Thread: Side Table design

Originally Posted by CgT

I think she'd appreciate it if I threw in some yellowheart and rosewood.

I'm wondering if that might make it a little too busy? It's only a small table, 5 timbers seems like a bit much to me
Other than that, I like it

Originally Posted by CgT

Would anyone care to offer an opinion on my sketchup design for my sisters side table. It's to sit beside a very loud coloured arm chair, she's rather fond of bright furniture.
The wood is purpleheart, new guinea walnut and silver ash. It's about 320w x 520d x 590h. Every piece of the NGW I've touched has been ornery as hell but I love the look when its finished.
I've included the silver ash to highlight the purpleheart when it darkens with age and to add a little more colour. I think she'd appreciate it if I threw in some yellowheart and rosewood.



I haven't decided whether I like the mitre joints or the bevel on the top trim and I had a mishap with the tapering jig so they're much higher than I had originally planned.
All criticism is welcome

Hi Craig
is your sister's furniture delicate or chunky?

because you have incorporated a low shelf, your design can be very light -- 25 x 25 legs and shallow (35 mm) aprons because the shelf really stiffens the structure. The shelf could be supported on 20 mm deep stretchers

personally I think the purple heart panels are too large and the design would have more impact if the legs and frame were purple heart and the panels a contrasting wood or colour.

are the top and shelf solid wood or veneered ply / MDF / particle board? If solid wood I'd be concerned about enclosing the panel in any sort of frame.

I find the purple heart panel on just one apron very much in your face -- but that might really appeal to your sister. in terms of making a very bold statement, you may care to consider incorporating some of this material Simulated Natural Material Sheets - Lee Valley Tools

Originally Posted by elanjacobs

I'm wondering if that might make it a little too busy?

I totally agree, my tastes definitely run to the more conservative side

Hi Ian,

The chair that this will sit beside is rather chunky. It's mainly a gloss black background with lots of splashes of different colours and a few flowers thrown in.
The purple heart panels I've already resawn to about 12 mm thickness and glued up. That top panel of purple heart is about 280 W x 480 L, will movement be a worry? I think your definitely right swapping the woods would look much better but as my sister forked out for the timber it wasn't really an option.
The panel at the front is actually a drawer face, I did have a knob on there but sketchup can be bloody frustrating trying to position stuff at times. I just plan to use a small brass knob.
I really like those simulated materials, would break up all that purple really well. Haven't tried inlay before though and not sure this is the right project to try.

Cheers and thanks for the advice

Craig

so, your design choices include a relatively heavy frame (say 45 mm), deep (100 mm) aprons and no lower shelf.
I personally think this would look better than the semi-delicate frame you have designed.

if you are careful, you could frame the purple heart top with a mixture of long and short grain NG walnut.
alternatively, the top could float in the mitered frame.

I'd also make the drawer face flush with the apron.

for construction ideas, Derek Cohen made a sofa table last year which incorporated a neat drawer.

A few edits and some dimensions to give perspective

Side Table mkII.jpg

I had a look at Derek's sofa table thread, sadly the last batch of photos are gone. I was really enjoying his process but it was a bit of an anti-climax
I like the smaller drawer, although I've always preferred an overlay. I'll leave that decision till later in the build.

Originally Posted by CgT

I had a look at Derek's sofa table thread, sadly the last batch of photos are gone. I was really enjoying his process but it was a bit of an anti-climax

try here http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furnitu...bleAprons.html
here http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furnitu...retDrawer.html
and http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furnitu...ompletion.html

Thanks for the links ian, that is a beautiful piece.
I've tried a different look to the shelf, any improvement?

Side Table mkIII.jpg

This was her desired look only brighter
Hadley+End+Table+With+Storage%A0.jpg

Originally Posted by CgT

This was her desired look only brighter
Hadley+End+Table+With+Storage%A0.jpg

OK.

This is how I think I'd make a table "like that only brighter" using purpleheart, NG Walnut, Silver Ash, Yellow Heart and Rosewood
1. restrict the colour pallet to 3 shades. Purple Heart (being a given), silver ash (or Yellowheart) and probably NG Walnut.
2. make the purpleheart top all one piece -- i.e. not a frame and panel. The top will be thin, but you can add a molding to the underside to add the appearance of thickness.
3. add a 3mm wide (by 2mm deep) silver ash (or yellowheart) stringing to the top as a "frame", set-in a distance approximately equal to the overhang.
4. legs and aprons using all one wood -- NG Walnut. The legs on the model are probably 38 or 45 square tapering below the shelf to around 20 (or 25 mm) at the floor.
5. lower shelf. Personally I think using Purpleheart for the shelf is too busy. IMO, the top should cry "look at me" -- hence the purpleheart with silver ash stringing -- with the shelf being understated. My pick would be the same wood for the shelf as used for the legs and aprons, and no stringing.
6. attaching the lower shelf will be very tricky if, as you show, the shelf extends into the legs. I think I'd support the shelf on brass or stainless steel pins.
7. I'd make the drawer full width (at least for the drawer face) as it will make the construction measurably less complex. I'd use Silver ash / yellowheart cock-beading or stringing to outline the drawer face.

will the drawer be traditional or mounted on slides?
If on slides, I'd attach the runners to a plywood drawer box.

If you do a little research into "The Golden Mean" you may find it helpful in proportioning furniture.

I should of asked advice before I started this build, but it was just one of many mistakes. Just a couple more coats of oil and it's finished.

WP_20180620_001.jpg

Sorry for the crappy photo.

Craig

Thanks for the photo.
I can't make out how the bottom shelf is attached to the legs.

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