So as a new member to LumberJocks I’d thought I’d start out my saying a few words about my current project.
I’ve only been doing this for a couple of years now, have limited room to work in (essentially a corner workbench in our basement) and only have “the basics” as far as tools go, such as a circular saw, jigsaw, orbital sander and a couple of power drills.
My last “big” project was a fairly simple patio table set with chairs & bench, which came out OK but had some mistakes that are pretty visible and can’t be fixed without pretty much trashing it and starting over, so I’m hoping this farm table project I’m working on now will come out a bit nicer as it is planned to be the centerpiece of our dining room.
The plans for the table I’m working on are here: http://ana-white.com/2012/06/plans/fancy-x-farmhouse-table – it’s a simple enough design but I still think it looks great especially with the dark finish (I’m building mine out of pine and then plan to use a dark gel stain on it).
The main challenges I’ve run into so far are mostly around those angled boards on the support pedastals – there are 16 cuts that have to be cut right at 45deg, that cut has to be prefectly straight or else it leaves nasty gaps, and the board lengths after the cuts all have to be perfectly straight or else the pedals won’t come out level. This has been, to say the least, not fun trying to do with a circular saw. Sure, you can able the blade at 45deg, but it’s hard to get a perfectly straight cut with even when holding it against a guide, the angle tends to be off or be warped becasue it’s hard to keep it perfectly level for the entire cut, and it seems to want to keep seizing up near the end of the cut for some reason, sometimes forcing me to finish the cut using a hand saw.
I’ve gotten it to a point where I’ve decided it’s “good enough” and am hoping that a mix of some wood filler and the dark color it will be stained at the end will help mask the places where I messed up.
I now need to cut & attach those cross-member bars that connect the pedastals together, and then assemble the table top. So far I’m liking how this one is coming together, but even a project as seemingly simple as this one has been a learning experience.
7 comments so far
Monte Pittman
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7209 posts in 535 days
#1 posted 191 days ago
It’s very not easy getting clean angle cuts with a circular saw. Ana White is underrated. Some here do not take her seriously, but she has single handily brought thousands of people to woodworking.
Welcome to LJ’s. It’s all good here.
-- Mother Nature created it, I just assemble it. - It's not ability that we often lack, but the patience to use our ability
~Julie~
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527 posts in 1231 days
#2 posted 190 days ago
What wood are you using and how will you attach the top?
You might want to read this
-- ~Julie~ followyourheartwoodworking.blogspot.ca
Shadoglare
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8 posts in 192 days
#3 posted 190 days ago
It’s contruction-grade pine – I’m still at a point where I screw up (and have to re-buy) enough boards that I’m not comfortable working with the nicer/more expensive stuff yet.
the top of the table I’m not sure about – right off hand I was thinking of attaching it using pocket screws going through the center support beam, but I think it should really be attached to the large support arches as well so it might come down to using some time of bracket.
I actually don’t recall ever seeing the ones your blog talks about, but it’d be worth looking into.
Shadoglare
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8 posts in 192 days
#4 posted 188 days ago
One of my books also suggests (along with expansion brackets) that if attaching a tabletop to a rail underneath you can enlarge the end of the screw hole where the two pieces connect – that will allow the wood to move around a little while still applying pressure at the screw head.
RVroman
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160 posts in 221 days
#5 posted 188 days ago
You mentioned you are using a guide, it it a speed square, framing square, scrap wood? I have always had a hard time making straight or accurate cuts with a circular saw. I then made a guide very similar to the one at the link below, and it has made a world of difference.
http://wayneofthewoods.com/circular-saw-cutting-guide.html>
-- Robert --- making toothpicks one 3x3x12 blank at a time!
Shadoglare
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8 posts in 192 days
#6 posted 187 days ago
For this I was using a speed square.
I also have a commercially made guide that’s similar to the jig under that link (that also includes a system for angling the saw) as well as the cross-cut jig shown at the bottom (in fact I think I made it based on that web page). They don’t fit the saw correctly with the blade angled though.
Don W
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10210 posts in 764 days
#7 posted 187 days ago
First, welcome to LJ’s. Its a great place to learn.
That is a wonderful table. As years go on, you’ll appreciate the fact you did it with a skill saw, and as you acquire more and better tools, you’ll come to realize your accomplishments.
30+ years ago when I built my house I did the interior window and door trim out of 1×4. I did it all with a circular saw as well, so I feel your pain. (I still look at some of the “not so perfect” miters and wonder if I should re-do them.)
Keep up the great work.
-- There is nothing like the sound of a well tuned hand plane. - http://timetestedtools.wordpress.com (timetestedtools at hotmail dot c0m)
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