WIP: Side table in oregon

**zenwood** · 21st August 2005, 11:31 PM

Well the shelves are on hold while I wait for a special order of stain. So decided to put some of my recycled oregon to use.

The brief was to replace the crappy chipboard side table that was acquired as a freebie that someone was throwing out. Part of a set of three nested tables, it fell apart after a few weeks of the kids using it to eat off, sit on, foot rest, etc. SWMBO wanted another set of nesting tables, but I couldn't figure out how to make them strong enough. I dispensed with the nesting requirement, and decided to use some of my nice recycled oregon to make a reasonably solid table in traditional style.
The glued up frame. This table is a bit of an experiment for the doweled joints, to see if they survive the stresses that destroyed the chipboard one. There are five dowels per joint, done with the good ole' OzzieJig.
The top is probably thicker than it needs to be, determined by the thickness of the recycled stock. Couldn't be bothered sending it throught the thicknesser, or resawing it (felt lazy). Decided to incorporate big bevels underneath to lighten the look. SWMBO was given a design option to leave the top rectangular or to copy the 1955s-style curves of the original. Of course, she liked the curve. Some work on the bandsaw, followed by a compass plane, drawknife, spokeshave, and files resulted in a fair curve on all four sides.
Will join the top to the base with sliding buttons in the grooves in the stretchers.
The underside of the top, showing the large beveled edges.

The colour in these photos varies amazingly. Photo 4 shows the best colour, this oregon is quite a dark orange, and the top is the same colour as the base.

Any suggestions for a nice drink- and foodspill-proof finish?

**RufflyRustic** · 22nd August 2005, 10:14 AM

Hi Zenwood, what a great idea. Love the oregon colour. A finish? varnish? maybe not as it will add extra yellow. epoxy maybe? I suppose shellac and wax wouldn't be good for the top.

cheers
RufflyRustic

**AlexS** · 22nd August 2005, 10:16 AM

Originally Posted by zenwood

Couldn't be bothered sending it throught the thicknesser, or resawing it (felt lazy). Decided to incorporate big bevels underneath to lighten the look.

Haven't you just bought a new bandsaw? thought you'd jump at any opportunity to give it a work out.

The bevels are a great way of lightening the look - looking forward to seeing it finished.

**Wood Borer** · 22nd August 2005, 10:23 AM

What a lovely looking table.

Any reason you went with the dowells rather than mortice and tenon?

**zenwood** · 22nd August 2005, 10:56 AM

Thanks for the comments guys.

Originally Posted by AlexS

Haven't you just bought a new bandsaw?

Bandsaw usage in this project: (1) freehanded the tapers on the legs (then smoothed out the bandsaw marks with a plane). (2) cut the curved sides on the top. I thought of using the bandsaw to cut the bevels by tilting the table to 45 degrees and freehanding the curve, but didn't like the thought of holding the piece so it didn't slide off, and following the curve at the same time. Will maybe try the technique on some scrap first.

As it turned out, resawing on the bandsaw would have been easier than putting the bevels underneath. Oh, well...next time.

Originally Posted by Wood Borer

Any reason you went with the dowells rather than mortice and tenon?

Laziness, and a desire to see if the dowelled joints could stand the punishment of life with the kids in the TV room

. If they fail, I'll know that M&T are a minimum requirement for pieces like this, and might even buy a mortiser. I do have a couple of old pig-sticker mortise chisels, but they do tend to make a mess of the workpiece. Maybe it's just my technique of pounding away and levering out the chips...

**baltic** · 22nd August 2005, 11:41 PM

Looking good Zen,

Did you contemplate tapering the four side of the legs?

I like the bevelled edge table top, and good work recyling!

Cheers Gary

**Harry72** · 23rd August 2005, 12:30 AM

Coming up good Zen, I dont think the top looks to thick it suits the stout legs.
Do you find the oregon a PITA to work with?
Oregon is high strength with low weight and stays reasonably straight after cutting, but it splinters and tears out easily also hard to get a smooth flat to touch finish.
Would you agree?

**zenwood** · 23rd August 2005, 07:43 AM

Baltic: I prefer two-sided tapers, especially when the tapers are quite dramatic, as here. What do you think of four-sided ones?

harry: The oregon was fine to work with. These boards are pretty fine grained and the top came up a treat with the #4. The legs came up really well too: shiny smooth. The curved bevels underneath the top are a bit rougher for some reason, but I don't mind a bit of a hand-made look there. The strechers were made from a different board, obviously faster growth, with much wider growth rings, and I got some minor splintering of 1 piece from an edge corner. Not really a splinter; just broke off really

PS I got a CMT 'melamine crosscut' saw blade for the TS a few weeks ago. The surface it leaves is beautiful and shiny, and there are NO feathery wispy bits at the edge, and no chipouts anywhere, even that last teeny corner that sometimes tends to chip off. Highly recommended.

**zenwood** · 23rd August 2005, 07:47 AM

Made the buttons for the top. Did them out of oregon, too. I think they'll work OK. (These were crosscut using a rip blade. The difference between the surfaces left by this and the crosscut blade is very evident.)

Should I have used hardwood for the buttons?

Took a pic of the top sitting on the base. Looks ok. Little bit chunky for me, but goes with the idea of 'strong'.

Have decided to use some leftover exterior grade gloss polyurethane (monocel - ?) for a finish. Should be tough.

**Wongo** · 23rd August 2005, 07:52 AM

Brother, you have been a very busy man. I like what I see.

Oh! To your question I would suggest PolyU.

**growl** · 24th August 2005, 04:48 PM

Hey zenwood,

Your table looks strong. Can't see the kids breaking it. That's why I went for the lower rails on my thin legs (30mm sq). Keep the buggars from sitting on it and spoiling the piece. :0

Keep up the good work!!

Greg

**zenwood** · 24th August 2005, 04:51 PM

Yeah: the absence of lower rails was copied from the nesting table. This one could nest too, but the one that goes underneath would have to be mighty small.

**MajorPanic** · 24th August 2005, 10:48 PM

Yo Zenwood,

Looking good!!!

Glad to see you are using timber buttons to hold down the top!

**la Huerta** · 25th August 2005, 12:17 AM

i like your buttons mate, i usually do the kirf a little biger and the buttons to suit, but yours is thinner and looks better, in fact the whole table looks bloody good...

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