More on the table base- First the pieces are cut to length, then they are heated to just a few hundred degrees in the propane furnace (could be done in an oven- burning wax smoke in the kitchen, anyone? ....didn't think so.)
The wax is brushed on, saturating the porous surface and giving the steel a lovely black/brown finish that is much more even and tougher than a plain rubbing of wax.
I cheated, tack welding these together before installing the rivets, since there is only a finite budget for this project.
Oh- the randome photo of the green table frame is another current project: made to fit a slate top, the customer asked me to lower it a couple inches- more on that to come.