Tadpole Modern Sofa Table / End Table

Hii, I’m new here and this is my first posting. I call it a Tadpole Table.
It’s an end table or sofa table I recently designed and built. Anyone know the difference between an end table and a sofa table? Because I don’t. Anyways, I think the design is a little too abstract for about 95% of you, but it would be awesome to hear your honest opinion. If you hate it I would really like to hear your criticism as well. If anyone is interested in its construction I would be glad to write about it. I’ll just say, it took a lot of bending forms…and too many days.

-Devon

-- www.tigertandem.com

Sofa tables go along the back of the sofa, end tables at the ends. There are plenty of abstact people here so no worries about that and I for one like it alot. top job

-- if the hand is not working it is not a pure hand

Regardless of were you put your table in the room I’m sure it will be the centerpiece of attention. Awsome organic form with a modern classical feel. Vrey inspiring! What types of adhesives do you use when laminating?

-- Dave, North Dakota,http://www.northdakotanart.com

welcome aboard and awesome is my opinion too! What are the top and sides made of?

-- Debt is nothing more than the 21st Century's form of slavery.

Very nice. Some of us like the contemporary more than the country style. It is always nice to see something a little more contemporary and unusual. Thanks for posting this.

-- Ellen on Cape Cod

I like it but how stable is the thing?

-- Measure once cut twice....oh wait....ooops.

dang.. that is SWEEET.
You might be surprised at the %. We have a lot of “abstract thinkers” here!

(oh and you can always edit your entry .. see the little red “edit” above the zoom pictures?)

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

Very nice design. I would like to see and read more about your process. Thanks for sharing.

-- My favorite piece is my last one, my best piece is my next one.

Very nice table slowcutter. I would also like to read more about the process, what kind of wood was used, it looks like Mahogany to me from the pictures.Thanks for posting

-- Paul Sayre Creativity is a drug I cannot live without. Cecil B. DeMille (1881 - 1959)

Amazing piece of work. Love the design.

-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"

I like that. Thanks for showing the forms. I’d like to includ more bending projects in my work.

-- Watch live video from our shop. http://wwbeds.com/live.htm

Great Job slowcutter

Wonderful design and beautiful execution I’m a 17th century kind of furniture guy but I really appreciate
innovative design and an outstanding build . If you can imagine an Item and then build it your one of a small group of talented craftsman many who end up here. I would be proud of such a wonderful table . Thanks
for sharing .

Jim

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop, custom furniture maker, woodworking school, heirloomwoodshop.com

Great looking piece, looks like an investment in clamps will have to be made before I can consider that bending technique. Love the abstract look and especially the legs. Thanks for sharing

-- I can so I wood but why are my learning curves always circles

Superb, have done things close to this in the past. Looking forward to more of your work, welcome aboard.

-- Dan Wiggins

Very different,I like it.Welcome to LJ look forward to more postings from you.

-- Scott NM,http://www.shangrilawoodworks.com

Hii guys, thanks for all the comments and kind words. I can’t figure out how to respond to individual comments so I’m just going to respond to them here. For this project I used yellow glue for the lamination of the legs. I have read that you shouldn’t use yellow glue for bent wood lamination because of “cold creep” but I haven’t noticed any moment or spring back thus far.

In the photos the 1st picture is of the first version of the table, and to answer Mike’s question, the first version was not that stable. When designed and built it with three bent legs I wasn’t sure If it would even stand up with the legs positioned where I wanted them. I made mock up legs and attached them with a screw to a piece of plywood cut in the shape of the table top. This allowed me to reposition them until I liked the way they looked. I then made adjustment until I found the tables balance. This took hours to complete. As I said, the first version of the table wasn’t that stable, this was because it was top heavy. I found that by rescaling the whole thing and making the body about 4” tall instead of 7” tall, there was a lower center of balance. After the change I had to reposition the legs—again:( I also had to make a new apron. After these changed it balances very well. I wouldn’t stand on but it would take a lot to knock it over.

The original table was wrapped in bending plywood and veneered in white oak. The second version was veneered in cheery because I thought it would be quicker to finish. I was wrong. I sealed the cheery with cut shellac and than dyed it red. My shellac cut was off and I got some blotching, so I spent a good deal of time trying to fix that. I ended up putting a gel stain on to even it out, but as a result I lost the clarity of a good finish. I should have used a measuring cut when making the shellac. The next one is going to be veneered in Walnut or Zebra wood so I don’t have to dye it. Again thanks for all the comments and kind words. Devon

-- www.tigertandem.com