WIP dinner table “I do it my way”

[Wongo]

I am currently building a dinner table. I went to a couple of timberyards and it would cost around $800 for recycled or new Aussie hardwood.

I wasn’t prepared to spend $800. The wife said specifically she wanted the country look. Perfect I have plenty of big off-cuts that I collected from timberyards over the past 2 years. I should have enough to build one and I would rather spend the money on tools.

I made 4 legs (8cm X 8cm X 74cm) over the weekend.

To continued…
:)

[damienhazo]

'Bout bloody time you posted something instead of just your 2 bob;) Been looking for the chance to say 'well done!'

Now get and build the bloody rest and post some updates!

Damien

[Munga]

Glad to see your not biased and employ Wongess,s in the workforce and supply safety gear:D

Arch

[Rocker]

Scott,

I hope you are not going to skimp on the timber when you get down to building something serious - LIKE A ROCKER.

Rocker

[TEEJAY]

http://www.ubeaut.biz/group.gif

[Wongo]

David, rocking chairs or rocking horses are different and I am willing to spend the money. By the way, I saw the rocker at the show and it was a ripper. Sadly it did not win anything.

TJ, you just keep laughing mate. After seeing the prices at the show, I reckon the burls you illegally cut down from our national park would probably worth a few $K, lucky Basxxxx. :D

[zenwood]

Geez . . . a man posts his latest project and all 'e gets is abuse!

Great suff Wongo, and good to see little SWMBO taking an interest in dad's work.

[Rocker]

Scott,

Thanks for news of the rocker's appearance at the show. It seemed to me, judging from the photos sent me by the maker, that the chair could have done with a bit more rounding-over of its parts; some of them still had too rectangular a profile. Probably the judges decided that the design was too derivative, being basically a melding of the Maloof and Scobie rockers.

Rocker

[TEEJAY]

TJ, you just keep laughing mate. After seeing the prices at the show, I reckon the burls you illegally cut down from our national park would probably worth a few $K, lucky Basxxxx. :D


ssHHHHH - AND STOP FOLLOWING ME http://www.ubeaut.biz/toothless.gif

[RufflyRustic]

ssHHHHH - AND STOP FOLLOWING ME http://www.ubeaut.biz/toothless.gif



:D

[Wongo]

The next task is to cut the mortises and taper the legs. Cutting the mortises was pretty easy. I used a simple jig and a router to cut 8 mortises 2 cm deep, 1.2cm wide and 8cm long.

Tapering the legs was a hell of a job. The idea is simple but boy that was a messy job. Another jig and a CMT dish cutter for the 1 cm taper.

To be continued……

[damienhazo]

Tapering the legs was a hell of a job. The idea is simple but boy that was a messy job. Another jig and a CMT dish cutter for the 1 cm taper.

Very interesting Wongo. I've stored the basic idea for achieving a taper with a router in the old noggin should the need arise. Very interesting indeed...

Thanks!

Damien

[Rocker]

Wongo,

I see from another thread that you have a Jet supersaw; so why are you fiddling around using a router to taper your table legs? It is easy enough to make a tapering jig for use on the table saw. Or you can buy one for $35 from Timbecon. I usually just taper table legs on the bandsaw, and clean them up on the jointer, or use a hand plane to clean them up, if I am feeling dark-sideish.

Rocker

[Wongo]

Rocky,

I have considered all the options.

The legs are 8.5 cm thick hardwood and they are very heavy. The supersaw doesn’t cut 8.5 cm and even if it did I still didn’t want to push it to its limit.

It will be even harder on a bandsaw. I have not made an outfeed and infeed table yet so it is a bit hard to fiddle with 10 kg of wood on a small table. The taper is so thin so it is also very hard to cut it right on a bandsaw anyway.

Thicknesser is also out, it will take so many passes to just make 1 taper.

It took me less then 30 minutes to make the jig and I feel much better to just lock the wood in place and move the router.
:)

[Rocker]

Scott,

Ok; you have convinced me; but I think it would be well worthwhile to make an adjustable roller stand with transfer balls for use with your bandsaw, thicknesser, and table-saw.

Rocker

[Wongo]

Ok; you have convinced me

Woohoo :D


but I think it would be well worthwhile to make an adjustable roller stand with transfer balls for use with your bandsaw, thicknesser, and table-saw.

Your not wrong.:cool:

[TEEJAY]

Good to see you doing it your way Wongo http://www.ubeaut.biz/thumbup.gif

[Auld Bassoon]

Hi Scott!
I'm curious as to why you didn't use either the T/S or (2nd option) B/S for the taper cut - it's not hard once you've figured the angles and with a taper jig?

Late edit: Just seen Rockers post - is the Supersaw not capable of a little more than 85mm? I only have a contractors T/S, but it's 12" so can handle up to 105mm which can be a blessing.

With in- and out-feed table the B/S is almost as good, but does need more hand planing (at least four more strokes!) than with the T/S to get a finished surface...:D

[Rocker]

By the way, I saw the rocker at the show and it was a ripper. Sadly it did not win anything.



Scott,

I just heard from the maker of the rocker; apparently it won third prize in the General Woodworking category.

I am happy with that:)

Rocker

[echnidna]

Scott,

I just heard from the maker of the rocker; apparently it won third prize in the General Woodworking category.

I am happy with that:)

Rocker

Congats Rocker as the designer. :)

[dan_tom]

Go Scott!:D :D :D
Nice work!
It has been a week or two since lurking on the web and glad to spot a thread from you first up.
I must admit that my preference for tapering is on the TS. I have two or three jigs that have been made for individual projects. A piece of 12mm ply with a runner for the mitre slot and a piece of angled shelving steel (Dexon I think, with heaps of bolt holes), with a stop block at the end for consistent results. The end result cleans up well on the jointer, a hand plan or sand out saw marks (depends on the look you are after).

Cheers
Tom

[Wongo]

I used the 2 part epoxy to fill all the nail holes and cracks on the legs and sand to smooth.

Spent almost the whole Saturday to machine the aprons and cut the tenons. Fitting the mortises and tenons was quite a lengthy process but it was well worth the effort.

It was difficult to square up the base in such massive size. I used a piece of plywood as a template. The factory cut edges will ensure the squareness of the frame. It was great to have enough of clamps for sure.:cool:

The table top will be next and that’s where the fun begins.:o

[oges]

Progress is coming along nicely Scott, going to be a nice sized table.

[damienhazo]

Great work Wongo. Now all you need is a lovely solid wooden grid top and it'd be perfect;)

Damien

[Rocker]

Scott,

It looks sturdy enough to serve a banquet on. Is the Is the top going to be made from recycled timber as well?

Rocker

[Wongo]

Yes David.

I have a lot of big off-cuts which I collected from timberyards in the last couple of years. I have 2 big slabs of lilly pilly ($40), 3 small slabs of brushbox, some Tas Oak, Jarrah, Blackbutt and blue gum.

Fortunately they are all around 40mm thick. I will dress them down to 35mm thick. The size of the table is 2.1m X 1.1 m. I will have enough of wood to make it. It is just going to be like a giant puzzle.

[scooter]

Looking good so far, well done Scott :)


Cheers..................Sean

[Harry72]

Coming along nicely Wongo.

[NewLou]

Yup

Is looking right on the money Wongo ................

Great to see your 'piece' develop as you go

NICE!

REgards Lou:)

[TassieKiwi]

Good work Scott! Some of the nicest tables I've seen are done with 'shorts'. Good luck with it all.

D

[BobR]

Coming along nicely Scott. Looking forward to seeing the finished table.

[Wongo]

Ok I need your opinion. The table top is 210 cm long and 105cm wide, so what is a reasonable thickness for it. I am thinking of 38mm or maybe 35mm. what about 30mm?? What do you reckon? How thicks yours?

[Simomatra]

Really coming along great Wongo Love your way

Will be nice to see the end result

[Rocker]

Scott,

I think 38 is too thick, and will make the table too heavy; I would go for 32 or 30 mm.

I made a table of similar size to yours last year, see http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/showthread.php?t=16323 , and the top was only 22 mm thick. But I made the legs much thinner than yours; so probably a thicker top would be more suitable for the legs of your table. I would suggest you mill the timber down to 35 mm, then lay it on top of the frame to see whether that suits the legs well, or whether to mill it down to 30 or 32 mm.

Rocker

[Auld Bassoon]

Ok I need your opinion. The table top is 210 cm long and 105cm wide, so what is a reasonable thickness for it. I am thinking of 38mm or maybe 35mm. what about 30mm?? What do you reckon? How thicks yours?

Hi Scott!

I'd go for 25 ~ 28mm thick, but with a peripheral rail under to give the appearance of 35mm or so. With 'square' edges this may be a little to obvious a join, depending on the grain & colour - and of the pieces that you select. On the other hand, if you do a round-over or such, then this bit of artifice will be near invisible.

[Rocker]

Steve,

Surely there would be cross-grain problems with glueing on a rail at the ends, unless you just glued it in the middle and used screws with slotted holes to attach it without glue near the corners. and mitred corners would be liable to gape; I don't really go for your suggestion.

Rocker

[Auld Bassoon]

David,

I'd use a locked mitre bit so that the joint wouldn't gape. This would still leave a timber movement issue, but as it would all be long grain I wouldn't expect a big problem. Nevertheless, I think I'll accept your wisdom.

This also answers a design issue that I've been mulling over on my upcoming Mahogany dining table.

[damienhazo]

Be a shame to reduce the timber if you found that it was optically within pleasing limits...

If the problem is the overall height due to thickness, you could finish the top, place it on the sub-frame and mark it inside and out. Then use a router to remove inside the markings. This would then mean the top slots on over the frame, holding it from sideways movement, and reducing the overall height.

Damien

[Wongo]

Thanks David, Steve and Damien,

I am not into skinny legs and thin top that kind of stuff. I like it looks solid. Anyway I placed a slab 40mm thick on the base and it just looks so right. I don’t think I will make it less than 35mm.

I am positive.:)

[Wongo]

The base is sealed with a coat of thinned poly, finished with 2 coats of Danish oil and ubeaut wax.

The blocks are biscuit-joined together into planks. They are ready to go through the thinknesser and with a bit of luck I will have a table top by tomorrow.
:)

[AlexS]

Can I hear that thicknesser running?;) Looking good, reckon it will go well with its surroundings.

[Rocker]

David,

I'd use a locked mitre bit so that the joint wouldn't gape. This would still leave a timber movement issue, but as it would all be long grain I wouldn't expect a big problem. Nevertheless, I think I'll accept your wisdom.



Steve,

Surely there is still a cross-grain problem with glued-on rails if you attach them to the ends of the table, unless they are attached as breadboard ends with a pinned tongue and groove joint to the table. But, if there are mitred joints at the corners, there is always going to be a problem, since the seasonal movement of the solid-wood table top is going to ruin the mitred joints, even if they are made with a lock-mitre bit. Mitred edging is only satisfactory for a table top if the top is made from veneered MDF or veneered plywood, which are not subject to seasonal movement.

Rocker

[Auld Bassoon]

David,

Thanks for that! I've thought on it and must admit that you are quite correct.

Like Scott, I'd prefer the 35mm of so thick top, so will just have to live with the weight, although I migh have a bit of a tinker with the breadboard ends as I used on the recent hall table.

Cheers!

[Wongo]

Well no table top yet. I spent the whole day milling the wood and it was hard.:( Ended using the tablesaw after mucking around with the thicknesser for half an hour.:( Anyway I am not in the mood to talk about it.:( :( :(

I will never make another table again. Not this way anyway.

Tough day in the office and a hand full of splinters. :(

[Rocker]

Scott,

I feel your pain; I managed to get a 10 mm long splinter under the nail of the index finger of my left hand a couple of days ago, and it is starting to throb:eek:

Rocker

[Wongo]

Houston, we have table top. Hooray.:)

but not without tears and headache though.:o

[Rocker]

That top must weigh around 60 kilos. Hope you have some muscle to help you lift it:)

Rocker

[BobL]

Houston, we have table top. Hooray.:)

but not without tears and headache though.:o

Wongo, sounds like raising a child! Anyway, I think it is a "solid" achievement and think of the inspiration and example to the rest of us.

Cheers

[Auld Bassoon]

Ahh Scott!

What with all those timbers in there, diners won't know if they are coming or going mate!

It's just no good at all, so I'll have to ask you to send it here for my new workbench - just trying to help, you understand? :D :D :D

[Wild Dingo]

Now Ive patiently sat back and watched and waited for my brother from another mother Wongo to get to this point... I will say this...


WELL DONE!!!:cool:


Thats "Velly goo jlob" to your chingalese mates Wongo me boyoh :p

I must object to one thing though mate... why did you sack the little offsider? She seemed to be doin a great job and very enthusiastic too from that one wee pic of the little pixie ;) Should be more hoonberries in the sheds helpin their old pharts make stuff I reckon :cool:

I was goin to pipe up and say about the top... make it FRIGGIN HEAVY AS!!! since its a table it aint plannin on goin anywhere in a hurry generally one puts a table somewhere and thats where it stays so make the buggar heavy!!

Anyway shes a beauty mate :cool:

You do realize that you have now caused me serious issues with myself dont you? I mean Ive had this bloody table out in the shed for over a month now... everything cut out even the damned top is cut and ready... gotta trim and treat the legs and heart with a bit of tenderness and shape them how I want them and then make and steam bend a Oregon (white) circle to bead around the outside of the Jarrah (red) circle top (4ft across) then I will still have to decide on a design to put on the lazy susan that will sit in the middle... but boy am I slack :o :rolleyes:

Green one comin your way mate!:cool:

[Wongo]

After a coat of sanding sealer and 4 coats of wipe-on poly, the table is finally completed. It is pretty heavy and I reckon it must be at least 80kg. It is tough and I am sure my 2 little girls will look after it well.:o

Our first impression was it is too high. I checked and double checked with my in-laws’ table and they are exactly the same height. It might take a little while to get used to it. Now I need to make a bench for the kids so we don’t have to borrow chairs from next door next time we have people over for dinner.

It would have been great to use Jarrah for the project. But hey we are talking about $1,000 to $0 here so I am not complaining.

:)

[Mirboo]

Great job Wongo. I really like the look of the patchwork top.

[BobR]

Came up nice Wongo. There has got to be a song in there for Dolly Parton - a table of many colours???? :eek:

[Lignum]

Looks brilliant:D :D You could quiet easly start a trend with tables like that. Now all you need to do is get rid of them chairs and make a set with all the various timbers in to match:D :D

[A trendy gallery would pay/sell something like that for big $$$$ ]

[zenwood]

A real woodworker's table there, and shows off the wood so well. Very nicely done.

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Wow! What a pity it'll probably be hidden under a table-cloth when you have guests for tucker.

[Harry72]

Very nice Wongy

[Rocker]

Wongo,

You have done a great job making a beautiful and very sericeable table from offcuts and shorts. But you need to get a couple of floodlights for photographing your work. My photography has improved out of sight since Major demonstrated this simple secret - that you need plenty of light to get a decent picture.

Rocker

[reef12]

A little late but great job all the way around.

Very good.;)

[dan_tom]

Great table Wongo! You'd never want to cover it with a table cloth! Maybe get some placemats or something for dinner parties and then let your guests enjoy "picking the timber species" and exploring the jigsaw puzzle! I like the thickness of the table - looks sturdy and strong.

Cheers
Dan

[Bodgy]

Well done Scotty.

Now comes the true nightmare - chairs!!!

[zenwood]

Did you use M&Ts to connect the aprons to the legs? If so, I'm wondering if the 45 degree corner pieces are necessary. Also, how are they connected (bit hard to see in the pics)?

[Wongo]

David, I think a humble digital camera will do me for now.:o

Zenwood, yes it is M&T and yes the 45 degree blocks are probably unnecessary but they probably won’t do any harm.:o I don’t understand the "how are they connected" bit. Glue???

Bodgy, I think I will have to put up with those cheap chairs for a while.:o

Lignum, a real compliment thanks mate.:) All I have to do is tell people that I am an artist or interior designer. You know long hair and a bit more feminine.:D (Remember that lolly-pop sticks chair from the other thread??:D )


There will be no table cloth or stuffing around with coasters. It is there to be abused. It is made for the girls to spill drinks or knock it with their chopsticks.:cool:

[Lignum]

There will be no table cloth or stuffing around with coasters. It is there to be abused. It is made for the girls to spill drinks or knock it with their chopsticks.:cool:

How refreshing to hear. In 20 years time the table will have the Wongo family history stamped all over it and will be and passed down and treasured by your family hopefully for the next generation of little Wongo`s:D

[Auld Bassoon]

Super job Scott!

Do guests get an extra dessert if they can identify all species present? :)

[Wongo]

Oh zenwood, do yon mean how the top is attached to the base?

I used the biscuit joiner to cut the grooves on the apron and you can work out the rest.:)

[AlexS]

Great result Scott, that's a table to be danced on!:D
Now you need to make at least 8 chairs to go with it....
...so what are you waiting for? get out there and find some more free timber.;)

[Wongo]

Finished the benches today. The top are made from blackbutt and the legs are ironbark (horrible stuff:mad: ). I wish I had a domino jointer for the job. Cutting the mortises would be a lot easier and quicker.:o

Cheers:)

[Lignum]

Very, very nice benches. The whole setting looks sensational. Well done:D

[Al B]

Great job Wongo. The table and benches came out really good. Glad to hear that you won't be covering up the table top with a table cloth. As always Well Done mate.

[martrix]

Cool......solid work Wongo http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/images/icons/icon14.gif.

[JackG]

The table and benches look really good from design and construction point of view, they will outlast anything you can buy at a reasonable price.

The back legs and rest of the chairs looks nice and inviting but the turned legs in front and square in back are a bit... different.

Grats

[Harry72]

Very nice Wongy, greeny well deserved!

[Wongo]

The back legs and rest of the chairs looks nice and inviting but the turned legs in front and square in back are a bit... different.

Jack, I bought them a few years ago before I started WW. Cheap Indonesian made at $70 a pop. :o They won't be around for much longer.:cool:

[coedcae]

Scott what can I say but beautiful work and the mixing of the timbers makes for great effect, a talking point I am sure.
A greenie on it's way.

Regards Peter

[TassieKiwi]

Have a virtual greenie mate - very nice job there. Good effort!

[AlexS]

Great result Scott, everything goes well together.

[Wongo]

This is another dining table I made for a neighbour. The wood came from Studley’s bargain wood.:cool:

Cracks and holes are filled with casting resin. 2 tough lessons I learned here.

1.It takes a lot of casting resin to fill up all the holes (and all the secret tunnels). It is bloody expensive. 3 tins 1.5 litres and 2 bottles of hardener costed $70:( (considering the wood only costs me say $20:eek: )

2.It is very hard to sand it off. Very very hard.:o

[thetassiebfg]

Another nice table Mr Wongo Sir.. almost worthy of its own post

Casting resin is a pain isnt it.. I used some for a clock and couldnt figure out where it was all going.. Had a nice pool underneath where it had oozed out of a couple of till now unknown fissures.

Still you saved all that money on timber it had to go somewhere didn't it

Andrew

[Rocker]

Wongo,

Tables are all very well, but isn't it time you tackled that slightly more demanding project that you have been procrastinating about for nearly a year now?:) I think you know what I mean:D

Rocker

[Wild Dingo]

It would have been great to use Jarrah for the project. But hey we are talking about $1,000 to $0 here so I am not complaining.

:)

Yer what??? Sorry but a $1000 for enough Jarrah for a table? :eek: Man I am sooooo blaise about Jarrah! :rolleyes: ...seriously $1000 for a few planks of Jarrah and a couple of 3bys? Man... Im sittin on a bloody fortune here!! :cool:

A question... dont you round over the edges at all? I mean there looks to be some seriously sharp edges there... a bit of a roll over specially on the top corners and the legs may help defray any potential little nipper blood letting eh?

Both tables have come up a treat Scot well done... love the first one beautifully done :cool:

[Clinton1]

have a virtual greenie Wongo, 'puter won't let me give you one.

Wild Dingo - maybe the reason he didn't round the table's edges over is because he doesn't like the neighbours kids?

[Wongo]

Dingo, I don’t really like round edges on a table top. It doesn’t do it for me.

Rocker, I was actually thinking about it this morning. The thing is I have a 5yr old and a 1 year old in the house. There is no place for a rocking chair at the moment. It is probably a bit dangerous if Emily is still crawling. Seriously I really want to build one but not now.

[Auld Bassoon]

I agree with a flat table top, but I like to chamfer the underside to give the appearance of a thinner top.

[Rocker]

Scott,

I see your point about a rocker being dangerous for babies in the crawling stage; not quite in the same league as SUVs, though. Maybe in a year or two you can get started:)

Rocker

[Tex B]

Nice one Wongo.

Did you use the flooring for the top, or has that been resawn from the structural?

Looks very good. Greenie to you.

Tex

[Wongo]

Tex, the top is made from the structural wood. It is a thick top.

[Wild Dingo]

Dingo, I don’t really like round edges on a table top. It doesn’t do it for me.

No worries each to their own eh? :cool: Actually Id prefer the same except I have...


The thing is I have a 5yr old and a 1 year old in the house. There is no place for a rocking chair at the moment. It is probably a bit dangerous if Emily is still crawling.

oh right sorry I sorta thought maybe you said something about
I have a 5yr old and a 1 year old in the house. something like that :rolleyes: I may have heard wrong or read it wrong but mate Im sure you said something like...

oooohhhh...


a 5yr old and a 1 year old ;)

Of course I could be wrong about that eh? :o But no there it is... YOU DID SAY THAT!!! :eek: Soooo given that you have a 5 year old AND a 1 year old surely me ol mate that a tot and a toddler need some sort of protection? I mean they do tottle an toddle and womble an stagger from time to time an most times theyre in a hurry to do whatever the are into at that moment... and WHACK!! :eek: :(

surely a small round over on the edges would offer protection for THEIR wee noggins from the bumps and cwashes of bein widdle?

Mate Im tryin to do this happily without any anamosity or yellin or anything like that... as you know me ol chingalese mate I like you and your mob along with your work I reckon its damned good :cool: But as a dad of 8 nippers and having made several tables and coffee tables over the years the first of which I did like you have because thats how I liked it... and with one quick toddle tumble cwash scream cry and a bit of blood letting from said little ones forehead I am forever convinced that my own tastes can come second in deference to my nippers noggins and since that first table every table Ive made has had the edges rounded either a large rounding over or just slightly to take the sharp edge off... it makes a massive difference to their falling near or into a tables outcome... and a major difference to my sanity! Man when one nipper screams in pain how the others howl in sympathy! :eek:

Just my thoughts mate... you like em that way and your wee ones cant have whacked their scones against an edge yet and drawn blood from the sharpness you keep doin it your way and good luck to you and your wee ones! Seriously! :cool:

For me though my thoughts tastes and personal preferences are put aside when it comes to the nippers... hell I know Im gonna make several more tables before Im done and I'll no doubt make us anothery when the last of the nippers leave home THEN I can make one any way I personally want it... (albeit with consideration to possibly a lot more grandnippers to come) But till then theyre more important than what I like in a table

Sorry but that argument just doesnt cut it with me mate :rolleyes: specially when you wont have a rocker in the house because its to dangerous... while agreeing a rocker with a crawler is damned dangerous sharp edges on a table leg or top can also be damned dangerous to toddlers and crawlers

BUT!!! That said the tables are bloody excellent.. and well up to your usual great standard mate! :cool:

[Wongo]

Dingo, I did sand all the corners round and smooth. They are not sharp at all.

[Wild Dingo]

Well then!! Thats bedda eh! :cool:

ahem... I knew that! :p