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Flat Screen Table Build

13K views 17 replies 6 participants last post by  kdc68 
#1 ·
Design and top glue up and machine

Recently my family and I moved from West Texas to Northeast Tennessee. As part of the process we all put some specific wants on a wish list as we began looking for our new home. For me it was space for a woodshop. Mission accomplished. Over the years, I have completed countless woodworking projects as needed during remodels of our homes, but I've had minimal experience building furniture.

So with that in mind….. I have designed and am building a table for our flat screen TV. The goal was to build a piece that would accommodate the typical electronics associated with TVs today and it had to match our Queen Anne style end tables.

Here is my sketchup (I don't have design software) of the table but I have developed scale drawings on graph paper


Concerned about my ability to make the cabriole legs in this first project, I purchased maple legs from a source here in TN. After measuring up everything, I purchased about 50 BF of kiln dried maple from a lumber mill about 40 miles from my home and got to work.

Since I have an 13 inch planer, I knew smoothing the top would be by hand, so I decided to try that first. After reading endlessly, I picked out 2 nine inch wide boards from what I had purchased, ran them through my planer to get them a uniform thickness, then hand planed the edges with the Stanley #29 that I had purchased recently. Glued them up and started hand planing the top again with my #29 (because that's what I have). I have to admit, once I tuned it (again after much reading on LJ) it was very rewarding "flattening" the top with only the sound of the iron cutting through the wood. (understand that's not how it started).


Once the top was flat, I trimmed the long outside edges straight using a straight edge clamped to the board and my craftsman hand router with a straight bit. Not perfect but the two sides are parallel to within 1/64 end to end. With the edges straight and ends squared , I proceeded to router the edges all around and then sanded. I am pleased with the results so far.


I've just begun rough cutting and planing the lumber for the faces….more to come
 
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#5 ·
Cabinet face....mortise and tenon

I began work on the rails and stiles for the front and back cabinet face. I elected to use mortise and tenons. I began by using my mortise machine but found it pretty cumbersome. ( probably more my lack of experience than a problem with the machine) but quickly moved to drilling out the majority of the material for the mortise and finishing by hand.

I cut a dado on a piece of scrap to serve as a guide for my chisel to ensure the mortise was centered and true.



With only a couple of redo's I am pretty pleased with the way everything fit. It was a lot of good practice before I cut the mortises in the legs for the apron.


Next, cutting the tenons on each end, fitting into the corner posts ( for the lack of another word) cutting and fitting the sides and sanding.

Since this is a first for me, I am unsure about whether I should glue up before staining or stain the pieces individually and then glue up.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Dan
 
#6 ·
Cabinet fit up

With the front and rear cabinet faces fit and glued up I moved on to the corner pieces and sides of the cabinet. I didn't have stock thick enough to make the1-3/4 square corner posts so I glued up some 3/4 thick stock and then milled to final size. After cutting and planing the side panels, I rabetted the ends of the front and rear panels as well as the two side panels. Next I cut the dados on the corner posts to fit the 2 face panels.


Followed that up by cutting dados to fit the side panels and dry fit to ensure everything went together.


!http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f337/brodan/imagejpg1_zps1d47e654.jpg!


After fitting the bottom of the cabinet ( where the electronics will set) and milling slots to allow for clamping the top, I'll odo the final sanding before gluing it together. Next I'll work on the mortises in the legs to receive the apron…..

I'm pleased with the results so far, but I seee where I should have given thought to selecting wood with better aligned grain and color, avoid knots etc….. But as a first piece…."so far so good".

Any and all advice, suggestions, words of caution are appreciated.

Thanks…

Dan
 
#7 ·
Base build

With the cabinet complete, the next step was to cut mortises in the legs and fit the apron. After laying out the mortises, I chopped out most of the stock on the drill press, then chiseled to size. I used a sizing block to ensure each mortise was the right size. Once the mortises were complete, I cut and milled the stock for the aprons and then cut rabbets get each end and fit them to the corresponding leg.







Once the aprons and legs were all fit up, I cut and sanded the detail on the front and rear apron followed up with sanding every thing and then glued up.


Completed assembly….




Next will be finishing. Being maple , I plan to test several different processes to see what yields the most uniform coloring.

Thanks for looking. Appreciate any feedback.

Dan
 
#8 ·
Finishing.....

After gluing up the cabinet and then the legs/skirt assembly, I screwed in the corner braces and clamped the top to the cabinet. I cut a rabbit inside the cabinet and used oak "L" brackets to clamp the top, which will allow for seasonal movement of the top.



I screwed the cabinet to the bottom plate. To allow for seasonal movement of the bottom, I elongated the holes. I then used "l" brackets and rabbits to attach the bottom assembly (legs/skirt) to the cabinet assembly.
Might have been "overkill" accounting for growth but the last thing I want is for the glue joints to break apart.



Being Maple, I rubbed on a solution of diluted shellac, lightly sanded and then stained with min wax red mahogany, which I was not happy with. I then applied several coats of General Finishes Vintage Cherry dye stain, followed by a coat of shellac sprayed on.

 
#13 ·
Finishing

With the table assembled I was ready for finishing….or I thought I was. I wanted the finish to match the end tables in our living room, which have a cherry finish. After reading about the difficulties in staining Maple without making it a splotchy mess, I asked for and received some advice from folks here on LJ. Thanks to all!
Here is the unfinished table…. I was advised to leave it natural but it would not have matched the other furniture.


So the first thing I did was to apply diluted shellac that I lightly sanded once it had dried. I then applied Minwax Red Mahogany gel stain. I was not at all happy with the color. My pride in the build quickly turned into "what have I gotten myself into" thinking.


After more advice and reading and watching videos, I elected to sand it lightly and apply General Finishes water based Vintage Cherry die stain after which I sprayed on a light coat of shellac, followed up by several coats of hand rubbed poly. The pic doesn't reflect the final finish as I've put several coats of poly on since the pic.





I wasn't sure about putting doors on the front but decided to make leaded glass inserts and frame them with Maple to "hide" the electronics. These doors will be hinged at the bottom and I used a spring loaded magnetic catch at the top so that there is no need for a handle or knob.



Of course now I suppose I need to repeat everything I've done as far as finishing to get a color match.

Thanks for looking.
 
#17 ·
Leaded glass doors and final assembly

Today I cut the mortises for the hinges on the doors and installed them. I used magnetic latches from Lowes on the doors.






Once I was satisfied with the fit and operation of the doors, I stained them by repeating the steps I used on the rest of the table. I am pretty pleased with the match, especially being Maple. During drying times I completed the second leaded glass panel.

....and finally the finished cabinet.


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