End table project completed

[Scott DelPorte]

Hi, this is my first project posting here. I started out wanting to build a reproduction of a shaker table that I saw in a book, but ended up making a few changes. For instance, I put a taper on the underside of the top all around the edge because I liked how it looked, and used violin tuning pegs for drawer pulls.

The book I used had measurements of overall dimensions and a photo, but didn't have much in the way of a building plan to help someone understand the underlying construction. I built this primarily out of the finest Home Depot pine (the type my brother makes bird houses from) figuring that I would learn a lot on this first one, and then build a pair of "real" ones out of cherry. I think the cherry ones will go a lot quicker and come out nicer after building this one.


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[Jim Becker]

Beautiful work!

[Kent A Bathurst]

One heckuva nice piece........especially for a prototype.

The "real ones" will be as good, I'm sure - seems "better" would be hard to achieve.

Let us see them, if you will.

Also - the drawers - what did you do to support them - kickers & runners? Any photos of that detail? Worked out great - the reveal looks pretty good............

[Jim Matthews]

It's a fine take on a timeless form.

I particularly like the way it looks in a regular room.

Too many look great in a show, but overpower a living space.

The knobs are particularly sharp.

kudos

[Gene Davis]

I like it! You must have watched some Norm Abrams' shows, because he always built a prototype. Good idea. I don't do it, then kick myself after.

Just finishing up a piece with a bottom-beveled top, like yours. I have done a few of such tops, and have settled on a thickness of 1", finished, for such tops, and a 3/8" vertical face. Need to get good 5/4 for such a top, but I think it is worth it.

Here is my Sketchup version of what you did, but with the top as I described. I panelized the side, which is recommended for dealing with wood movement. Either do that, or make the side out of plywood. You can take 12mm baltic birch and use it as a core, with skins of species you resaw and glue up.

Overall dims of my hallucination is 27.5 w x 19.25 d x 29 h.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Very nice first posted project! Well done!

[Scott DelPorte]

Thanks for the comments. Here is a picture of the insides so you can see how the drawers are supported. This is the first piece I have ever made with drawers, and the book had no details on the insides, so I am sort of winging it. I did get some decent tips from this forum on how to size the drawers etc. and appreciate the benefit of the combined experience here.

I basically made "L" shaped cross section runners that capture the bottom edge of the drawer sides, and prevent lateral movement. The tops of the drawer sides are stopped from moving too far upward by the slide above it. I made the sides/back of the drawers and the slides from maple so they wear a bit better. The runners were left slightly proud of the pine parts so all the drawer/case contact is maple on maple. The drawer slides are attached to the sides, but not to the legs

Other details that you can see from this view are the sliding dovetails I cut to attach the sides to the legs. You can see spacers between the three cross pieces on the front side. Im not sure how the original was put together, but the sliding dovetail seemed the easiest way for me to get it to come together and all be square. You can also see the little clips I used to attach the top to the base.

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The two cherry end tables are just stacks of wood right now. I cut out blanks for the legs and have started cutting and sorting boards for the tops.

[Art Mann]

I am amazed that you bought the material from Home Depot. I have very seldom seen material of that appearance at one of those type places. I share Kent's opinion that the piece would look different with a different wood but I don't see how it could look much better.

[Kent A Bathurst]

............the book had no details on the insides, so I am sort of winging it.....

Book, schmook. Tee it up, and swing for the fences - that's what I do.


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I basically made "L" shaped cross section runners that capture the bottom edge of the drawer sides, and prevent lateral movement. The tops of the drawer sides are stopped from moving too far upward by the slide above it. I made the sides/back of the drawers and the slides from maple so they wear a bit better. The runners were left slightly proud of the pine parts so all the drawer/case contact is maple on maple. The drawer slides are attached to the sides, but not to the legs

You dialed eight - the ball cleared the stadium, and is in the street outside.


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Other details that you can see from this view are the sliding dovetails I cut to attach the sides to the legs. You can see spacers between the three cross pieces on the front side. Im not sure how the original was put together, but the sliding dovetail seemed the easiest way for me to get it to come together and all be square. You can also see the little clips I used to attach the top to the base.

Well, then.........now that you are done with your first project, can't wait to see what you come up with, now that you have some experience.

Nicely done, Scott. Nicely indeed. Thanks for the post.

[Mark Stutz]

Not much I can add. When I looked at the thumbnails, I thought it was cherry. Great job!

[Scott DelPorte]

The book I used for a plan was called "Making Authentic Shaker Furniture" by John G. Shea, and the dimensions are only slightly smaller than the ones you give for your version Gene. I like the idea of using something like sketchup to see how the proportions look, and panel construction seems like a good idea for the sides.

I actually picked up quite a few tips from here, such as finishing. Most of my woodworking has been building acoustic guitars, and I usually just use a padded shellac finish or in some cases sprayed lacquer. I wanted this table to be ok if someone set a wet glass on it so I started out trying to use varnish for the first time. I never got good enough to get a decent look brushing it on, so I tried spraying it. That was a disaster. So after much sanding, I came on here and saw people were using a wiping finish and applying with tshirts or paper towels. Wow, that was a huge help.

One question I had was on the use of "dust panels" I read in another book that these are used in Shaker construction, and it seems like they would be stronger than the flimsy rails on the front face of the table I built. Do any of you use dust panels on small tables like this?

Kent, heres a picture of the pile of wood which will my next furniture project. I put a spare pine leg in the picture for scale. Considering how slow I am at completing these things, it may start to look like tables by Christmas.

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[Andrew Hughes]

I Also like it simple and clean,The top looks like it's as thin as a pencil,I bet it's not.Thanks for sharing.

[Kent A Bathurst]

...........Most of my woodworking has been building acoustic guitars, and I usually just use a padded shellac finish or in some cases sprayed lacquer.............. using a wiping finish and applying with tshirts or paper towels............ the pile of wood which will my next furniture project.

Guitars? you were shilling, Scott - just laying in the tall grass waiting for us to ride by.

wipe-on - Scott brand Blue Paper towels.

Pile of wood - you are nearly there.

[Michelle Rich]

WOW!looks fabulous in pine..can't believe it looks soooooo good. Great job!

[Mark Maleski]

I really like the idea of using violin pegs. I may steal that idea from you. :p

[glenn bradley]

Sweet little table. The violin peg pulls area great idea. Timeless form and good dimensions will make this an instant heirloom. Very nice work.

[Gene Davis]

I looked at the cost of 4/4 cello pegs. Wow! What an inexpensive way to get ebony knob pulls. 4/4 means full-sized.

[Jerry Thompson]

Great pine job considering where the lumber came from.

[Mike Null]

Great job regardless of your lumber source!

[Phil Mueller]

Really well done, Scott. Drawers are something I need to take on myself. Certainly doesn't look like a "first" to me, but does inspire me to include them on a future project. Thanks for sharing.
Phil

[Scott DelPorte]

If you don't count things like the plywood base I made for my workbench, the last piece of furniture I made was a maple coffee table I did in high school shop back in the 70's. It had straight square legs, and looked more like a piano bench than a table. I've built guitars mostly using hand tools in my basement and in the workshop of a teacher I studied with for a few years. A couple years ago I built a proper workshop next to my house and got my first table saw, bandsaw and jointer. This led me to try my hand at some furniture. My guitar making output has suffered as a result. :)

Some people commented on the violin pegs I used for drawer pulls. There are different woods and many levels of ornamentation that you can get. I used very simple inexpensive boxwood ones. They are really easy to install. The pegs have a tapered shaft that needs to be trimmed to length, but I just drilled a hole in the front of the drawer and reamed a taper to friction fit the peg. Right now the pegs are only held in by the tight fit and glue, but I drilled a hole in the peg shaft to allow me to put a screw in them from the inside of the drawer to back up the glue joint.

[Mike Ontko]

I really like the idea of using violin pegs. I may steal that idea from you. :p

Nice work Scott! I'd also like to borrow from your violin peg idea, though I might be more likely to use viola pegs (LOML is a concert violist :)).

[Gordon Eyre]

Love the clean lines and obvious craftsmanship. Well done.