power the servers and turn it into a media centre, backup solution, but for now I just need to build the table!)

So…what do I need and what do I do?

Mate has a chainsaw and a milling bar (I think that is what it is called)…do I make up the shape on the trunk and run the chainsaw through it?

Any tips including, does the wood need treated with anything? Pulled from a river and at a guess had been there for a bit of time (couple of months at least).

Thanks.

Any tips

Don’t mess about with chainsaws unless you know exactly what you’re doing.

That’s not a small undertaking and I echo Perchy’s advice. If it was me, I’d be storing it in the dry for at least a year and then taking it to my local joiners to be hollowed out and levelled at the bottom before doing the finishing myself.

It’ll need to dry out and a season. That’ll take a year or two. Hopefully by then you will have changed your mind

What an odd thing to want as a coffee table. How are you planning to get power to these computers? Air circulation for cooling? Network cables, assuming you don’t want wifi for media streaming?

I`m also confused about the size. You say the trunk is only 1 foot in diameter? That’s a pretty small rack server. Maybe some pictures would help.

For milling, see this thread

Milling Ash, I’m hooked after my first go

It’s not as easy as they make it look either.

I’m not planning on doing the chainsawing myself…have used a saw a couple of times before and it requires skill and attention, so attempting to cut a shape would be very much beyond me.

Will contact joiners and see what they say. No pictures yet as bits are in various locations…