LumberJocks Woodworking Forum banner

Coffee Table - Red Oak & Padauk

15K views 14 replies 7 participants last post by  Mosquito 
#1 ·
Table Top

I'm in the process of building a coffee table for my apartment. I'm using Red Oak and Padauk for this. It's going to be a relatively basic basic table.

It was an extremely nice day for this in March. Yes, I started this in March… outside… in shorts… in MN… did I mention my distaste for this "winter"?

Anyway, I started by using my [home made] router table to shave a pair of 3/4×11.25" boards down to 11" wide to use for the table top


I then used my biscuit joiner for assembling the top. I must say, I'm quite pleased with the porter cable, except the dust/woodchip bag…


Chips would hit the front of the bag and stop, causing a backup into the dust port and the next thing I knew I had chips and sawdust coming out of everywhere and filling the slot with it as well… I found it much better to just use it by removing the bag, and angling the bag mounting assembly away from me. Since I was working outside (and didn't have my Rigid Wet/Dry Vac yet) this was fine for me.


I then proceeded to glue up the top. The best flat level space I found was an old dining table in our basement




That's it for this entry. There will be another one soon, once I get the pictures from this past weekend up and ready.

Thanks for checking it out.
-Mos
 
See less See more
5
#4 ·
Legs and Apron

I'm back! I got another days worth of work done on Saturday, while the weather was nice

I cut the legs from oak 4×4's using a handsaw:


I cut all 4 legs, then I used my router to make part of the tenons on the Apron boards:


This was messy…


And it looked like I was eating Cheetos all day and wiping my hands on my shorts:


My first Mortice and Tenon! Not the best, but it's at least a decent flat fit


All the tenons are done, and 2 legs have the Mortises in them


Off to the side sits my Music Box which has a webcam connected, to take time-lapse pictures

 
#5 ·
Good looking contrast in wood choices.

I liked your video. I haven't moved that fast since my wife said, "If you think you need a new bandsaw go get it".

Work Safe and have Fun. - Len
 
#7 ·
Legs and Apron Completed

Right, just realized I have more pictures and work done, and haven't updated this yet…
Not a whole lot of an update I guess. I was able to finish the mortises in the legs, and got some pocket hole screws drilled and fastened the legs and apron pieces together. I also used my restored #7c to take off an inch of the width on the table top, to get it down to the correct width, and then cut an inch or so off the end (crosscut). I don't have a picture of it, but I also put a chamfer of about 3/16" on the table top.

Another timelapse of the progress finishing the mortises and pocket hole screw assembly of the legs and apron. I was under a time-constraint, so I wasn't as good about taking pictures… I was just lucky the other half let me work on it on her weekend off :)

After making the timelapse video and watching it, I found it entertaining to watch the table slowly dance across the garage, and the boards and ruler slowly work their way closer to the edge before I'd move them back in (or test fit)



This is the only picture I ended up taking that day:

Everything is clamped up square and where it needed to be, so I could make sure everything was right before I drilled for pocket screws.

Here's a shot after shaving off .5" off the table width, note the 2 parallel bar clamps clamped to a folding table… that is the extent of my "bench" and "face vise"... works for me, I suppose.


The top set on the legs and apron. Not fastened down yet, but everything is ready for finish, and table top mounting. Hopefully I'll be able to get finish applied soon


Thanks for checking it out!
-Mos
 
#8 ·
Good stuff Mos,
Make sure you chamfer the bottom of your legs so they don't chip. Video gives us a good idea of you working environment.
Thanks,
Andy.
 
#12 ·
Build complete

Last weekend I was able to complete the coffee table, apart from finishing it. I put a bevel on the top and bottom corners of the table top, as well as a slight bevel on all the way around the legs, and on the bottom edges of the apron. As per a recommendation from someone on my last blog entry, I also put a decently heavy bevel on the leg bottoms, to try to avoid splintering. I attached the top with table top fasteners and cut the slots for them with my biscuit joiner.







Cat inspected:


Cat Approved:


Until I get a chance to finish it, that will be the last update.

Thanks for checking it out :)
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top