Spotted gum coffee table/CD drawers - WIP

**TomH** · 18th March 2007, 07:20 PM

Good evening,

Here are a couple of photos - I will add more as I go. I'm building a coffee table to house 300+ cd's. It will have two drawers, opposite sides with a space for magazines/newspapers.

It's going to be fairly heavy - most of it made out of 19mm recylced spotted gum, so I'm estimating 80+kg.

So far I have cut the 16 m&t joints for the rails and cut the rebates for the bottom shelf. All joints cut by hand - got it down to about 40 mins / joint by the end (including sharpening the mortise chisel every joint). I bought a kirschen mortise chisel - it took a pounding but happy to say I'm very pleased with it.

Next step is to cut the dovetails for the 2 drawers.

Not sure about the finish - I was thinking about a tung oil/wax finish, but as I'm sitting here in front of my tv with my feet on the existing coffee table I'm not so sure. Plenty of time to decide, as it's going to take a little while to make this one.

Cheers,

Tom

**fred.n** · 19th March 2007, 11:23 PM

At 80 kg's plus, she's gonna be one big sucker, Tom

Looks good already, I'll follow this one with interest??
I may make something similar, but not as heavy.....

**Bluegum** · 20th March 2007, 09:09 PM

Yep looks good Tom keep the pics coming mate. I'm looking forward to seeing the finished product. At 80 kgs I wouldn't want to be trying to lift all that often.

**TomH** · 10th June 2007, 07:18 PM

A few holidays and a lack of time on the weekend.

Here's a couple more photos:

Drawers - dovetailed front and back (next set I don't think I'll dovetail the back). Tried the veritas dovetail jig for the first time - had difficulty when cutting the pins as it tended not to be parallel - must be a problem with my technique.

Fitted the base, then routered the slots for the internal frame. Not sure if this is good furniture design, but couldn't think of another way to do it.

Last photo is of assembled internal frame and drawers in place. I have hafele runners to install and also build the frame up to the top of the rails.

It's well on the way to 80kg+. I suppose that's what happens when you don't have a thicknesser and make everything from 19mm timber.

Cheers,

Tom

**fletty** · 10th June 2007, 11:30 PM

80kg!
Tom, I'd lengthen the legs and use it as a workbench.
Great work, keep the pics coming,
Fletty

**TomH** · 12th August 2007, 08:47 AM

Well, it was finished a couple of months ago, but just had to wait a while until someone could help me lift it in. Finished with danish oil, then EEE. Came up looking very nice, and finish is suprisingly robust as well. Was a bit annoyed - spotted gum splinters very easily, and caught the edge of the top when buffing. Slight defect only but still disappointing. The only thing I would possibly change is the drawer slides - with drawers weighing in a 15kg (that's before I add anything to them - I have them full of cd's) I was nervous about using natural slides. Also with a baby on the way did not want a child emptying out 40kg of drawer on him/her.

Cheers,

Tom

**corbs** · 12th August 2007, 09:48 AM

Classy piece of work there Tom, very nice execution

. Have some green.

Corbs

**DJ’s Timber** · 12th August 2007, 11:52 AM

Top effort Tom

fantastic work and beautifully finished

**flynnsart** · 12th August 2007, 03:47 PM

It looks lovely, well done. I wish they would invent drawer sliders that looked in keeping with furniture that is made with such care using dovetails etc. eg.fittings underneath etc. But the sliders certainly make opening drawers a lot easier.

Donna

**Pops** · 12th August 2007, 04:06 PM

Hi Tom,

Yes TOP JOB there mate. The finish looks terrific too. Well done. Thanks for the update.

Cheers
Pops

**Corcorbear** · 14th August 2007, 03:19 PM

That is just great - I will be copying that one day

**Wongo** · 14th August 2007, 03:33 PM

Tom, that is a nice looking table. You have done very well.

**Harry72** · 15th August 2007, 02:37 AM

Very nice, but I reckon it'll look much nicer at my place!

**Willard** · 23rd August 2007, 10:47 PM

Tom,

You've done a great job on the table.

I love the clean and stylish design...... really shows off the timber as well.

Will

**Waldo** · 24th August 2007, 12:12 AM

G'day Tom,

Top job, very simple and elegant lines. Very smick.

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Spotted gum coffee table/CD drawers - WIP

It's a little slow but still coming along

brilliant

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