Table Tutorial - Adding Tenons & Mortises

Thanks Dave,

I went through the whole series. You have given me some great tips to save time. I think my biggest struggle at this point is how to combine operations so I am not doing the same thing tice (or more).

Thanks for the great series.

BTW, I would really like to see how you add the materials so I hope you aren’t done yet!

-- Scott - Chico California http://chicowoodnut.home.comcast.net

The plywood top is awesome!..just kidding…nice techniques on M&T…now c’mon all you guys that say they cant figure out SU. He is walking you through the whole thing..and these techniques can be applied to many other operations in woodworking. Start up your Sketchup…delete the guy, and make a table! It’s good practice. OK I will stop cheerleading for SU now…

Actually Dave….I have been looking for a good plywood/plywood end grain texture…could I get a copy of those puppy’s?

-- David, South Windsor, CT "I love the smell of sawdust in the morning"

Scott and Brad, thank you.

Brad, I like your cheerleading outfit. Who’s that with you?

I wish we could get everyone to permanently get rid of “the guy” and the framing square for good.

As for the plywood edge, if I can find your e-mail address, I’ll send it to you. Not long ago I did a Design. Click. Build. blog post showing how I made it. It’s a simple thing to do. I was going to post a link but the Fine Woodworking site is down right now.

-- Until you spread your wings, you'll have no idea how far you can walk.

Dave, definitely now nobody can say they don’t get SketchUp. The labor you are doing evangelizing SU is invaluable.

By the way, I already made my ply edge texture, but I’d like to get the one you used in the face, those I have are too nice to look as plywood and this seems perfect. You already have my address so feel free to send it if you feel like.

-- Jojo, shopless in Kyoto · http://twitter.com/kagushokunin

‘er indoors wants a drawer so we’ll be adding one of those and the top will get trimmed in the next installments if anyone wants more installments.

-- Until you spread your wings, you'll have no idea how far you can walk.

I would love additional installments if you have the time and wouldn’t mind .. I have learned a few tricks myself and am sure there is more I can “pick up”

-- Dan M, SW Suburbs, Chicago IL -- http://www.djay-crafts.com

NICE!

-- When in doubt - There is no doubt - Go the safer route.

Hoe kay.

My x-ray vision is not what it used to be. I can see the tenon in x-ray mode, but Im having trouble making the rectangle and pushing it into the leg to make the mortise. When I exit out of the x-ray and hide the apron I have this slightly proud rectangle on the leg. Does this make any sence?

-- The significant problems we face cannot be solved by the same level of thinking that created them

I think it makes sense. You could send the SKP file to me if you’d like. Then I’d be able to see better.

There are a couple of things you can try to improve your x-ray vision. One of them is to go to Window>Styles. Click on the Edit tab and then the tan cube for Face settings. Make sure Enable Transparency is checked and set quality to Nicer.

It may require that you orbit a little one way or another to improve the view. Zooming in may help too.

Dave

-- Until you spread your wings, you'll have no idea how far you can walk.

Hi Dave, I’m not a loyal student, but I have been looking a little bit and want to thank you for your tips. I downloaded sketch up last night and have a couple of hours of practice, with your help and some tutorials from sketch up this is my first real attempt at a drawing.

A little weird to get used to because I use a small drawing program from auto cad. hard to teach an old dog new tricks. lol
Thanks again, I’ll be watching. :)

Not bad at all. Good work.

-- Until you spread your wings, you'll have no idea how far you can walk.

Dave . . . I will give it another kick, if I am unuccessfull I will flip you the file. Tks

-- The significant problems we face cannot be solved by the same level of thinking that created them

Zuki, I look forward to seeing what you come up with.

-- Until you spread your wings, you'll have no idea how far you can walk.

I’ve had Sketch Up for 4 days and am cranking out drawings like this without hardly knowing the program at all. I know I am doing a lot of the moves the hard way, but so far it hasn’t been that hard to learn.
The hardest things for me so far are keeping everything on the same plane and then editing pcs parts after they have been drawn. Trying to use my componant tool more, I think that will help.

Thanks for your instructionals Dave.
I tried to mitre a corner like your other post showed. I got the plane pasted into the corner but I guess I never made the pcs into componants before hand so when I went to delete the moldings that were pushed out I had to manualy delete lines, but I’m working on it. :)

Good work bentlyj. Keep plugging. That bookcase looks as an idea. As you’ve found, it can be a bit of a challenge editing though if you are making components of discreet parts. On the other hand, if you’re trying to just get an idea down, it’s not a bad way to start.

-- Until you spread your wings, you'll have no idea how far you can walk.