Coffee Table

[alex grams]

This is my latest project I have been delaying for a while. My parents want a new coffee table, so this will suit their needs. Back in the late 80's my dad salvaged a bunch of marble from a bank in my hometown that was being renovated, so we decided to use a piece of the marble for the top. I am going to frame it in curly oak and build a base for it. A simple project, but should be a fun one.


The design:
http://i.imgur.com/j3ceRlA.png


the marble:
http://i.imgur.com/j1P9pzH.jpg


I use the marble to make an intermediate (slightly larger) copy:
http://i.imgur.com/l4ZLoh0.jpg


Then I use that intermediate copy to make a full size negative:
http://i.imgur.com/HoWFT8S.jpg


This negative fits snugly on the marble, and I will use it as a router guide to do the fitting on the wood skirt around the marble:
http://i.imgur.com/m9hjQbV.jpg


I have some curly oak I am using for the frame on the top:
http://i.imgur.com/AfU1ANP.jpg


The frame roughed out:
http://i.imgur.com/uzRhmUy.jpg




The angles cut on the frame. I am going to have a floating tenon at each join on the frame, and am debating spanning the joints with butterfly dovetails on the underside for strength.
http://i.imgur.com/nbWulGH.jpg?1


This is going in the same set as a pair of end tables I made for my parents a few years ago, so it will get the same stain color:
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt220/alexgrams/Furniture/MomsEndTable083.jpg

[alex grams]

The butterfly dovetails are bois d'arc/hedge apple/osage orange from a tree I cut down a few years ago and made some bowls from, I had some scraps and wanted something different for the dovetails.


http://i.imgur.com/CW54H4n.jpg


http://i.imgur.com/dIs1P2E.jpg


http://i.imgur.com/A9d7aVv.jpg


http://i.imgur.com/YBnO9GT.jpg


http://i.imgur.com/jj4fDjf.jpg


http://i.imgur.com/T7CjgPL.jpg


http://i.imgur.com/7JUcgdS.jpg

[Yonak Hawkins]

Excellent ! I love all the curves and the related joints. It looks great.

[Jim Matthews]

The vertical "lift" on the hayrake stretcher is a nice touch.

Kudos.

[Art Mann]

You characterize it as a simple project but i would not. That kind of joinery takes a lot of skill to make it fit really well. My compliments!

[joe valsi]

EXCELLENT JOB !! very good craftsmanship !!

[Jay Jolliffe]

Nice job as others have said. Did you laminate the apron to get the radius? In the sketch it looks as it's 3 pieces but not on the table.

[alex grams]

I had some 12/4 oak I cut the skirts from in a single piece. The sketch just showed those lines because they are tangent lines from the curve ending, a flat spot starting, then the other curve starting. I should have hidden those lines in the sketch to be accurate.