End table project...

[JohnMorgan of Lititz]

Hi folks -

I'm starting to put together details for my next project: Shaker-style end table.

I guess it technically would be a middle table - its going to reside between two leather chairs in our "formal" living room. ;)

At this point, I'm going for Honduran Mahogany. I need something that will be a deep, dark brown with a hint of red. This is open to suggestions as well. I like cherry, but I don't know if I can get it dark enough.

The real question of the thread: What is the best way to tie in a shelf to the the 4 legs of the table?

The legs will be square - probably not tapered. Do I notch out the shelf and Kreg-jig into the legs from the bottom? That doesn't seem too elegant to me - very functional however. Any ideas to share?

Notch the legs and go that route?

Looking for the sturdiest method as it will probably hold some books, magazines, I'm sure the LOML will put a basket there as well...

John

[Eric DeSilva]

I think typical mission construction would be running a stringer between the front and back leg and then dadoing the shelf into the two stringers... That would probably fit with a shaker piece as well.

[Brian D Anderson]

I don't know the true Shaker style personally . . .

I'm also making an end table. I'm making it for my parents and I'm matching an Ethan Allen table that they already have. That one has a lower apron with a notched out shelf. The shelf is attached to the lower apron just like a table top . . . with the table top fasteners like these:

http://www.woodcraft.com/Images/products/27N10tmb.jpg

Don't know if that helps. But that's how Ethan Allen does it.

-Brian

edit: Here's my table plan BTW . . .

http://www.jfreitasphotography.com/Temp/Parents_EndTable.jpg

[JohnMorgan of Lititz]

I think typical mission construction would be running a stringer between the front and back leg and then dadoing the shelf into the two stringers... That would probably fit with a shaker piece as well.

Thanks, Eric. I like that idea. Do you think a straight, square leg style would be best with that method? Also, I guess M&T the stringers into the legs would be appropriate.



I don't know the true Shaker style personally . . .

I'm also making an end table. I'm making it for my parents and I'm matching an Ethan Allen table that they already have. That one has a lower apron with a notched out shelf. The shelf is attached to the lower apron just like a table top . . . with the table top fasteners like these:

http://www.woodcraft.com/Images/products/27N10tmb.jpg

Don't know if that helps. But that's how Ethan Allen does it.

-Brian

edit: Here's my table plan BTW . . .

http://www.jfreitasphotography.com/Temp/Parents_EndTable.jpg

Very nice table plan - I like it. I'll have to give it some thought - it's a bit more "busy" in design than i prefer; I wonder if the vertical stiles/slats were removed would the shelf look out of place.

I've got to get into sketchup. I downloaded it and haven't taken the time to go through it.

I should have prefaced my post with the fact that i'm a complete noobie with wood working - so if my questions seem basic, that would explain it. :)

Thanks, guys.

[John Thompson]

"Very nice table plan - I like it. I'll have to give it some thought - it's a bit more "busy" in design than i prefer; I wonder if the vertical stiles/slats were removed would the shelf look out of place"? ....

Not at all.. it would look good as basically it changes the style from Mission to simply A & C. I am almost done with a similar table to be used in an ososoleces trapozoid spot between a recliner and a fire-place hearth. It has a bottom shelf which will be dadoed into the inside surface of the bottom stringer or stretcher.

There will also be a shelf mid-way between the bottom shelf and the top stretchers. I will tie that one in with mortise and tenon as the outside ends of the shelf will have tenons on the end to mate the mortises in the leg. I have and option of blind mortise and tenon or a through M&T as both are acceptalbe for the style.

Have fun...

[JohnMorgan of Lititz]

Not at all.. it would look good as basically it changes the style from Mission to simply A & C. I am almost done with a similar table to be used in an ososoleces trapozoid spot between a recliner and a fire-place hearth. It has a bottom shelf which will be dadoed into the inside surface of the bottom stringer or stretcher.

There will also be a shelf mid-way between the bottom shelf and the top stretchers. I will tie that one in with mortise and tenon as the outside ends of the shelf will have tenons on the end to mate the mortises in the leg. I have and option of blind mortise and tenon or a through M&T as both are acceptalbe for the style.

Have fun...

Thanks for the input, John! So in your trapezoidal area, did you actually build the table in a trapezoid? That's sort of similar to what I have - two leather chairs that sit centered with a large bow window behind them. The chairs are positioned such that they are angled toward each other. So, it creates a trapezoid between them. I wondered about building a table shaped like that, but I fear it would look out of place or odd somehow.

[Jason Pinsonneault]

heres a picture of a table similar to some end tables i have underway with a stringer running from front to back with the table dadoed in as others have suggested

[JohnMorgan of Lititz]

Jason,

Thanks for the picture. That's similar to what i'd like to do. Is that curved along the bottom of the drawer?

What is the best way to cut that curve? I don't have a bandsaw. Would I be able to make a jigsaw work? The only other thought I have would be a router and a template - but then how do you make the curve on the template?

[Jason Pinsonneault]

i'm simply making mine straight no curve, but yes you could easily do that with a jig saw

[John Thompson]

Thanks for the input, John! So in your trapezoidal area, did you actually build the table in a trapezoid? That's sort of similar to what I have - two leather chairs that sit centered with a large bow window behind them. The chairs are positioned such that they are angled toward each other. So, it creates a trapezoid between them. I wondered about building a table shaped like that, but I fear it would look out of place or odd somehow.

I am not making the base in the shape of the ososoleces trapezoid but... I am making the top even though I considered doing the base in that geometric shape. The chair in question does sit at an angle from the hearth toward a TV which created the ackward situation. I've got room for a standard retangular base in the area but the top had to be larger which means I needed some over-hang over the edge of the fire-place hearth.

This is going to be a work-bench so to speak for guess who? She sits and crochets which means scans of yarn on the middle shelf.. pattern books on the bottom.. needles.. etc.. on the table occasionally. But.. she has to have her portable phone on top.. a letter holder for current bils she will pay.. a lamp to see how to do all this and of course the statement.. don't forget to include room for a box of tissues. :rolleyes:

So.. standard base with the OT top. How will it look? I don't have a clue but I am throwing caution to the wind as I am going to put a recessed tray on the top for the tissue box.. a letter holder and use a crooked stem lamp I retrieved off a table I purchased at a yard sale to save space of the base of a regular lamp and it will center the light itself over the center of table.

So.. not sure how it will look as I am generally not pessimistic but.. the function will be there with my approach. ha.. ha... ha..ha..ha..

As far as how to cut a curved template for the streacher or stringer... 1/2" MDF cut to the exact size of the stretcher without a curve. Draw the curve with pencil on the MDF. With no bandsaw.. cut to 1mm-2mm outside the actual line with a jig-saw. Then you take the template to the spindle sander if you have one.. files and rasp if you don't. BTW.. I use a spindle sander to get close to the line then finish with the files and rasp as MDF is easy to work with them. One slip up on the spindle sander and you make a new template or adjust the curved line on the one you have.

Once the template is finalized.. place on top of the actual piece and draw the line. Then remove and cut to within 1mm-2mm on that piece with your jig-saw. Attach the trued template to the actual piece with carpet tape or if one side won't show you can run a couple of screws through the MDF and into the non showing side of the piece. Take that to the router table and use an over-head bearing bit to take off the remaining stock on the actual down to the trued template.

Good luck...

[John Thompson]

Maybe this will help as to the looks of the top John.. retangular hole for the tissue box recessed tray on one end... round hole for the crooked arm column stem of the lamp on the rear. The tissue box hole will sit just inside the stretcher on that end... the round hole is mid-way from the outer edge of the top and stretcher on the tail end. Whatvever all that means. ha.. ha...

[Tony Shea]

Wow, what kind of wood is that with all that spalting? Is it walnut. I'm pretty green so bear with me. But I do love the figure of that top you have there above.

[Prashun Patel]

Tony-

I believe that's Oak. It looks dark probably because of the lighting in the shop. But those 'flecks' are usually found in quartersawn oak. They're not rot or spalting, but (to the best of my understanding) pores that are out of the 'normal' orientation. It's a hallmark of Mission style furniture.

[John Thompson]

Shawn is correct Tony.. that is Quarter Sawn White Oak referred to usually in print here as QSWO. If you flat saw oak as most lumber comes these days to save waste... you see normal cathederal grain as any other species. If you quarter saw oak (the log is quartered and then sliced and diced from those 4 quarters which does not yield as much for the "sawyer" in sellable wood and the reason QS is more expensive) then you see the what is called "flecks" on the surface.

Spalt is caused by fungus (as Shawn noted) that has entered the tree and is quite beautiful in it's own right but too much fungus could have weakened fibers. The "fleck" is nothing more than the result of how the tree was originally sawn and was the pre-dominant (not exclusive) wood used in A & C furniture when it arrived on the scene from basically 1880-1920 as it was plentiful and cheap.

If you say glue two pieces of QSWO together to form a leg.. you will get two sides with Fleck and two sides (the edges) that will come up normal long grain. To counter this the Stickley Bros. came up with a method to get fleck on all four side by what they refer to as "quad-linearing" the legs. Basically that means you use 4 face pieces of QS fleck and miter the edges which are then glued together giving you four sides with Fleck showing. They used a lock miter in their original method but.. I simply cut the 45 degree edges and glue them using package tape to ensure position and then wrapping surgical cord (flexible tubing as used in hospitals and scuba diving air lines on air tanks) to tighten up and maintain position after the initial mate.

If you want to see a quad-linear leg.. I can take a picture this afternoon and post if you wish.

Regards..

[Prashun Patel]

package tape...surgical cord

Nice tip. Thanks!


If you want to see a quad-linear leg.. I can take a picture this afternoon...

Always love yr pix, John.

[JohnMorgan of Lititz]

John: Thank you for taking time to write up some good instructions for me to follow. I'll be sure to reference this once its time to make that cut!

Good luck with the trapezoidal top on the table - looking forward to finished pics!

Thanks again for all the feedback and info!

[Mark Kasparoff]

I love me some quartersawn oak.