Here they are, getting the final coat of wax!

The last step is paint- the bases get Zero Rust enamel, and the tops almost an entire quart of Permalac, in this case I brushed it on in order to get into all the cracks and crevices.

In order to have a clean looking top without a lot of welds showing (not an easy feat on an all-welded table) I put trim around the edge of the expanded metal top.

After fitting, it's welded in place from the back, and Voila! Ready for paint and lacquer.

The local auto paint guys left me a bit discouraged about clear finishes on steel, but sculptor friends spoke glowingly of Permalac- has a great track record and can even (if neccesary for a desired surface) be applied over patinas and rust.

Finishing the tables, now they're almost ready for paint and lacquer.

Today I worked on the crossbar- photos show heating and upsetting the ends, then making the decorative bend on each end. Last step is to make a graceful curve in the middle and fine tune and weld it in place.