| Project by Kerry | posted 573 days ago | 467 views | 3 times favorited | 22 comments |  |
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I wanted to start this last fall, but had trouble getting hold of some 12/4 cherry for the legs. I’ve always wanted to build something with cabriole legs (a bonnet top highboy is my dream project), so when my wife gave me the go ahead to build a couple of much needed tables for our TV room I thought this would be a good opportunity to try my hand at them. In January I finally acquired a 12/4 cherry board and I was off and running (at my usual snails pace).
I couldn’t find any pictures of a table that I really wanted so I doodled around and came up with this design in Sketchup:
It’s not terribly detailed but it sure did help me decide on some of the features such as the bowed sides:
The large oval top presented a challenge for the drawer – luckily I remembered seeing an article for wooden extension slides. This is also the first dished top I’ve ever tried – it didn’t turn out quite as well as I would have liked, but it’s ok. Lots and lots of scraping to get it smooth. I very nearly ruined it when I forgot that I had turned the plunge depth stop on my router and plunged a 1” hole about 3/16 deep in the middle! I couldn’t figure out why it kept going down, and down, and down…. No sailor could have outdone my vocabulary at that point. So, as if there weren’t enough challenges I got to try my hand at a patch.
The finish is one treatment of Danish oil followed by 5 (or 6?) coats of amber shellac which was rubbed out with wax and steel wool. I was originally thinking I’d give it a topcoat of poly, at least on the top, but I couldn’t decide for sure. I thought I’d see how the shellac survives for a while. If it starts to look abused after some everyday use I’ll dewax with some mineral spirits or naptha and then sand it and give it a coat of poly.
All in all, it turned out ok and I learned a lot. The second one will be quite a bit faster to build; partly because I have the templates ready, and partly from what I’ve learned. I’m thinking I’ll use a lipped drawer front for the second one and see which looks best. I think I may try putting together a blog for this project, because I have lots of pictures and because I hope some of you more experienced folks might see places where I could do things differently/better for the second table.
Sorry about the cat’s tail in one of the photos. I tried to get him to sit still in one pic but no go.
Thanks for looking, and I welcome any constructive criticisms anyone may have.
Cheers,
Kerry
-- Alberta, Canada
22 comments so far
GaryK
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9539 posts in 887 days
posted 573 days ago
Great looking table. I really like the lip around the top. It’s a nice touch.
-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.
ND2ELK
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6230 posts in 673 days
posted 573 days ago
Very nice looking table. You did a beautiful job on it. Thanks for posting.
God Bless
tom
-- Mc Bridge Cabinets, Iowa
DaveConry
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39 posts in 596 days
posted 573 days ago
Kerry…that is a beautiful table. I also like the dished top. Very nice!
-- Evil can only thrive when good men do nothing.......E. Burke
Scott Bryan
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20784 posts in 721 days
posted 573 days ago
Kerry,
This is a beautiful table. You did a good job on the construction and finish.
Thanks for the post.
-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.
Mark Mazzo
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343 posts in 811 days
posted 573 days ago
Kerry,
Very nicely done. I too like the beaded edge around the top and along the bottom of the aprons. Did you laminate the side aprons to curve them?
-- Mark, Webster New York, Visit my website at http://thecraftsmanspath.com
trifern
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7897 posts in 666 days
posted 573 days ago
Great table and design.
-- My favorite piece is my last one, my best piece is my next one.
DocK16
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712 posts in 986 days
posted 573 days ago
If that’s your first go’ round with Queen Ann legs you did a great job. The whole table turned out beautiful. Your finish technique topped it off nicely.
-- DocK, WV
jjohn
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391 posts in 612 days
posted 573 days ago
very well done. From the custom design to the finished product.
-- JJohn
CharlieM1958
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7675 posts in 1117 days
posted 573 days ago
Fantastic! I’d love to see a blog on it.
-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"
DeWaltMan
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1 post in 574 days
posted 573 days ago
Kerry beautiful table I love the dish top turned out great and the finish looks like glass.
-- DeWaltMan
Dusty56
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3500 posts in 587 days
posted 573 days ago
incredible table and the finish really makes all of your craftsmanship stand out even more !!! Can’t wait to see the next one !
-- You know you're getting old when you know the difference between you're (you are) and your (belonging to you) AND how to use them in a sentence .
stanley_clifton
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120 posts in 602 days
posted 573 days ago
Cats – don’t you love them.
The finish looks great – I’d try and avoid using the poly.
Echoing above, those legs look great especially as it’s a first go. You have made a unique looking table on a traditional template.
-- Stanley generally struggling
Bob A in NJ
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532 posts in 898 days
posted 573 days ago
Wow Kerry, you are one heck of a woodworker. On the legs, did you turn the feet on a lathe or do them by hand? The table is gorgeous!
-- Bob A in NJ
Kerry
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131 posts in 689 days
posted 572 days ago
Thank you Bob. I had to do the feet by hand – my lathe is a tiny one for pens etc. Someday….
Cheers and thanks again,
Kerry
-- Alberta, Canada
john
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1201 posts in 1280 days
posted 572 days ago
Beautiful work Kerry !!! . I really love the style
-- John in Belgrave ,(Slideshow http://cid-69bce320c6d8b119.spaces.live.com/ (Website) http://www.extremebirdhouse.com
Billp
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335 posts in 1099 days
posted 572 days ago
Wow You did a great job, thats one fine looking table.
-- Billp
Grumpy
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14932 posts in 750 days
posted 572 days ago
Excellent job Kerry & great design.
-- Grumpy - "Always look on the bright side of life"- Monty Python
Woodhacker
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1145 posts in 622 days
posted 570 days ago
That’s a beautiful piece Kerry! The finish looks great.
Thanks for posting.
-- Martin, Kansas
Beginningwoodworker
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4233 posts in 572 days
posted 568 days ago
Very nice Table.
-- CJIII Future cabinetmaker
Kerry
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131 posts in 689 days
posted 568 days ago
Thanks again folks, I appreciate the kind words. I started a blog here: Queen Anne Tea Table
Cheers,
Kerry
-- Alberta, Canada
jeanmarc
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1751 posts in 615 days
posted 493 days ago
Excellent job Kerry
-- jeanmarc manosque france
TomK
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504 posts in 773 days
posted 489 days ago
Great looking tables!
-- If you think healthcare is expensive now, wait until it's free! PJ O'Rourke