| Blog series by Cato | updated 556 days ago | 5 parts | 10473 reads | 4 comments total |
Part 1: Cutting and milling with the new Jet and EB-3
I started a Arts and Crafts coffee table that I saw in last month’s issue of Fine WWking. Gregory Paolini has a series of videos on the Fine Wwking site on building the table. This works out nicely for me as it is a wedding present for my daughter and son in law who got married last weekend. The table will be Mahogany with Walnut legs and breadboard ends. Today I cut and milled the 8/4 walnut legs and the 4/4 mahogany for the stretchers and rails. Been suffering through a co...
Part 2: Mortise and Tenon cutting and fitting
I was not able to work on this project last weekend as it was a yard and garden work weekend. Today though I got back into the shop and began cutting the mortise and tenon joinery for the table base. I used my little woodpeckers rule stop to mark out the mortises and really like this little tool. I cut the mortises first with my plunge router and guide using a 1/4 inch upspiral bit. It did take me awhile to cut the mortises for the upper and lower rails, but everything I do in woo...
Part 3: Thru tenons for table shelf
So worked in the yard this weekend while the weather was cool, but did get a little shop time in both days. Saturday laid out the cuts for the thru tenons for the shelf on the coffee table. First time I have cut a thru tenon for a project. Wasn’t too bad really, the most important aspect was using a common reference side so that the router cuts on both sides would meet. I used my plunge router base for the PC690 and the router guide. Using a 1/2 inch bit I cut a little over hal...
Part 4: Its all starting to come together- despite a few goofs
Finally have gotten back into the shop and out of the garden tasks for a few days anyway. So after dry fitting the coffee table base and cutting the mortise for the shelf, I milled and glued up the shelf and cut the through tenons and fit them. Now I have milled the walnut for the table top and also the mahogany bread board ends. I had some trouble with the tenons for the bread board ends, and if I ever build another I will go with a thicker tenon than the 1/4 inch one the plans cal...
Part 5: Closing in on the finish line
An apt title as I have had some time recently to sand and apply finish to this Arts and Crafts design coffee table. I had to tape off and finish the walnut legs separately from the rest of the mahogany base components. I kind of like doing that anyway as it saves from getting runs and drips in the corners and other hard to reach areas. I used a 50/50 dye mixture of Transtint Red Mahogany and Vintage Brown Maple. The combo worked well for the mahogany and also for the walnut. Next time I...
