Kitchen Table

The son just moved out of our house, into his own place. (rented)
Asked him what he needed and he said a bookcase for his video games and a table for the kitchen to put the microwave and toaster oven on.
It had to fit the space and just happen to be approximately the same size as the sofa table I had just finished for the wife’s beach house. How convenient. Was able to use pretty well the same design. What wood to make it out of?
Had a couple of knot free spruce 2×6”s and bit of 1×4 spruce. Like to select the best stuff from construction lumber lifts at the local COOP and store it for year of so it is dry. Always have a bit of that type of stock on hand. Like to use as the framing material for vanities and cabinets.
Here are the results. The legs are glued up pieces of 2×6 with final dimension of 1 7/8” square. the rest is cut from 1×4 or 1×6, Used the Dowelmax jig for joints, you can’t believe how easy, accurate, and quick that jig is. The top is a piece of a solid core closet door someone left at the shop. Put a maple edge on it so will take most of the wear and tear. Had some left over laminate from couple of other job, two different pieces with a close colour match so used that on the top and the shelf. The end slats are maple left over from the edge material. Probably don’t have more than $20.00 of material all in. Biscuit joiner works well for putting the recess in the top cords to attach the top to. More maple scraps.
Finished with 3 coats of poly. Sanded with 120 grit and the then 320 grit between the second and third coats. applied a coat of Trewax to give it the right feel and it is out the door tomorrow. Son has gone mountain sledding with his buds for the weekend, so maybe we can install it in his house, so he comes home to a surprise.
Don’t let anyone tell you can’t make decent piece of furniture with soft wood. Spruce ages to mellow golden colour which is very easy on the eyes.
Another fun project.

Thanks jb

-- Playing with wood and metal for the last 50 years, driving and building Land Cruisers for the last 40. Experience is what you get when you don't know what you are doing.