first table

[avengers63]

I don't know if this qualifies as Big Stuff, but where else should it go?

In a month or two, I'll be making a pair of end tables for the family room. As a precursor to and practice run for the end tables, I'm making a small table for our foyer. It's made from mahogany with bookmatched canarywood shelves. I took the basic pattern from WOOD Magazine. Saturday I managed to get all of the mahogany cut.

magazine pages (http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff15/avengers63/tables/foyer/wip01.jpg)
[/URL][URL="http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff15/avengers63/tables/foyer/wip03.jpg"]canarywood (http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff15/avengers63/tables/foyer/wip01.jpg)

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff15/avengers63/tables/foyer/wip02.jpg

The instructions say to form the legs first, then form the base. Last is the shelf & top. The shelf & top are done last so you can use the exact measurements from the base instead of running the possibility of a slight mis-measurement which would throw the whole thing off.

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff15/avengers63/tables/foyer/wip04.jpg

To do the tapers, I measured it all out and drew the lines nice & dark. I then SLOWLY ran them through the bandsaw, cutting as close to the line without actually hitting it as I could. I took them to the line on the disk sander.

Next up, I got to play with one of my Christmas presents: a Krieg pocket screw jig. I gotta say it's incredibly easy to use. I don't like that the screws are proprietary, but the price of them is about the same as generic screws, co I guess I can't complain.

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff15/avengers63/tables/foyer/wip05.jpg

Here's the test fit of the base.

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff15/avengers63/tables/foyer/wip06.jpg

test fit 2 (http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff15/avengers63/tables/foyer/wip07.jpg)

I disassembled everything and sanded it all up to 220. Construction wise, I'll be at a standstill until my new bandsaw blades come in and I can re-saw the canary. On the good side, this will allow me the opportunity to put a finish on the other pieces.

[Wooden Mechanic]

First of all, table looks great! So does the canary wood!

Second, wont the small surface area of the feet create less material on the actual ground and intern create an unstable table?

Lastly, I don't want to come off as critical or a grump, but why did you use the kreg on the struts along the bottom? It would have look better to use a Mortise and Tenon, from an aesthetically pleasing point of view. :)

Any way, construction looks good, and you should be happy with it!

Thanks Harlan.

[avengers63]

Wont the small surface area of the feet create less material on the actual ground and intern create an unstable table?

Got me. This is my first shot. The way I figure it, as long as the feet are level and even, it should be OK. I guess we'll find out in a week or two. :roll:


I don't want to come off as critical or a grump, but why did you use the kreg on the struts along the bottom? It would have look better to use a Mortise and Tenon, from an aesthetically pleasing point of view.

There will be a shelf on the bottom as well with a small lip that comes down. It should effectively hide the screws. Second, this is a "basic built" project. The construction is as simple as possible. Third, I've never done a M&T joint. Honestly, I'm not in a big hurry to try. I don't plan on doing a lot of furniture, so I don't figure I'll need it. For now, dowels & biscuits are just fine. I considered putting a biscuit on all of the joints, but the table won't be getting a lot of weight or moved around much, so I think the screws will be enough.

When the whole thing is done, I'll be adding a few spots of glue to the joints. No, I don't really expect it to do a lot since it's 50% end grain, but it'll make me feel better.

[artme]

Looks gr8 m8!:2tsup::2tsup::2tsup:

[Wooden Mechanic]

There will be a shelf on the bottom as well with a small lip that comes down. It should effectively hide the screws. Second, this is a "basic built" project. The construction is as simple as possible. Third, I've never done a M&T joint. Honestly, I'm not in a big hurry to try. I don't plan on doing a lot of furniture, so I don't figure I'll need it. For now, dowels & biscuits are just fine. I considered putting a biscuit on all of the joints, but the table won't be getting a lot of weight or moved around much, so I think the screws will be enough.

When the whole thing is done, I'll be adding a few spots of glue to the joints. No, I don't really expect it to do a lot since it's 50% end grain, but it'll make me feel better.

Ok, well then you shouldn't have a problem.
The Mortise and Tenon is not only used in furniture making, you can use it in structural joints as well, it's a good joint to be able to do. Congrats on the table looking as good as it does, it should come up nice with the canary wood. You given any consideration as to what finish you are putting on it?

As for the feet, was only wondering, it should be ok as you say.

Keep up the good work!

Harlan

[avengers63]

You given any consideration as to what finish you are putting on it?

The wife wants a matte finish, I want something easy & quick, so I'll be using poly. I haven't decided yet if I'll fill the grain or not.

[avengers63]

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff15/avengers63/tables/foyer/wip08.jpg
http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff15/avengers63/tables/foyer/wip09.jpg
http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff15/avengers63/tables/foyer/wip10.jpg

The legs of the table are all finished and screwed together. I coated them with a liberal base coat of satin poly, buffed with steel wool, then hit it with 2 thin coats of the same finish. Next up is construction of the canarywood top & shelf.

[jerryc]

I have to say that I am not in favour of using screws in wood construction. It is for some a matter of aesthics but more importantly it is a matter of engineering.
Screws being rigid steel rely on the grip of a tapered thread to do all the gripping and wood is a live material, that is it expands and contracts and is softer that the screw. Any strength is therefore reliant on two flat surfaces remaining flat and in contact.
Equally I'm no fan of dowels.
With your limited interest and desire in furniture building my advice is to use biscuit joints and a good PVA glue where possible.

With all that said, my congratulations of a fine effort.

Jerry

[avengers63]

You know Jerry, I can't disagree with you one bit. Plain butt end joints screwed together is not the picture of long-term strength or durability.

That being said, from the beginning this has been designed and intended to be a very basic project to introduce me to some furniture-making fundamentals. I'm using this as a "practice piece" before tackling the end tables.

I recently bought a biscuit joiner specifically so I can use it on the end tables. I haven't decided yet if I'll be completely abandoning the pocket screws or simply supplementing the joint with the biscuits... maybe a mix of both depending on the specific joint.




I really appreciate the input, advice, and encouragement I get here from y'all. :2tsup:

[jerryc]

I use mortice and tenon fairly often as being the best method however I have found that prperly understood, the biscuit will do most of the work that the average woodworker requires. Just recently I made a large and heavy suspended vanity unit and all joints were biscuit. The ease of marking out and speed of assembly leaves most other systems in the dust. Add to that the matter of strength and it's a system hard to go past. One other job I tackled recently was a full kitchen.

As to finish, please don't just reach for the poly. Consider learning a little about shellac. Ordinary shellac flakes store indefinately, so you only mix what you need.. It can be wiped on and dries fast so there is no dust problem. It is easily repaired. As the orange flakes give a wonderful depth of finish to the wood. There is a great deal of info on this forum so use the search facility.
One warning. As with many things, people sometimes give advice who have no personal practical experience in the product they advse on. Example. Often the warning on shellac is that you can't use it on a horizontal surface. Spill some wine on it and you are in trouble. Well I've spilt wine on it and it's OK. I spilt some shellac on my bench and later tried to wipe it off with meth. Shellac is still there. Get some shellac, get some scrap and play.

Jerry

[avengers63]

I actually use shellac a lot. I've found it to be the easiest to use of the three major film finishes (shellac, lacquer, and poly). The drawback with it is it's lesser durability in comparison to the other two. I'm not really good with brushing poly yet, so I wanted some practice using it. Combine that with the fact that it's extremely durable and it cures very quickly, that's why I chose it for this particular project.

[avengers63]

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff15/avengers63/tables/foyer/f1.jpg

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff15/avengers63/tables/foyer/f2.jpg

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff15/avengers63/tables/foyer/f3.jpg

All done with my first table. :U It was a lot easier than I thought it was going to be. The only thing I wish would have been different is the canarywood. There's not much contrast between it and the mahogany. It doesn't look bad, but it could look better with a different wood.

[JourneyMan]

Nice work - looks like it came up great in the last photos. Mitres look spot on too.

I agree with everyone about not using screws etc, but all of those comments/criticisms are besides the point here. Like you said from the start, the project was for learning and it looks like it turned out perfectly. Now lets see one with no metal :2tsup:

[ficfac]

I think the canary wood looks very nice :)

[Honorary Bloke]

Apropos to your belief that Kreg only works with their proprietary screws, McFeely's sells generic pocket hole screws in all sizes and threads. :)

Decide against the bottom shelf?

[avengers63]

Apropos to your belief that Kreg only works with their proprietary screws, McFeely's sells generic pocket hole screws in all sizes and threads. :)

Decide against the bottom shelf?

We don't have a McFeely's around here. Thery're not much more than regular screws, so it's not a big deal.

The bottom shelf... yea. Well, when I measures it all up, then re-measures it because I'm a klutz, and cut it and STILL got it too short. :doh: So now we're just going to do without.

[Sandow]

Nice table there mate, really like the top personally :)