Thread: WIP: Create from a crate project

Looks interesting.

I dressed the frame pieces to size, and marked the short sides, then cut them slightly oversize. The mitres were done on the disc sander and planed to get a close fit. The clamping jig is used to check the fit.
clamping jig.jpg

Inside the frame will be a simple veneered pattern, so I dressed some of the cross pieces from the pallet and cut thick veneers. At present, they are about 3mm thick, but will be dressed and sanded thinner, then further sanded when assembled to bring them flush with the frames.
Veneers.jpg

After sanding the veneers to a uniform thickness, I laid them out so that I could get the necessary number of triangles from them. I would have liked to have used only one or two types of timber in the veneers, but unfortunately there wasn't enough of any type to do this, so I worked on what I had.
Veneer panels.jpg

These were then cut and planed to size to fit the table frame while it was clamped in the gluing jig. There is an interesting mix of timber in them. Some looks like Tasmanian myrtle (it's not, though) and another looks like blackheart sassafras.
Joining veneers.jpg

Now they are glued together, they will be put through the drum sander again remove any unevenness, then attached to the ply backing and mounted in the frames.

Looking interesting.

Regards

Wow. Love the veneers.

I've now started gluing up the tops. The veneers are glued to a ply back which is recessed into the sides. The veneer sits slightly proud of the sides, and will be sanded down. In the past, I've stuck the veneers to the ply, then in a separate step, the sides were glued up around the panel. This time, I'm having a go at doing them all in one hit to try & save a bit of time. We shall see how effective this is.
Before gluing, I put wax everywhere on the jig and on the table top that there is likely to be any squeeze out. I'm using Techniglue.
Gluing top.jpg

While doing the second top, one of the blocks on the jig that I clamp on came adrift. This, of course, forced the sides to slide out of position and dislodge the top, all happening while the glue is going off on a warm day. I had to quickly drill and temporarily re-attach the block, re-assemble and clamp while trying not to get glue everywhere.
As I don't have a vacuum bag, the panel has a piece of triangular MDF under it which holds the sides just off the jig, and another piece on top that acts as a caul.
Here's the first top glued up.
Top glued.jpg

I'm about to remove the third top from the jig and clean off the squeeze-out.

It's looking good mate. Good work

A bit late for the pallet challenge.

Will be watching this one.

watching and learning

All the assembled tops were sanded all over to 800 grit and given a coat of shellac as a sanding sealer. This is just one of the configurations they can be set up in.
Table tops.jpg

Now it's time to start on the legs. Like most of the timber, it has nail holes, voids and splits that need to be filled. Again, I've used West System epoxy. Getting it into the holes involved spinning it down with a broken drill running in reverse, poking it down with wire and having multiple goes.
Legs filled.jpg

Once the voids were filled, the overflow was cleaned up and the legs were squared. They then had to be sawn to the shapes needed. The legs at the right-angle corners are simply a square with one corner cut off, easy to do on the table saw. However, the kite-shaped ones at the 45 deg. corners can't be done on the TS, (well, they can, but never again!) so I set up the bandsaw to do them on it. Before cutting, they are marked out accurately on both ends and the sides.
Sawing corner legs.jpg

The second cut can be done on the table saw after the bandsaw cut is dressed.
Legs shaped 1.jpg

Legs shaped 2.jpg

The legs are then planed to the marked lines, and the tenons that will attach them to the tables turned. It is important to turn the tenons accurately to size, as if they are too loose, it will be difficult to glue them up accurately later on.
Tenons turned.jpg

At last, the dry fit of the first table. The distance between the faces on each pair of legs is measured accurately and marked on the underside so the stretchers will be the correct length. The stretchers are more decorative than structural, but they should help with accurate assembly.

I'm supposed to send a completed photo tomorrow, so it looks like an early start!

Well I didn't get them completed, but I took some pics of them at the stage I'd reached. Legs temporarily mounted to tops.
19 Square.jpg

18 Rectangular.jpg

20 Triangle.jpg

I've also made the stretchers and am in the process of fitting them. Then it's a lot of sanding & shellacking the legs and stretchers, light sand all over, assemble & oil.

Did I tell you I hate sanding?

Looking good.

I made the triangular stretchers by machining boards to the correct thickness, then cutting the triangular sections on the table saw. Rounded triangular tenons were cut on the ends of the stretchers, to fit holes drilled in the legs. These aren't a tight fit, but I'll use gap-filling epoxy to hold them.
I'm on the down hill run now. I lightly sanded all the shellacked parts to 800 and cleaned them off with white spirits.

To glue up.I'm using Techniglue epoxy tinted with ochre & umber. First, I dry assemble each table and put floor wax around all the joints where there is likely to be any squeeze out. Gluing up needs to be done in a particular order. First, put glue on the three circular mortices on the underside of the table. Then put glue on the tenons of the two kite shaped legs that go on the 45 deg corners, and also in the circular mortices for the stretchers. Then put glue on all the tenons on the stretchers.

Put one tenon of the long stretcher into its mortice, put the mortice in the other leg onto its tenon, then fit the leg to the table top. Put the tenons on the two two shorter stretchers part way into their mortices, and put glue on the joints of the third leg. Fit the the remaining stretcher tenons into their porticoes and push the third leg in, then fit it to the table top. Push all legs firmly home.

Clamp the legs lightly as shown, then put a ratchet strap clamp around the three legs and tighten it to close up the stretcher joints. Then, check that each leg is perpendicular to the table top. You need to do this check at least twice for each leg, i.e. once against each side of the top. To adjust them, adjust the position of the clamp. When you think you have them all correct, check them all again, and make sure the stretcher joints are all closed up.
Gluing legs & stretchers.jpg

After the glue has dried but before it has completely set (about four hours depending on temperature) remove the clamps and pare the squeeze-out off with a chisel. The wax will cause it to come away easily. Then remove all the wax with white spirits, a toothbrush and paper towels.

Stretcher joints 2.jpgStretcher joints 1.jpg

As I said before, the stretchers are not necessary structurally, but I believe they add to the appearance of the tables.

love them.