| Project by Robb | posted 322 days ago | 467 views | 1 time favorited | 21 comments | ![]() |
In an act of ignorance and overestimation of my skills, I promised my wife I would build her this table when she allowed me to purchase my planer. I also told her that I’d call it her Christmas present. That was near the end of the summer of ‘06. When I presented it to her just after the 4th of July this year, I said, “Merry-Birthday-New Year’s-Anniversary-Valentine’s-4th of July!” Good thing I didn’t tell her what year it would be her Christmas present ;).
She’s a saint, in that, other than the occasional ribbing about how long it took me to complete this project, she never complained, and has been lavish in her praise since getting it.
This was my first attempt at building furniture. I’ve done some smaller projects that I’ll post, but nothing on this scale. The plan was one I found online; I forget where now. I chose the plan because the spindles are not true mortise and tenon joinery, so I thought that would make it easier to build. In the end, figuring out how to do the half-laps on them was just as time consuming for me, since I didn’t have a dado blade at the time, and hadn’t much experience with a router. Cherry was the lumber of choice. The boards on top have some veins of pitch (is that the right term?) running through them. I liked the look. I don’t think the picture really shows it well, though. I used Minwax Olde Maple stain on it, since that comes close to matching the woodwork in our old farmhouse. I put polyurethane on as a last step.
I’ve been lurking this site for about a month now, and I’m in awe of the workmanship here. I can’t wait to get to know all of you. The cameraderie between people here is really a big draw for me.
I apologize for the photo quality; our camera’s only so-so.
-- Robb
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21 comments so far
DAN
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2583 posts in 371 days
posted 322 days ago
Nice table Robb !! Very well done.
-- a legend in my own mind ...
cajunpen
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5256 posts in 454 days
posted 322 days ago
Nice table Robb – looking forward to seeing some of your small projects. You are quite right, Lumber Jocks is the best Forum I’ve found yet. It’s like talking with old friends – even though most of us have never met and probably never will. Seems like everyone is so anxious to help and offer advice.
-- Bill - "Suit yourself and let the rest be pleased." http://www.cajunpen.com/
oscorner
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4576 posts in 699 days
posted 322 days ago
I’d say it was well worth the wait. Great job!
-- Jesus is Lord!
Jeff
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941 posts in 482 days
posted 322 days ago
Great table Robb. I know what you mean about the timing. My first project of circumstance was a box for my sweetie. Long story short, I had some setbacks and it ended up being a Happy Birthday-Birthday present. LOL
Let me wish you a belated Welcome to LJ.
-- Jeff, St. Paul, MN
Bill
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2508 posts in 550 days
posted 322 days ago
Nice job Robb. I like the mission style look of your end table. Now you just need to make a matching table for the other end of the sofa. The second one will be easier than the first, since you did it before.
-- Bill, Turlock California, http://www.brookswoodworks.com
Thos. Angle
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3246 posts in 351 days
posted 322 days ago
Welcome aboard. You’re gonna love it here. Keep up the good work.
-- Thos. Angle, Owyhee Design, Oregon
Dan M
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54 posts in 333 days
posted 321 days ago
Very nice Robb—I might have to steal a few design elements for the pair I promised to make as well—I’m going to call them a retirement gift – should give me plenty of time!
-- Dan M, SW Suburbs, Chicago IL -- http://www.djay-crafts.com
TomFran
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2329 posts in 382 days
posted 321 days ago
”I promised my wife I would build her this table when she allowed me to purchase my planer.” - Robb
——————————————————————————————-
No matter what, you still got the planer, and that’s a BIG plus. Congratulations on a nice job!
-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28
MsDebbieP
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10975 posts in 549 days
posted 321 days ago
hahah Tom .. you are funny… (you still got the planer.. lol)
Great table – and it’s already full of memories and stories!! :)
Well done – yes, it needs a coffee table and matching end table now :)
-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
Robb
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308 posts in 322 days
posted 320 days ago
Thanks Tom. You’re right, to my way of thinking, tool justification is an important part of the “home commission” process ;).
The couch is wedged into a corner at the other end, so I probably won’t duplicate this end table soon. The notion is tempting, though, as I’m sure I’d be able to do another one in less than half the time. This one was really a learning odyssey for me. I ended up making almost all of the parts for it twice, with the exception of the legs. Let’s just say I definitely won’t plane down a bunch of stock and let it sit for several months in the barn to absorb moisture freely. The eagerness to start using that planer really got the better of me. Then again, I suppose if my goal was to use the planer, I got to use it more this way, so I can’t complain!
I also forgot that the selling point of the plan was the non-mortised spindles, and cut them all as though they’d be mortised, and had to remake them.
-- Robb
Robb
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308 posts in 322 days
posted 320 days ago
Debbie, I definitely would like to build a matching coffee table. Right now, our living room is just too dinky. It’s very long and skinny, and usually cluttered with my son’s toys. Someday, when we get a bigger house :).
-- Robb
Bill
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2508 posts in 550 days
posted 320 days ago
Maybe you can make a toychest for your son’s items. Then you would have room for the matching coffee table. That should be good enough for a jointer, and maybe even a new sander.
-- Bill, Turlock California, http://www.brookswoodworks.com
MsDebbieP
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10975 posts in 549 days
posted 319 days ago
or make the coffee table double as a toy box
-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
Robb
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308 posts in 322 days
posted 319 days ago
Lol! Now you’re talking, Bill! Seriously, my next project is for our living room, an entertainment center. Our current TV sits on top of our old console TV (very stylish, my wife assures me). All of our components for the stereo are in a tall, narrow cabinet I built a few years ago from scrap parts at work, and there’s a big mass of wires that drapes from one unit to the other. My goal is to build something to house all the components and some DVD’s, that the TV can sit on top of. That will let us get rid of the old console, and the tall cabinet, hopefully freeing up some floor space at the same time it somewhat beautifies the living room.
Maybe then I can build the toy box / coffee table Debbie :).
-- Robb
Andy
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296 posts in 296 days
posted 287 days ago
Great gift and this design is one of my favorites.For someone just starting out on furniture,you are on the right track.Of course you know that your wife will be expecting additional pieces :-) Very nice work!
-- " Stubborn tenacity substitutes for natural ability" ANDY
Robb
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308 posts in 322 days
posted 286 days ago
Andy, thanks for the compliment. It means a lot coming from a craftsman like yourself! Your work is just beautiful.
I really look forward to making my wife some more furniture. This year’s “woodworking season” has been almost entirely consumed with home improvement-type projects for me. It looks like I’m close now to being able to work on some Christmas gifts for family and friends, that will be satisfying. What I really want to sink my teeth into is building us an entertainment center, but I think the cold weather will be upon us before I can get to work on it.
Thanks again for checking out my table :).
-- Robb
Harry44
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20 posts in 445 days
posted 129 days ago
Real nice work my friend.
-- Frank, Ca.
Robb
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308 posts in 322 days
posted 129 days ago
Thanks, Frank! I can’t wait for the cold weather to leave us here in MI, so I can get back out to the shop. Teens and twenties are a bit too cold, though :).
-- Robb
PanamaJack
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4454 posts in 466 days
posted 118 days ago
A gorgeous end table indeed Robb. Just a great piece of work.
-- Carpe Lignum - Seize The Wood,
Robb
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308 posts in 322 days
posted 117 days ago
Thanks, Panama!
-- Robb
rikkor
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6465 posts in 263 days
posted 117 days ago
I am glad this came around again so I got to see it. Nice job.
-- Maplewood, MN