Project: dining room table

I've wanted a new dining room table for a while now.  My current table was great for my last place, but it's too country cottage for our craftsman.  I found this gorgeous table online, but it cost way more than I was willing to pay.  I decided to build something similar.  First, I found a guy selling old fruit crates on Craigslist.  I bought three.  I took the crates apart, sanded the wood, and put different color stains on each piece.  I also cut the wood into smaller slats, so I could mix up the colors more.  The next step is to bind the pieces together, frame them with a wood border, and then weld a steel frame to put the table top on.  I've only been doing a little bit at a time, so this project still has a long way to go.  But I have a feeling that when it's finished, it's going to be great.

This is the table that inspired me to try to make my own.

These are my slats