# Opposing Arch Table



## Blake (Oct 17, 2007)

*Sketchup Design*

I have been thinking about making another table lately. I had so much fun building the Sewing Table that I wanted to make something for our house. And my wife has wanted a place to put her collection of jewelry. So we came up with this idea (actually it was mostly her idea) and I started doing some designing today. This is what I came up with so far.

The idea is to make a hall table with a lifting "lid" and a hidden jewelry case underneath with lots of room for necklaces, bracelets, rings, etc.

I came up with this alternating single arch design, but I may have seen something similar elsewhere. I'm not sure. The inside will be full of movable dividers. The shelf on the bottom will appear to float since it will be suspended by brass pegs attached to the bent-lamination mahogany arches.
































































I plan to make the top out of the same stock I made this box top from:










And the apron and legs from the same Birch I used for the Sewing Table:










Again, I'll be blogging the process. Let me know what you think!


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## Betsy (Sep 25, 2007)

Blake said:


> *Sketchup Design*
> 
> I have been thinking about making another table lately. I had so much fun building the Sewing Table that I wanted to make something for our house. And my wife has wanted a place to put her collection of jewelry. So we came up with this idea (actually it was mostly her idea) and I started doing some designing today. This is what I came up with so far.
> 
> ...


Blake - I have no doubt that this will be another masterpiece where we will all learn something new. Looking forward to the process.


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## Bigbuck (May 15, 2008)

Blake said:


> *Sketchup Design*
> 
> I have been thinking about making another table lately. I had so much fun building the Sewing Table that I wanted to make something for our house. And my wife has wanted a place to put her collection of jewelry. So we came up with this idea (actually it was mostly her idea) and I started doing some designing today. This is what I came up with so far.
> 
> ...


Wow, I like your design. Can't wait to see it start comming together.


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## trifern (Feb 1, 2008)

Blake said:


> *Sketchup Design*
> 
> I have been thinking about making another table lately. I had so much fun building the Sewing Table that I wanted to make something for our house. And my wife has wanted a place to put her collection of jewelry. So we came up with this idea (actually it was mostly her idea) and I started doing some designing today. This is what I came up with so far.
> 
> ...


Great start Blake. I really like the organizational compartments. The flowing arches are an elegant design feature. It looks nice how they intersect with the opposing arches. Also consider how this interaction of the arches will be distracted depending on how the shelf is used. Something to consider. The wood selection is outstanding. I look forward to seeing the final rendering and following the progression until the final piece is unveiled.


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## Betsy (Sep 25, 2007)

Blake said:


> *Sketchup Design*
> 
> I have been thinking about making another table lately. I had so much fun building the Sewing Table that I wanted to make something for our house. And my wife has wanted a place to put her collection of jewelry. So we came up with this idea (actually it was mostly her idea) and I started doing some designing today. This is what I came up with so far.
> 
> ...


Blake - one thing that you might consider is a sliding top. That way you do not have to remove what is on top of the table to get to the precious cargo hidden inside. I have a large secretary that has a lift top for jewelry and it very seldom gets opened because I have to remove stuff. A sliding top-- or a lift top (like a coffee table top) might be an idea.


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## lazyfiremaninTN (Jul 30, 2007)

Blake said:


> *Sketchup Design*
> 
> I have been thinking about making another table lately. I had so much fun building the Sewing Table that I wanted to make something for our house. And my wife has wanted a place to put her collection of jewelry. So we came up with this idea (actually it was mostly her idea) and I started doing some designing today. This is what I came up with so far.
> 
> ...


Beautiful design, I think it really pop when done.


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## bfd (Dec 23, 2007)

Blake said:


> *Sketchup Design*
> 
> I have been thinking about making another table lately. I had so much fun building the Sewing Table that I wanted to make something for our house. And my wife has wanted a place to put her collection of jewelry. So we came up with this idea (actually it was mostly her idea) and I started doing some designing today. This is what I came up with so far.
> 
> ...


Blake what a great collaboration between you and your wife. I really like the opposing arches in the mahogany. You are going to have fun with those bent laminations. I know I sure did on my tea cart blog. I really dig the brass pegs creating the float shelf below. One thing you may want to consider is introducing the brass somewhere else so that it ties into another detail. You could peg your mortise and tenons with brass or you could run a brass inlay on your top…actually Blake whatever you do will look great. The concealed display is very cool no one will ever know that it is a jewerly case until you show them. I am already getting excited for the blog.


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## Chardt (Jul 16, 2008)

Blake said:


> *Sketchup Design*
> 
> I have been thinking about making another table lately. I had so much fun building the Sewing Table that I wanted to make something for our house. And my wife has wanted a place to put her collection of jewelry. So we came up with this idea (actually it was mostly her idea) and I started doing some designing today. This is what I came up with so far.
> 
> ...


That's gorgeous!

I REALLY need to learn Sketchup better too.


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## Karson (May 9, 2006)

Blake said:


> *Sketchup Design*
> 
> I have been thinking about making another table lately. I had so much fun building the Sewing Table that I wanted to make something for our house. And my wife has wanted a place to put her collection of jewelry. So we came up with this idea (actually it was mostly her idea) and I started doing some designing today. This is what I came up with so far.
> 
> ...


Blake a fantastic looking project. It will be fun to see this all come together. What does the Misses think?


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## toddc (Mar 6, 2007)

Blake said:


> *Sketchup Design*
> 
> I have been thinking about making another table lately. I had so much fun building the Sewing Table that I wanted to make something for our house. And my wife has wanted a place to put her collection of jewelry. So we came up with this idea (actually it was mostly her idea) and I started doing some designing today. This is what I came up with so far.
> 
> ...


OH boy, here comes another great piece!

I can't wait to see this one!


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## jcees (Dec 31, 2007)

Blake said:


> *Sketchup Design*
> 
> I have been thinking about making another table lately. I had so much fun building the Sewing Table that I wanted to make something for our house. And my wife has wanted a place to put her collection of jewelry. So we came up with this idea (actually it was mostly her idea) and I started doing some designing today. This is what I came up with so far.
> 
> ...


Super design so far. I'm with Betsy on the flip top. A broad surface such as this will inevitably have something that sits on it that will have to be removed before you can access the innards. C'mon, dazzle us with a solution.

always,
J.C.


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## PaBull (May 13, 2008)

Blake said:


> *Sketchup Design*
> 
> I have been thinking about making another table lately. I had so much fun building the Sewing Table that I wanted to make something for our house. And my wife has wanted a place to put her collection of jewelry. So we came up with this idea (actually it was mostly her idea) and I started doing some designing today. This is what I came up with so far.
> 
> ...


Looking good , can't wait to see your next post.


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## Tikka (May 14, 2007)

Blake said:


> *Sketchup Design*
> 
> I have been thinking about making another table lately. I had so much fun building the Sewing Table that I wanted to make something for our house. And my wife has wanted a place to put her collection of jewelry. So we came up with this idea (actually it was mostly her idea) and I started doing some designing today. This is what I came up with so far.
> 
> ...


Hi Blake I really like the overall design. I am not certain how big this table is going to be. Just think of what things ladies put on table tops, and the fact that every time they want to access their jewelry. they have to clear the table top.

Consider making the apron a little wider and making access to the "crown jewels" via a drawer. You can still conceal the drawer front, by making the whole "false" apron slide in and out.


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## gwurst (Nov 28, 2007)

Blake said:


> *Sketchup Design*
> 
> I have been thinking about making another table lately. I had so much fun building the Sewing Table that I wanted to make something for our house. And my wife has wanted a place to put her collection of jewelry. So we came up with this idea (actually it was mostly her idea) and I started doing some designing today. This is what I came up with so far.
> 
> ...


Excellent design. I look forward to seeing the construction.


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## Steffen (May 9, 2007)

Blake said:


> *Sketchup Design*
> 
> I have been thinking about making another table lately. I had so much fun building the Sewing Table that I wanted to make something for our house. And my wife has wanted a place to put her collection of jewelry. So we came up with this idea (actually it was mostly her idea) and I started doing some designing today. This is what I came up with so far.
> 
> ...


Nice drawing blake…has a playful but classy look to it… I have to agree with Tony…


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## Beginningwoodworker (May 5, 2008)

Blake said:


> *Sketchup Design*
> 
> I have been thinking about making another table lately. I had so much fun building the Sewing Table that I wanted to make something for our house. And my wife has wanted a place to put her collection of jewelry. So we came up with this idea (actually it was mostly her idea) and I started doing some designing today. This is what I came up with so far.
> 
> ...


Blake that is going to be a nice table.


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## mmh (Mar 17, 2008)

Blake said:


> *Sketchup Design*
> 
> I have been thinking about making another table lately. I had so much fun building the Sewing Table that I wanted to make something for our house. And my wife has wanted a place to put her collection of jewelry. So we came up with this idea (actually it was mostly her idea) and I started doing some designing today. This is what I came up with so far.
> 
> ...


Ooouuuh I want one! I love the design but I do think Tony has a point about accessibility. Now the hidden compartment may not want to be advertised, so placing some easily removable objects on top may deter anyone from figuring out there are valuables underneath the top. But, if you could make a version that has a secret slide out drawer with a hinged false front, this would make it easy to get to the contents and still have it as a hiding place for valuables. A simple push peg lock could also be hidden under the drawer and apron so only the owner would know how to access the drawer. Does this make sense? I can send a drawing if interested.


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## Blake (Oct 17, 2007)

Blake said:


> *Sketchup Design*
> 
> I have been thinking about making another table lately. I had so much fun building the Sewing Table that I wanted to make something for our house. And my wife has wanted a place to put her collection of jewelry. So we came up with this idea (actually it was mostly her idea) and I started doing some designing today. This is what I came up with so far.
> 
> ...


I've actually decided to keep it as just a table. It's got enough going on without the hinged top. Thanks for the input. And by the way, its almost done… check out the next blogs in the series.


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## Blake (Oct 17, 2007)

*Nice Legs!*

I finally started working on my table the other night. Here is what I did so far…

(By the way, here is the sketchup design just to remind you…)

















I'm actually not sure if I will make the jewelry compartment or not. I will have to see how it goes. I do about half my design on paper/computer and the other half on the fly.

Here's the pile after I cross cut some of my pieces to rough length (still designing on the fly a little until I get a sense of my proportions). Birdseye Maple and that curly/quilty mahogany that I love…










The legs are Bubinga which actually came from the yard as 2×2s. In just a few moments of cutting I've got a rough idea of my overall shape. I call this the "sneak peak." This is where I make changes to overall dimensions. (Its just clamped together without any joinery yet.)










Here I've got most of it "mocked up." I am going to make it narrower. Notice the "shelf" down below.










I got a good deal on some Bubinga 2×2 stock which I am using for the legs:










Whenever I joint or plane anything I make lines all over so I know which side(s) have been planed and when the entire surface is planed. Depending on the project I either use pen or pencil. This time I used two colors of Sharpie (and two different patterns) for the four sides. This makes the "plane, plane, plane, plane, TURN, etc…" less confusing.

















All set for planing:










All done Jointing and planing… *and here's the surprise spoiler: The short legs are for a matching coffee table!*










All set for the [fun part] mortising:










Notice the various stop blocks for repeated cuts. I only had to measure and mark one side of one leg.

















The cutting: Keep a brush near by to clean chips away…










And here's the end result!










I still have to do a little hand work with a chisel to lean up the inside surfaces.

*Building time so far: 4 hours*


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## FritzM (Dec 18, 2007)

Blake said:


> *Nice Legs!*
> 
> I finally started working on my table the other night. Here is what I did so far…
> 
> ...


looks good Blake! You're wasting no time getting head deep into furniture making! Can't wait to see the finished table. And a coffee table, too?!? Nice!


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## jcees (Dec 31, 2007)

Blake said:


> *Nice Legs!*
> 
> I finally started working on my table the other night. Here is what I did so far…
> 
> ...


Lookin' good, mon ami! Can't wait to see it come together.

always,
J.C.


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## Arnold (Aug 24, 2008)

Blake said:


> *Nice Legs!*
> 
> I finally started working on my table the other night. Here is what I did so far…
> 
> ...


tracking
Looking forward to the end


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## Billboard (Apr 10, 2008)

Blake said:


> *Nice Legs!*
> 
> I finally started working on my table the other night. Here is what I did so far…
> 
> ...


Looks great so far, cant wait for the end.


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## Zuki (Mar 28, 2007)

Blake said:


> *Nice Legs!*
> 
> I finally started working on my table the other night. Here is what I did so far…
> 
> ...


I too will be watching.


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## bfd (Dec 23, 2007)

Blake said:


> *Nice Legs!*
> 
> I finally started working on my table the other night. Here is what I did so far…
> 
> ...


Blake. You are killing me man! It took me like four hours yesterday just to cut four mortises and rough cut the matching tenons. You have your table 1/2 built. Looks like you had way better luck mortising your bubinga then I. I have a 1HP Woodtek mortiser which I used for the first time yesterday with a brand new 1/2" bit that I sharpened before use and I couldn't get through the dense bubinga. Frustrated I drilled out most of the mortise with a forstner bit and then went back to the mortiser to square up the cut so it took me twice as long. This is going to look insane!!! You have some awesome figure on this table. As I wrote this you probably just finished all of your bent laminations. All this with absolutely no quality compromised I love it. Where would you say you are on hours? Again, awesome stuff Blake.


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## Blake (Oct 17, 2007)

Blake said:


> *Nice Legs!*
> 
> I finally started working on my table the other night. Here is what I did so far…
> 
> ...


I forgot to mention it (I just edited the body…)

*Four hours building time.*


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## mattg (May 6, 2008)

Blake said:


> *Nice Legs!*
> 
> I finally started working on my table the other night. Here is what I did so far…
> 
> ...


That table is going to be gorgeous!!!


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## Beginningwoodworker (May 5, 2008)

Blake said:


> *Nice Legs!*
> 
> I finally started working on my table the other night. Here is what I did so far…
> 
> ...


That is real nice Blake.


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## JohnGray (Oct 6, 2007)

Blake said:


> *Nice Legs!*
> 
> I finally started working on my table the other night. Here is what I did so far…
> 
> ...


Lookin' great please keep us posted?


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## Blake (Oct 17, 2007)

*Top and Tenons*

I had a couple of hours to work on my table the other night.

Most of the time was spent sanding my Mahogany with my homemade thickness sander. I love the figure in this mahogany but it is hell to work with. If you plane or even scrape it the surface becomes as furry as a cat because the grain is so wavy. It will still require many hours of sanding by Random Orbit Sander and Palm Sander before it is glassy smooth.










Then I biscuited the top together:




























And glued it up. The smaller clamps on the end are to keep it flat:










Now time for the tenons. I love my little Incra marking square:



















I set up my Radial Arm Saw with a stop block to cut the tenons:










The blade "floats" above the table to just the right depth:










Here is the finished tenon cut completely on the RAS. This method is very efficient to set up and I had all my tenons done in about 10 minutes.










Here is a video of the process:

http://blip.tv/play/AdSTQQA

Checking for fit here… I left it tight because I still have some trimming to do inside the mortises:










That's all for now… Total project time: *6 hours*


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## grovemadman (Jan 28, 2008)

Blake said:


> *Top and Tenons*
> 
> I had a couple of hours to work on my table the other night.
> 
> ...


Blake, I thought I'd drop you a line! Nice work lately, I've been watching from the shadows. I see your shop is improving!!!
Not a lot of time lately, trying to keep my ship afloat. thanks again for the kind words of encouragement a while back! I'll be back…LOL
peace,
Chuck


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## OutPutter (Jun 23, 2007)

Blake said:


> *Top and Tenons*
> 
> I had a couple of hours to work on my table the other night.
> 
> ...


Looking good so far. If the top comes out like the box and the legs like the sewing table, you're gonna have quite piece there. I also love my Incra marking thingy. I also use it for measuring to 1/64". Cool.


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## Billboard (Apr 10, 2008)

Blake said:


> *Top and Tenons*
> 
> I had a couple of hours to work on my table the other night.
> 
> ...


Looking forward to the big finish!


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## Karson (May 9, 2006)

Blake said:


> *Top and Tenons*
> 
> I had a couple of hours to work on my table the other night.
> 
> ...


Looking great Blake. A beautiful piece of mahogany.


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## bfd (Dec 23, 2007)

Blake said:


> *Top and Tenons*
> 
> I had a couple of hours to work on my table the other night.
> 
> ...


Sweet progress man. And congratulations on 1 year at LJ. I like how during the middle of what some consider the most stressfull part of a project the glue up, you stop take a few action shots and then calmly proceed to clamping up the work.


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## trifern (Feb 1, 2008)

Blake said:


> *Top and Tenons*
> 
> I had a couple of hours to work on my table the other night.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the update. I can't wait to see the groomed cat.


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## mjlauro (Feb 7, 2008)

Blake said:


> *Top and Tenons*
> 
> I had a couple of hours to work on my table the other night.
> 
> ...


Two things Blake, first can you put a dado on the RAS? If so would that be a better setuo for the tenons? And, cauls from old scrap would work well for keeping the top flat during a glue up.. I usually put some plastic wrap under them so they don't get glued…..anyway, nice work.


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## Dorje (Jun 17, 2007)

Blake said:


> *Top and Tenons*
> 
> I had a couple of hours to work on my table the other night.
> 
> ...


Just caught up on all the blog entries…you continue to do an excellent job documenting your work!


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## Blake (Oct 17, 2007)

*Tapered Legs and Joinery*

On my Sewing Table I tapered the legs on only two sides. I made the cuts freehand on the bandsaw and then cleaned them up on the Jointer and sander. For this table I really wanted to taper the legs on all four sides for a more refined look.

So I decided the easiest way to make the tapers would be to build a simple "5 minute jig." So this is the quick, cheap, disposable, dedicated taper jig I made:



















Here it is set up on the table saw… The rip fence is being used as a guide:










Done… This taper jig worked really well. I got surprisingly smooth cuts which will cut down on sanding time.










Its not an optical illusion, those are tapered legs!










Here's how I cut the haunches of the tenons on the table saw:



















And the waste on the bandsaw:










Because of how small my legs are I decided to make *"Mitered Tenons"* where the tenons actually meet as a miter inside the mortise. Here is a Sketchup of the joinery:



















I cut the miters on the table saw:










Here is what it will look like inside:










There's one of the mitered tenons in the mortise…










After a little trimming all the joinery fits great in the dry-fit. I have a lot of sanding and other work to do before I glue it up:










This was another 2 1/2 hours. *Total project time: 10.5 hours*


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## SPalm (Oct 9, 2007)

Blake said:


> *Tapered Legs and Joinery*
> 
> On my Sewing Table I tapered the legs on only two sides. I made the cuts freehand on the bandsaw and then cleaned them up on the Jointer and sander. For this table I really wanted to taper the legs on all four sides for a more refined look.
> 
> ...


That is great Blake. You are just kickin butt. I love it.

Steve


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## bfd (Dec 23, 2007)

Blake said:


> *Tapered Legs and Joinery*
> 
> On my Sewing Table I tapered the legs on only two sides. I made the cuts freehand on the bandsaw and then cleaned them up on the Jointer and sander. For this table I really wanted to taper the legs on all four sides for a more refined look.
> 
> ...


Blake,

Right choice on tapering all 4 sides. The legs with the lamination are going to be just the right scale and proportion. Awesome.


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## Billboard (Apr 10, 2008)

Blake said:


> *Tapered Legs and Joinery*
> 
> On my Sewing Table I tapered the legs on only two sides. I made the cuts freehand on the bandsaw and then cleaned them up on the Jointer and sander. For this table I really wanted to taper the legs on all four sides for a more refined look.
> 
> ...


I really like the jig, great legs.


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## Karson (May 9, 2006)

Blake said:


> *Tapered Legs and Joinery*
> 
> On my Sewing Table I tapered the legs on only two sides. I made the cuts freehand on the bandsaw and then cleaned them up on the Jointer and sander. For this table I really wanted to taper the legs on all four sides for a more refined look.
> 
> ...


So much for zero clearance blade guide and sawdust collection.

Looks great Blake. Tablesaw and bandsaw the only way to make tenons.


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## Blake (Oct 17, 2007)

Blake said:


> *Tapered Legs and Joinery*
> 
> On my Sewing Table I tapered the legs on only two sides. I made the cuts freehand on the bandsaw and then cleaned them up on the Jointer and sander. For this table I really wanted to taper the legs on all four sides for a more refined look.
> 
> ...


Tablesaw, bandsaw and Radial Arm Saw.


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## LesHastings (Jan 26, 2008)

Blake said:


> *Tapered Legs and Joinery*
> 
> On my Sewing Table I tapered the legs on only two sides. I made the cuts freehand on the bandsaw and then cleaned them up on the Jointer and sander. For this table I really wanted to taper the legs on all four sides for a more refined look.
> 
> ...


Looking good Blake! Nice work, great blog.


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## mmh (Mar 17, 2008)

Blake said:


> *Tapered Legs and Joinery*
> 
> On my Sewing Table I tapered the legs on only two sides. I made the cuts freehand on the bandsaw and then cleaned them up on the Jointer and sander. For this table I really wanted to taper the legs on all four sides for a more refined look.
> 
> ...


Wow! You make it look so easy and effortless. Great documentation.


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## Blake (Oct 17, 2007)

*I Pulled an All-Nighter*

I was up until 5:00 AM. Yea, *5 AM*.

I was gonna work on my table all day today but I got called into work because my boss is sick. I really wanted to work on my table so I thought I would do a little woodworking last night before bed. Well, a little turned into a lot. The hours flew by and when I looked at the clock and it said 5. I was pretty sure that 5 PM had passed long ago… yup, it had. Anyway, here are a few photos I took but I sort of forgot to pick up the camera most of the time… sorry.

Cutting the curves: I bent a scrap of hardwood in a clamp and tied a string between both ends to keep it bowed.










Then I clamped it down to my apron and drew the curves:










And then cut them on the bandsaw:










I started sanding for a while and then said to myself… "what am I thinking? This is stupid. I'm gonna get my scraper." So I scraped all the legs and apron pieces.










Anyway, I wasted about 45 minutes sanding (and only got about half way done) before I decided to start over with a scraper. It took me about 1/2 hour to finish all the parts (legs and apron) with the scraper.

I glued up the legs and apron in three stages with epoxy. Here is the first stage:










Here is the final glue up:










The table top did need to be sanded because of that cat-fur-like Mahogany. So I spent 45 minutes or so stepping down grits, etc. Then I beveled the edges on my router table with a 45 deg chamfer bit. (Sorry no photos for any of this.)

Finally I made my "buttons" and fastened the table to the legs:



















I couldn't resist wiping the top down with some oil before calling it a night (or morning).










I am still going to sand that top quite a bit more. I am going to step it down to at least 600 grit for a glassy smooth finish.

Anyway, I'm pretty much done with the table… now I just have to make those bent lamination arches.

Another 7 1/2 hours this morning. *Total project time: 18 hours*


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## Billboard (Apr 10, 2008)

Blake said:


> *I Pulled an All-Nighter*
> 
> I was up until 5:00 AM. Yea, *5 AM*.
> 
> ...


Now thats a beautiful table.


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## Karson (May 9, 2006)

Blake said:


> *I Pulled an All-Nighter*
> 
> I was up until 5:00 AM. Yea, *5 AM*.
> 
> ...


Gtreat Blake. Sorry for having to go to work. Just think what you could have done with having to replace your boss.


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## SCOTSMAN (Aug 1, 2008)

Blake said:


> *I Pulled an All-Nighter*
> 
> I was up until 5:00 AM. Yea, *5 AM*.
> 
> ...


really prety I like the design and dimensions would look good in my hall well done Alistair


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## DennisLeeZongker (Jul 25, 2008)

Blake said:


> *I Pulled an All-Nighter*
> 
> I was up until 5:00 AM. Yea, *5 AM*.
> 
> ...


Great Blog Blake!!! Working all night is better then drinking all night.


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## Kindlingmaker (Sep 29, 2008)

Blake said:


> *I Pulled an All-Nighter*
> 
> I was up until 5:00 AM. Yea, *5 AM*.
> 
> ...


Only 18 hours! Beautiful table! ...and the going to work part, well maybe we all can work and do what we what someday.


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## Blake (Oct 17, 2007)

Blake said:


> *I Pulled an All-Nighter*
> 
> I was up until 5:00 AM. Yea, *5 AM*.
> 
> ...


Dennis…

*Woodworking + staying up all night = projects

Staying up all night + Drinking = no projects

Drinking + Woodworking = no fingers*


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## bfd (Dec 23, 2007)

Blake said:


> *I Pulled an All-Nighter*
> 
> I was up until 5:00 AM. Yea, *5 AM*.
> 
> ...


Blake you are both totally dedicated and crazy. Did all the cupcakes keep you going in the early morning? This is fantastic! Did you cut mortises in the aprons to accept the wood buttons? I love the delicate scale of this piece.


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## Blake (Oct 17, 2007)

Blake said:


> *I Pulled an All-Nighter*
> 
> I was up until 5:00 AM. Yea, *5 AM*.
> 
> ...


I just made slots with my trim router and a rabbet bit.


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## FritzM (Dec 18, 2007)

Blake said:


> *I Pulled an All-Nighter*
> 
> I was up until 5:00 AM. Yea, *5 AM*.
> 
> ...


Insane man! You are a machine! Looks great so far. The bent-lam accents are really gonna set it off!


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## Karson (May 9, 2006)

Blake said:


> *I Pulled an All-Nighter*
> 
> I was up until 5:00 AM. Yea, *5 AM*.
> 
> ...


Blake. I've used a biscuit jointer to cut the slots before. It does a great job also.


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## gad5264 (Sep 13, 2007)

Blake said:


> *I Pulled an All-Nighter*
> 
> I was up until 5:00 AM. Yea, *5 AM*.
> 
> ...


Blake, that is beautiful already. I am looking forward to seeing the added leg pieces.


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## brianinpa (Mar 16, 2008)

Blake said:


> *I Pulled an All-Nighter*
> 
> I was up until 5:00 AM. Yea, *5 AM*.
> 
> ...


Looks great Blake. The all nighters are great, but how did work go today?


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## Radish (Apr 11, 2007)

Blake said:


> *I Pulled an All-Nighter*
> 
> I was up until 5:00 AM. Yea, *5 AM*.
> 
> ...


Gotta love a guy with that much fire for the craft. Blake, you rock!

Nice work too.


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## damianpenney (Jun 22, 2007)

Blake said:


> *I Pulled an All-Nighter*
> 
> I was up until 5:00 AM. Yea, *5 AM*.
> 
> ...


I think you got more done in a night than I get done in a year


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## Tikka (May 14, 2007)

Blake said:


> *I Pulled an All-Nighter*
> 
> I was up until 5:00 AM. Yea, *5 AM*.
> 
> ...


*WORKING + PART-TIME WORKING + DRINKING + STAYING UP ALL NIGHT + WOODWORKING = NO FAMILY LIFE!*

It is looking really nice - Oh what it is to be young and have the energy to work ALL day and night and day again!

It sounds like you need some fresh sand paper in the orbital sander - it should whiz through that maple - Have you thought about using your thickness sander for the parallel thickness parts (rails) could have saved you a lot of time.

Looking forward to seeing the finished project soon.


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## Blake (Oct 17, 2007)

Blake said:


> *I Pulled an All-Nighter*
> 
> I was up until 5:00 AM. Yea, *5 AM*.
> 
> ...


Tony,

I actually change sandpaper in my Random Orbit Sander every few minutes. But to do it right (without little sanding circles that show up after finishing) it takes time to step down the grit appropriately, etc. since I had so many parts with multiple sides. Anyway, the scraper is just so much faster.

I can't find sandpaper that fits my thickness sander in less than 150 grit so I don't use it for the final sanding. Mostly I use it for thicknessing.

Thanks to everyone for the comments.


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## Blake (Oct 17, 2007)

*Building the Arches... Design Challenges*

Like I mentioned before, I am building a matching coffee table along with my "hall table." I have been making an effort to document the time I spend on larger projects for my own reference. But since I am building two projects together the concept of time is getting a little blurry. I spent a few hours the other day just getting the coffee table caught up in the process. All the joinery is the same as before.

I decided to try taping my joints to make it easier to peel off the glue squeeze-out. It did help a lot.



















Here it is with the glued-up top but I haven't finished it yet. It still needs the beveled edges and a lot of sanding:










*Lamination Forms*

My Better Bond Ultra-Cat adhesive (as recommended by bfd) showed up in the mail today. But I've got quite a bit of work to do before I mix it up.










Here is the MDF I got for the bent-lamination forms:










I started by laying the table on the MFD and tracing the legs and apron:



















Through trial and error I came up with a low-tech but effective method of precisely drawing the first arch on the MDF. I used a pen attached to a piece of string around four nails. Its not a simple radius but more of a "compound radius" since it is wider than it is tall.










Then I used a Kleenex box to mark a series of parallel lines that would serve as clamping areas around the curve after being cut:










I cut the straight clamping edges with a jigsaw and then cut the two inside curve lines on the bandsaw. Then I screwed one side of the form to another piece of MDF that will serve as a base to keep the lamination flat:










*Mock-up of the arches*

At this point, I am still doing a lot of designing "on the fly." I was planning on making a prototype lamination to see how the shape looks. But then I realized that the arch that I cut out of the form was already the shape of the final lamination. So I grabbed it and attached it to the table to see how it looked.










Then I found some thin scraps that I bent into position for the smaller side arches as a mock-up:
























Then I attached a few clamps to temporarily hold the lower shelf in position to get a sense of its location:





















































*Design Challenges*

My intention is to somehow attach the shelf to the arches rather than the legs so that it appears to "float." I am having a hard time seeing how that is going to work now that I've got a tangible model to play with.

This is the reason I believe that Sketchup has its limits as a practical design tool. I personally need to literally put my hands on certain parts of a complex design problem to work out a solution.

I am also realizing, as I look over the original Sketchup drawings, that I had drawn the arches differently than I arranged in my mock-up (I didn't have my computer in the shop with me). Notice how in the drawing the arches start at an angle from the legs as opposed to flush against the lower portion of the legs:



































Another thing I am seeing at this point is how thin the "side" arches need to be in order to look proportionally correct, which doesn't leave much room for a pin or dowel to attach the shelf on the sides. This is appearent in both the original Sketchup drawings as well as my model arches.

At this point I am unresolved in how to shape the arches and attach them to the legs as well as how to attach the shelf to the arches. I'll have to sleep on it but would also love your input if you've got any.

I'll apply today's 4 hours of work to my timeline since I was actually working on the hall table… *Total project time: 22 Hours*

I couldn't resist bringing the two unfinished pieces up from the shop and see how they look together in my living room. The coffee table will get arches as well (but no shelf)...


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## Karson (May 9, 2006)

Blake said:


> *Building the Arches... Design Challenges*
> 
> Like I mentioned before, I am building a matching coffee table along with my "hall table." I have been making an effort to document the time I spend on larger projects for my own reference. But since I am building two projects together the concept of time is getting a little blurry. I spent a few hours the other day just getting the coffee table caught up in the process. All the joinery is the same as before.
> 
> ...


Great set of pictures Blake. Nice job on the design and on the implementation planning.


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## Tangle (Jul 21, 2007)

Blake said:


> *Building the Arches... Design Challenges*
> 
> Like I mentioned before, I am building a matching coffee table along with my "hall table." I have been making an effort to document the time I spend on larger projects for my own reference. But since I am building two projects together the concept of time is getting a little blurry. I spent a few hours the other day just getting the coffee table caught up in the process. All the joinery is the same as before.
> 
> ...


Interesting problem, Blake. The dimensions have changed from the drawing to the actual table with the arches. Personally, I prefer the arches attached as you have them on the the actual table as opposed to the attachment in the drawing. The arch seems to flow out of the leg rather than being attached at an angle. You will think up a better way to attach the shelf than the pegs in the drawing. I'm not sure what that will be, but , knowing you it will be interesting to watch. Good luck.


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## toddc (Mar 6, 2007)

Blake said:


> *Building the Arches... Design Challenges*
> 
> Like I mentioned before, I am building a matching coffee table along with my "hall table." I have been making an effort to document the time I spend on larger projects for my own reference. But since I am building two projects together the concept of time is getting a little blurry. I spent a few hours the other day just getting the coffee table caught up in the process. All the joinery is the same as before.
> 
> ...


Blake,

I agree completely with Thos. on the visual flow of the arch from the leg. The actual product is better than the Sketchup model.

I am fairly pragmatic about using available space in our tiny house. This side of me would lean towards adding the bottom shelf. But as I look at the photos, I think the table looks better without it. This is the purely artistic viewpoint.

I had Rita look at it too. We agreed on the bottom shelf. The table is light and airy with some great visual interest added by the graceful sweeping arches. The bottom shelf seems a bit heavy and out of place.

Leaving it out may be a consideration. Taking it in the house is perfect. Live with it in your space and see how it feels. Is it better with or without the shelf? How does it impact you when you first walk into the room? This is exactly what I am referring to when I talk about designing by "feel." It is all about the initial impact when you see it. Does it feel like it is balanced, flows, or has a comfortable presence?

The actual table seems taller and not as long as the Sketchup model. The actual seems more delicate and is very pleasing.

This is a good experience to see how an actual project looks in comparison to it's computer rendering.


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## Blake (Oct 17, 2007)

Blake said:


> *Building the Arches... Design Challenges*
> 
> Like I mentioned before, I am building a matching coffee table along with my "hall table." I have been making an effort to document the time I spend on larger projects for my own reference. But since I am building two projects together the concept of time is getting a little blurry. I spent a few hours the other day just getting the coffee table caught up in the process. All the joinery is the same as before.
> 
> ...


My consultant (wife) is advising me to stick with the mock-up version as well. She also likes the way the arches flow into the legs. I think I like it better too and will probably stick with the new design.


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## GaryK (Jun 25, 2007)

Blake said:


> *Building the Arches... Design Challenges*
> 
> Like I mentioned before, I am building a matching coffee table along with my "hall table." I have been making an effort to document the time I spend on larger projects for my own reference. But since I am building two projects together the concept of time is getting a little blurry. I spent a few hours the other day just getting the coffee table caught up in the process. All the joinery is the same as before.
> 
> ...


Very interesting design, Blake.

If you don't end up putting the bottom shelf in there, there is something you might want to do.

Connect the front and back arch with a round or twisting square rod. (Square twist to make each end mate flush with the arch.)

The connection point would be where they would intersect if they were both on the same side of the table.

As well as adding visual impact it would also serve to strengthen the thin arches.


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## FritzM (Dec 18, 2007)

Blake said:


> *Building the Arches... Design Challenges*
> 
> Like I mentioned before, I am building a matching coffee table along with my "hall table." I have been making an effort to document the time I spend on larger projects for my own reference. But since I am building two projects together the concept of time is getting a little blurry. I spent a few hours the other day just getting the coffee table caught up in the process. All the joinery is the same as before.
> 
> ...


Well Blake, you've gotten to the heart of what it means to design on the fly. To me it appears the fundamental problem is that the table you designed in sketchup and the mockup have different aspect ratios. The model is much longer that it is tall while the real table is almost square in form (as Todd mentioned). This means the severity of the arches between the long legs is much less graceful and that is compounded by the addition of the intermediate shelf. Hence, I agree that the table without the shelf feels more well balanced. The truncated shape of the actual; table also makes the arch appear more of a single radius and less an elliptical form. This affects the look in a way that causes the curved form to make the piece unbalanced. I know it is quite a departure, but have you considered two opposing arches (curved as you have them mocked up) in the same plane? Meaning double arches between each leg? Or shortening the table to make it match the model more…..

It's your vision and your design, I'm sure the right answer will come. What I do in this situation is exactly what you are doing. Keep mocking up (physically as well as in sketchup). I wonder how it would look if you moved the shelf up? Perhaps above the mid point of the legs and made it thinner and shorter (like the model). Keep playing with it, it'll come to you. The beauty of this process is you will test options, evaluate their validity and relevance and test and cement your own design ideals.

Good luck man, keep us posted!

Fritz


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## bfd (Dec 23, 2007)

Blake said:


> *Building the Arches... Design Challenges*
> 
> Like I mentioned before, I am building a matching coffee table along with my "hall table." I have been making an effort to document the time I spend on larger projects for my own reference. But since I am building two projects together the concept of time is getting a little blurry. I spent a few hours the other day just getting the coffee table caught up in the process. All the joinery is the same as before.
> 
> ...


Hi Blake,

I was just wondering how you were coming on this the other day. Here are my thoughts. I think that once the opposing arches are in place they will help the piece looked more ballanced as it does in the rendering. I do like the way that the arch starts and terminates into the leg and apron in the mock up. I would keep the side arches the same thickness as the larger front arches. And I personally think the shelf helps in the composition of the piece. I think by keeping the shelf it helps reinforce the rectangular shape and lessens the look of a more square composition. If I remember correctly you were going to use brass rods (pins) to attach the bottom shelf. I think that you could get those small enough to work. The one recommendation I have is to put a bevel on the shelf (like you did on the top). This will help the shelf look more delicate and airy.


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## BigBob (Nov 5, 2008)

Blake said:


> *Building the Arches... Design Challenges*
> 
> Like I mentioned before, I am building a matching coffee table along with my "hall table." I have been making an effort to document the time I spend on larger projects for my own reference. But since I am building two projects together the concept of time is getting a little blurry. I spent a few hours the other day just getting the coffee table caught up in the process. All the joinery is the same as before.
> 
> ...


You really do exceptional work. This is real craftsmanship, when you build to your own design and try this and that until it looks right to you.
Awesome job.


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## BigBob (Nov 5, 2008)

Blake said:


> *Building the Arches... Design Challenges*
> 
> Like I mentioned before, I am building a matching coffee table along with my "hall table." I have been making an effort to document the time I spend on larger projects for my own reference. But since I am building two projects together the concept of time is getting a little blurry. I spent a few hours the other day just getting the coffee table caught up in the process. All the joinery is the same as before.
> 
> ...


If you want the shelf to "float" you might think about easing the edge of the shelf like you did on the top.
Champfering the edge gives it a lighter look , takes away the heavy feeling of it compared to the legs, top, and arches, and will help give an illusion of floating.
I think I would attach it with blind dowels.


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## Blake (Oct 17, 2007)

Blake said:


> *Building the Arches... Design Challenges*
> 
> Like I mentioned before, I am building a matching coffee table along with my "hall table." I have been making an effort to document the time I spend on larger projects for my own reference. But since I am building two projects together the concept of time is getting a little blurry. I spent a few hours the other day just getting the coffee table caught up in the process. All the joinery is the same as before.
> 
> ...


I agree. I have been planning on chamfering the shelf (if I include it) all along.


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## Blake (Oct 17, 2007)

*Laminating the Arches*

Finally I have the first set of arches glued and clamped in the bending form. I have only made the arches for the hall table so far. Once I finish it I will go back and do the coffee table.

Since I only made one form for each shape I did it in two stages. I glued the first two arches yesterday and just got the identical ("opposing") set in the forms tonight.

I used my Thin-Strip Jig to cut the bending strips. That was very repetitive work for a while. I cut all the strips for all of the 8 arches at the same time. Each arch is made of 6 strips about 1/8" thick for about 3/4" total thickness (and 3/4" wide as well).










Then I mixed up the glue. After carefully reading over the highly technical instructions several times, I figured out that it is actually easier to mix the adhesive like pancakes (add a little powder, add a little water) without measuring. It seemed to work fine.

I screwed one half of the form to a MDF "base" to keep it flat, added a lot of packing tape to keep it from sticking, and then clamped the other half of the form together with the strips in the middle.

I definitely tested the limits of my clamp collection!



















By tomorrow I will have all four arches for my hall table laminated. After I pop them out of the form I will start working on sanding and fitting them to the table.

About another 6 hours went into laminating the arches. *Total project time: 28 hours.*


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## bfd (Dec 23, 2007)

Blake said:


> *Laminating the Arches*
> 
> Finally I have the first set of arches glued and clamped in the bending form. I have only made the arches for the hall table so far. Once I finish it I will go back and do the coffee table.
> 
> ...


Sweet Blake,

Can't wait to see this complete. Very impressive clamp collection. This thin strip jig is that for the table saw? 
If so sounds much quicker then cutting these on the bandsaw.


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## Blake (Oct 17, 2007)

Blake said:


> *Laminating the Arches*
> 
> Finally I have the first set of arches glued and clamped in the bending form. I have only made the arches for the hall table so far. Once I finish it I will go back and do the coffee table.
> 
> ...


Yea, it is a huge time-saver. With my "Glue Line Rip Blade" from Freud I didn't even have to run the strips through my thickness sander. It took about 20-30 minutes to cut 54 strips (6 per arch plus a few extra).


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## Tikka (May 14, 2007)

Blake said:


> *Laminating the Arches*
> 
> Finally I have the first set of arches glued and clamped in the bending form. I have only made the arches for the hall table so far. Once I finish it I will go back and do the coffee table.
> 
> ...


You can never have enought clamps (even the light weight cheep ones are good enbough for this task). You are progressing well!


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## DennisLeeZongker (Jul 25, 2008)

Blake said:


> *Laminating the Arches*
> 
> Finally I have the first set of arches glued and clamped in the bending form. I have only made the arches for the hall table so far. Once I finish it I will go back and do the coffee table.
> 
> ...


Very nice work. Bending wood in layers is a lot of fun. Looks like your having fun.


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## Tangle (Jul 21, 2007)

Blake said:


> *Laminating the Arches*
> 
> Finally I have the first set of arches glued and clamped in the bending form. I have only made the arches for the hall table so far. Once I finish it I will go back and do the coffee table.
> 
> ...


Great progress, Blake.


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## Karson (May 9, 2006)

Blake said:


> *Laminating the Arches*
> 
> Finally I have the first set of arches glued and clamped in the bending form. I have only made the arches for the hall table so far. Once I finish it I will go back and do the coffee table.
> 
> ...


Great job Blake. Coming along great.


----------

