Tomazelli
13th July 2012, 04:20 PM
I have a couple of friends who asked me to make some bonsai tables. I did make two tables for tests but I wanted to make a better table, with chinese inspirations. In the link below is a bonsai table that I have already made: http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee162/lizakamei/2%20Bonsai%20BH/foto194.jpg
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e90/atomazelli/GDM/bonsai/mesac001.jpg
This is a chinese chest of my cousin, in chinese furniture is commom to see triple miter in the corners. The most complex triple miter is a complex joint, with inside mortises and tenons and slinding dovetails. The joint can be viewed in the link: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RSeTrS6Uy2s/TN2UO8qK2AI/AAAAAAAAH0g/srdf_IefzAg/s1600/DSC02595.JPG
I wanted a triple miter joint in the corners, but the table is small and I am not crazy to do the most complex joint in such small thing. Then I make the joint without the slinding dovetails. Maybe in something not so small and with a more docile wood I can try the complete joint.
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e90/atomazelli/GDM/bonsai/mesac02.jpg
I cut the pieces (one apron in the photo) with hand and eletric tools. The miter is cut in the table saw with a dedicated jig to cut miters, and the rest is cut with a dovetail saw.
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e90/atomazelli/GDM/bonsai/mesac03.jpg
Here is the joint. The feet has two tenons on top that will be atached in mortises on the table top.
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e90/atomazelli/GDM/bonsai/mesac04.jpg
The feet has mortises that are chopped with a chisel, after the miter is cutted.
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e90/atomazelli/GDM/bonsai/mesac06.jpg
Here is the joint dry assembled, but yet squared. I cut the feet curves in the bandsaw.
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e90/atomazelli/GDM/bonsai/mesac07.jpg
I mark the aprons and hand planed the curvature to match the feet.
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e90/atomazelli/GDM/bonsai/mesac08.jpg
Here is the feet and aprons, ready to assemble.
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e90/atomazelli/GDM/bonsai/mesac09.jpg
After the glue is dry, I scraped and sanded the base.
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e90/atomazelli/GDM/bonsai/mesac10.jpg
The table top is made with the classic chinese form, the frame is made with mitered corners but also through mortise and tenon. The panel is floating with a considerable gap to accommodate seasonal changes, especially because the table can receive some water and sunlight during its use.
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e90/atomazelli/GDM/bonsai/mesac11.jpg
And here is the top table dry assembled, the protruding tenons will be cutted later.
As soon I can, I will post more WIP pictures.
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e90/atomazelli/GDM/bonsai/mesac001.jpg
This is a chinese chest of my cousin, in chinese furniture is commom to see triple miter in the corners. The most complex triple miter is a complex joint, with inside mortises and tenons and slinding dovetails. The joint can be viewed in the link: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RSeTrS6Uy2s/TN2UO8qK2AI/AAAAAAAAH0g/srdf_IefzAg/s1600/DSC02595.JPG
I wanted a triple miter joint in the corners, but the table is small and I am not crazy to do the most complex joint in such small thing. Then I make the joint without the slinding dovetails. Maybe in something not so small and with a more docile wood I can try the complete joint.
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e90/atomazelli/GDM/bonsai/mesac02.jpg
I cut the pieces (one apron in the photo) with hand and eletric tools. The miter is cut in the table saw with a dedicated jig to cut miters, and the rest is cut with a dovetail saw.
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e90/atomazelli/GDM/bonsai/mesac03.jpg
Here is the joint. The feet has two tenons on top that will be atached in mortises on the table top.
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e90/atomazelli/GDM/bonsai/mesac04.jpg
The feet has mortises that are chopped with a chisel, after the miter is cutted.
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e90/atomazelli/GDM/bonsai/mesac06.jpg
Here is the joint dry assembled, but yet squared. I cut the feet curves in the bandsaw.
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e90/atomazelli/GDM/bonsai/mesac07.jpg
I mark the aprons and hand planed the curvature to match the feet.
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e90/atomazelli/GDM/bonsai/mesac08.jpg
Here is the feet and aprons, ready to assemble.
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e90/atomazelli/GDM/bonsai/mesac09.jpg
After the glue is dry, I scraped and sanded the base.
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e90/atomazelli/GDM/bonsai/mesac10.jpg
The table top is made with the classic chinese form, the frame is made with mitered corners but also through mortise and tenon. The panel is floating with a considerable gap to accommodate seasonal changes, especially because the table can receive some water and sunlight during its use.
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e90/atomazelli/GDM/bonsai/mesac11.jpg
And here is the top table dry assembled, the protruding tenons will be cutted later.
As soon I can, I will post more WIP pictures.