| Project by TheCaver | posted 224 days ago | 600 views | 4 times favorited | 15 comments |  |
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My Federal table is complete except for the hardware! Big thanks to Tommy MacDonald for the inspiration to create this Federal table. In case you don’t know, Tommy is a graduate of the North Bennett Street School and is a master of the Federal style. I learned a TON of new skills on this project and there were a lot of firsts. I followed Tommy’s example and did a LOT of this by hand…I was nervous at first, but in the end, I learned that its actually a lot easier to wreck a project with power tools than it is using chisels! It’s also a lot more precise using hand tools, so I will be doing a lot more by hand from now on.
Firsts:
First handcut dovetails
First time making bandings other than just simple stripes (this has opened a whole new world, creatively)
First time cockbeading. Hand mitered! After all of the work on the drawer, cutting the rabbets was nerve wracking!
First time inlaying compound mitred cuffs! Crazy!
First solid wood drawer bottoms, hand beveled with a plane
Now, I must admit that I skipped a few things that were on Tommy’s table, like the sand shaded fan. I don’t have access to a set of gouges, but I’m working on it! And I could not find holly or the materials necessary to make inlay tools for stringing, though I did some proof pieces. I’ll be making a full Federal bedroom suite and it will have the fans and stringing, no worries!
The pics show a large color difference, though that is not present to the eye, I think its the grain orientation and chatoyance playing tricks on the camera.
Finish was 3 coats of tung oil followed by 3 coats of shellac, then 2 coats of wax rubbed in with 0000 steel wool.
On the top surface, I wet sanded with oil to fill the pores in some, but I wanted a LITTLE texture, so I didn’t completely fill them. I knocked the gloss back with steel wool twice on this part, once between coats of shellac and once with the wax.
This piece seemed overwhelming when I saw Tommy’s but anyone can do this, really!
-- Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known. -Carl Sagan
15 comments so far
David
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1982 posts in 1030 days
posted 224 days ago
Very, very nice! Congratulations. I really like your end product . . . very clean with wonderful details and finish. Looks like you pushed the envelop and reaped the benefits of extending your skill set. I really like the bandings! I especially like the subtle split banding on the top edge . . . you got the Seymour brothers technique down pat!
-- http://foldingrule.blogspot.com
brianinpa
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1365 posts in 614 days
posted 224 days ago
That is a table to be proud of: nice work!
-- Brian, Lebanon PA, If you aren’t having fun doing it, find something else to do.
TheCaver
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292 posts in 731 days
posted 224 days ago
Thanks…I should have used satinwood and a better figured piece of wood for the bandings, but it was all I had on hand….that and a huge piece of mahogany would have been nice!
JC
-- Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known. -Carl Sagan
kolwdwrkr
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2243 posts in 482 days
posted 224 days ago
Very nice. Brian said it best, something to be proud of.
-- ~ Inspiring those who inspire me ~
pyromedic602
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165 posts in 640 days
posted 224 days ago
a very beautiful table. wonderful craftsmanship.
-- Pyromedic602, free wood is always good wood
CharlieM1958
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7597 posts in 1110 days
posted 224 days ago
I already knew that you were much more of a perfectionist than me. It really shows in this table. The level of execution in the tiniest details is evident in every photo. Congratulations on producing a true signature piece!
-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"
TopamaxSurvivor
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2984 posts in 567 days
posted 224 days ago
My oh my, you do take to inspiration well! Very nice table and superb workmanship.
-- Debt is nothing more than the 21st Century's form of slavery.
musician
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37 posts in 246 days
posted 224 days ago
Absolutely stunning details, a beautiful Federal table!
-- Joe,Texas,www.woodworkerJoe.com
Bloonose
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40 posts in 442 days
posted 224 days ago
Nice work
milehigh
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47 posts in 232 days
posted 224 days ago
You can hold your head high on this one. I am new here and am blown away by the talent on this board. Nice documentation on the learning curve and hand vs power tools. That is a big part of it for me..and i have a long way to go to get this good,but appreciate the words of encouragement at the end.
Paul
Les Hastings
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951 posts in 665 days
posted 224 days ago
Very nice, awesome work!
-- Les, Wichita, Ks. (I'd rather be covered in saw dust!)
steiner
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134 posts in 242 days
posted 223 days ago
Oh, that is perfection!
-- Scott - Katy, Texas
jcees
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553 posts in 690 days
posted 215 days ago
Lovely, lovely take on the style! And very nicely done too!
always,
J.C.
-- "Imagination is more important than knowledge" -- Albert Einstein
ToddE
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126 posts in 826 days
posted 48 days ago
I appreciate the work you have done with this table. Very nice and I like the detail in the checkered banding and the inlays. Quality job.
-- Do we do this for purpose or passion?
CreekWoodworker
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169 posts in 189 days
posted 6 days ago
Wow, nice detail.
-- Mike the CreekWoodworker