Thread: Bedside Tables WIP

Fast forward OK myrtle down to 11% probably not really dry enough but tried some resawing and see what happens. As the legs are 39x39 need to glue a 12mm strip to the inner edge of each one as the taper will hopefully disguise most of the glue line, not ideal but there it is.
I ripped the legs after selecting the best grain angle that will flow with the tapers.

Pic1 Resaw the strips and glued up using my new cabinetmasters ordered just prior to the great besseyclamp order

Resawed the rails and made the next mistake got all carried away and planed and thicknessed to just over finished dimension.

Pic2 Oops should have left to rest for a week or so as some of them have cupped even after I stickered and clamped. Mmm bit more planing to do and thanks to this forum I am now using a hand plane with reasonable confidence, its amazing what a difference a sharp blade makes. A hand scraper to finish off nice.

Put all this to one side while I cut the mortises in the legs after planing to size. Using loose tenon joints for the rails and as I manage to mess up when using a router free hand I screwed a fence to my tenon jig so I could machine the mortises on the router table.

Pic3 I use two stops in the mitre track to set the mortise length, set the fence to allow for a 1.5mm set back of the rail and with a 1/4 spiral bit it is dead easy to run the jig back and forth. After cutting one set I move the stop to cut the mortises on the adjacent face as the leg must be rotated 180deg if you know what I mean.

Back to the rails, I decided to cut the mortises before adding the Jarrah lipping so need to finish flattening and cut to length. That done and setting both the jig carriage depth and stops I cut the rails. It takes a while about 4mm in each pass but the triton makes it easy and as the work piece is clamped firm there is no chance of a slip up.
Mike

With the mortises cut I milled the tenons don't have the right size router bit so a bit of planing and filing to round the edges. Next cut some glue slots with a dremel, there must be an easy and safe way but I can't think of it.

Next I drilled the lower stretcher dowel holes in stretcher and legs again using the TS tenon jig this method is dead on accurate as for the second hole simply adjust the depth of the fence the setting is then consistent for all holes/cuts. I decided to use dowels rather than tenons as I have trouble doing a single tenon let alone doubles. Bit of a problem I didn't check closely the dowel dia which is 6mm and used the 1/4 spiral bit which is 6.3 give or take so the dowel is a bit loose will use epoxy so it should be OK.

With the lower stretchers done I cut dovetails for the uppers did a dry fit and marked the legs another little error I found later was clamping the upper too tight when marking out this later left a slightly larger glue line at the tail end in the joint than I would have liked.

Pic2 Shows the leg joints hope they don't twist no sign yet.

Pic3 I knocked up a tapering jig for the legs what do you recon is the toggle clamp big enough

Next resaw some jarrah at 5mm for the lipping from some salvaged floor boards over 70 years since layed it almost seems too dry as I got significant splitting when cross cutting as the Pic shows.

Pic5 Numbered all the joints after a scraping a final dry fit and taped against squeeze out. I'm not sure about doing this as it still takes me ages to clean off the tape and glue when dry, I think cleaning the joint as you go is better but as I am using epoxy like this for the first time its a bit of insurance.

The glue up went well although I messed around for too long on the first one and the glue was going off for the second getting a bit gluggy.

Pic1 Clamped up with some new besseys thanks Martin.

Pic2 In between mortising and things I glued up the veneer tops bookmatched myrtle burl on 19mm mdf on the one on thr right I added some red/brown oxide to try a hide the glue line, think I need more veneer practice.

Pic3 Made a mitre jig to cut the frames works pretty well

Pic4 Mitre turned out well needs a bit more work at the jarrah join otherwise pretty happy.

Pic5 Dry fit used biscuits for both the mdf and mitre joints may ket the mitre yet I will decide at the finish as I think it may look a bit busy.
I have been practicing my french polishing on the veneer as I hope it will help with squeeze out. Think I need some lessons though I'm ok up to stiffening up but end up with tram tracks not sure what I'm doing wrong.

Bit of a delay but have been back on the job.

Pic 1 Total brain fade when sawing shoulder

Pic 2 Measured for the base groove still managed to get it wrong

Pic 3 Um got carried away and cut the base groove on top edge instaed of bottom

Pic 4 Reground cheap chisel to cut dovetails

Pic 5 Using through tenons for the drawerbacks and yep got the router set up screwed up so mortice too long on one of them

Despite some setbacks its coming together

Pic 1 Made a jewelry tray to inset on runners glued into the grooving mistake

Pic 2 As one drawer has a jewelry tray made a divider for the other drawer sort of his and hers cut a mini sliding dovetail to retain the divider.

Pic 3 Fixed the tenon mistake with a filler piece worked out OK

Pic 4 Made a pull from jarrah but number 1 the designer said it was too bulky so second attempt Pic 5 was made from myrtle using a woody round, you can't get this profile froma router bit

Anyway getting close now just have to finish polishing the tops.
BTW I polished the burl before glueing up the frames and when scraping I have gone through in spots question is do I need to sand shellac right back or keep adding to fix?

I like it. Love the way you did the drawers. I think drawers deserve a lot of attention but people tend to ignore it. I love the dovetails and the handle too. Beautiful handle.

Bit more to add

Inspired by Dereks dovetail marker I made a saw guide and with the aid of a veritas detail chisel cut the small sliding dovetail in the divider.

The jewelry tray is finger jointed using Roger Gifkins new 5mm cutter an F5 template, wow is it great. Black flocking applied to the tray and divider.

Cheers Mike

Some beautiful work coming together here . . . and goodonya for showing us how you're living up to your name.

That tiny sliding dovetail is very impressive. I wonder if you could have used your saw guide to do a stopped tapered sliding dovetail? I usually do them freehand because they're much more forgiving of errors.

Watching with interest . . .

Originally Posted by Wongo

I think drawers deserve a lot of attention but people tend to ignore it. I love the dovetails and the handle too. Beautiful handle.

Thanks Wongo, I like drawer making it takes concentration just have to learn what to concentrate on The handle profile was done with a #12 moulding round. I got Larry Williams DVD on making escapement planes for Xmas now totally hooked on them.

Originally Posted by zenwood

I wonder if you could have used your saw guide to do a stopped tapered sliding dovetail? I usually do them freehand because they're much more forgiving of errors.

Not totally sure what you mean Zen how would you cut a stopped trench, but by shimming the front fence you could introduce a taper would need to be very fine. As for cutting it well you've seen what I do when sawing . Thanks for the comments.

Hope to have them done in about a week this hot weather has put a stop to the polishing.

Cheers Mike

Gee thats a big bloody 5c piece!

Nice work Mike.

Finally got around to taking some pics today of the finished article, customer is delighted.
Sorry about the poor quality pics I need some practice at this photography lurk.

Mike

Beautiful work, Mike. Look forward to seeing it in real life at the up-coming barbie--hint-hint?

Mike, they are beautiful. I really like the tops.

Nice work!

Maybe you can hit up Studley at the meet up for a few photography tips.