Craftsman Style Coffee Table Build

[Mike Allen1010]

I’m building this craftsmen style coffee table for oldest son. Now that he’s a college graduate, if I build him enough furniture maybe he will fly the nest?
Dimensions are: 50” long x 25” wide X 20” tall.


I’m building this out of white oak. Quarter sawn white oak woulld have been preferable, but was outside of my budget – here’s home from the lumber yard and laying out the big pieces.
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Match planing pieces for glue up.
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Glue up of major panels in progress.
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I was able to get the top mostly out of two boards, with little added on the sides – here’s trimming to final dimensions.
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Sawing the shoulders for the tongue on the tabletop for breadboard ends:
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Horizontally the table is roughly divided into thirds: doors on either side with three drawers in the middle. Here’s the sliding dovetails for the horizontal dividers between drawers:

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[Mike Allen1010]

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4 legs notched into the bottom.

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Here are the vertical dividers that separate the doors on either side from the drawers in the middle. Joined to the top and bottom of the table with rabbits and notched for the horizontal rails on front and back.
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Here’s the dry fit of the table top, bottom and vertical dividers.
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Sawing the table legs to length.
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Gang planing the legs to hopefully the same width, thickness.
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[Mike Allen1010]

Here’s just one of many mistakes – sawing the Tennons for rails – you can see I’ve marked the waste on both sides of the line – I hate when I do that!
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Here’s what I really going for.
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The rails on both front and sides have three shouldered Tennons (because my mortises are ugly and always out of square and must be hidden). Because the dimensions between these tennon shoulders determine the squareness of the case, they get a little extra attention.
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Here’s laying out the notch in the top of table legs for the top, front and back rails. These will be through Tennons – hopefully with reasonably mitered expose ends.
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Here’s just another example of why I shouldn’t even bother with plans; this represents a difference between what I “planned” the width of the bottom to be, and the actual width.
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The bottom will be tennoned into the lower side rails – here’s the rabbit to establish the tennon and the corresponding mortises in side rails.
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[Mike Allen1010]

A cloud lift detail on the bottom rail - sides, front and back.
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Here’s the sides and front dry fit.
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Here’s another screwup; I cut the mortises for the right side of the table bottom on the wrong side of the line – you can see how right (where I screwed up) slopes down to level on the left (which is correct).
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Here’s the fix:
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Laying out spacing for vertical pieces on the side; there is no way I could do this with math – dividers rock!
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Here’s the chamfered ends of one of the side rails.
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Man, I don't want to be a whiner and I know I'm old and stupid, but uploading pictures one at a time is more than I can really manage. If there's interest I'll upload the rest the build.

All the best, Mike

[Kent A Bathurst]

Looking great.

Q's:

Post #2, first 3 photos - - are photo 1 and 2 the sequence that then gets ripped for the 4 pcs in photo 3? Can't see where else the DT will go in the case.

Very last 2 photos: I assume you have to cut the tenon[s] into sections to mate with the side rail mortises? And - how will you attach them?...a cross-grain thingy working there.

Will love to see the progress, MIke.

[Phil Mueller]

Great build, thanks for sharing. Question: what is the brand/type of chisel shown in this photo? http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=316940&d=1436319800&thumb=1 (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=316940&d=1436319800)
Being somewhat new to this, I appreciate you showing the good and the not so good...
Please share the rest of the build...
Phil

[Maurice Ungaro]

Looks to be a Lee Valley chisel.

[Brian Holcombe]

Nice work Mike! I don't know if this will encourage or discourage your son from moving, he may hold out for a few more projects.

Very clean work, I can appreciate that greatly also working in a wood that splits out easily at the moment.

[Phil Mueller]

Thanks Maurice.

[Mike Allen1010]

[QUOTE=Kent A Bathurst;2440795].

Q's:

Post #2, first 3 photos - - are photo 1 and 2 the sequence that then gets ripped for the 4 pcs in photo 3? Can't see where else the DT will go in the case.

Hi Kent – I always enjoy your posts, Thanks for the advice on finishing White Oak. I plan to use your recipe for this table.

To your question above; yes, you are absolutely right. I like sliding dovetail joints, but struggle to execute them solidly. The challenge for me is when cutting both the DT's and sockets, the margin for error is pretty small. I guess you can mitigate that to some degree if you use the same router bit to cut both parts of the joint – however I don't know how to do it that way.

I usually use sliding DT's for dividers in casework. Typically there are multiple dividers that need to be the same length at both the outside dimension and the shoulder of the DT. My preference for these kind of dividers is to trim a wide board to the correct outside length and then use a dovetail plane to cut the male end of the sliding DT's, and then rip the board into the necessary number of dividers.I like this strategy because it gives me consistent inside/outside lengths and my biggest problem with this joint is chip out on the show faces of the DTs during paring to final with, and particularly at assembly. Once I rip the dividers and run the jointer along the edge, I get nice clean symmetrical show faces for the DTs.



Very last 2 photos: I assume you have to cut the tenon[s] into sections to mate with the side rail mortises? And - how will you attach them?...a cross-grain thingy working there.

I know I haven't really shown it in the build pictures so far, but the bottom of the table is captured on all four sides – front and back by tongue and groove to the bottom rails and on the ends by sstub M&T's. For the ends I could've gone with a rabbit across the entire width of bottom. I'm not sure why, but I prefer the stub M &T's. To account for expansion, the mortises on the ends of the rails are wider than the tennons and I only glue in the center M&T. The rigidity/squareness of the table along its length are primarily provided by the front and back rails, which are joined to the legs with through, pegged Tennons (I'll at some pictures in the next post) and the tabletop that will be screwed through blocks into all 4 top rails. Consequently I don't really need the stub Tennons on the table bottom to add a lot of strength.

Cheers, Mike

[Mike Allen1010]

[QUOTE=Phil Mueller;2440822] Question: what is the brand/type of chisel shown in this photo? http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=316940&d=1436319800&thumb=1 (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=316940&d=1436319800)

Maurice is right, The chisel is a Lee Valley, Veritas with The "powdered metal" steel. These were fairly recent, splurge acquisitions for me. I really like the size and balance and the steel definitely takes a more durable edge than my other Western chisels, although I'm not sure it takes as fine an edge as some of my Japanese chisels.

All the best, Mike

[Mike Allen1010]

Side rails will be pegged into the table legs with dowels. I’m covering the dowels with Rosewood squares. You might not be able to see in the picture, but I left them slightly proud of the surface.
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Here’s fitting the table bottom Tennons into the mortises on the bottom side rails.
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The front and back rails are pegged to the legs with dowels. Decided not to cover these with Rosewood, thought it would be too much with the adjacent exposed chamfered Tennons.
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Probably my biggest concern in the whole build is the sliding dovetails for the horizontal dividers between drawers. I screwed these up countless times!!! Regrettably, all the dimensions need to be spot on to get a good fit for the joint and ensure the carcasses is square – that’s asking a lot!
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I pare the sliding dovetails on the end of the horizontal dividers so that hopefully they snug into a tight show fit. To cut the sockets I use an electric router.
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Here’s the carcass assembled; joints turned out decent.

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[Mike Allen1010]

Here’s the carcass assembled; joints turned out decent.

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These are the breadboard ends for the top:
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There was some swirly, reversing grain on the tabletop. I was able to get a decent show surface with planes and card scrapers. You probably can’t see in this picture, but the breadboard ends are doweled, covered with Rosewood squares.
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I’m looking forward to the next part; doors and drawers because a mathematically challenged guy like me can’t really screw it up – see the space, cut the part to fit. That's the plan anyway :).

Thanks for looking,

Mike

[Phil Mueller]

Thanks Mike. I'm in the hunt for an upgraded set of chisels and wanted to add it to my consideration list.
Looking forward to the rest of the build.

[Kent A Bathurst]

Mike -

Thanks for your earlier reply. All makes sense to me, after you explained it.

On your later post - I'm digging the confluence of traditional A+C design cues with the G+G cloud lifts on the bottom rails.......nice design and execution.

I never thought of pyramid ends on the breadboard............I will keep that in mind. The classic design solution: When you have a joint that can not look perfect, then accentuate it.

[Mike Allen1010]

Mike -



On your later post - I'm digging the confluence of traditional A+C design cues with the G+G cloud lifts on the bottom rails.......nice design and execution.

I never thought of pyramid ends on the breadboard............I will keep that in mind. The classic design solution: When you have a joint that can not look perfect, then accentuate it.

Kent you know way more about A&C design than me - I know you've built lots of furniture in this style. I suck at design, which is why I prefer to copy existing furniture - I totally support copying people who are good at what they do!

This is a bit of a leap for me in that I put this together based on design elements I like -usually a recipe for disaster. Thankfully I only have to make my son happy. If something has to pass muster with the Boss, there's usually a lot more negotiation, which I invariably lose.

Sound track for the build has been B. B. King live at the Royal and live at the Cook county jail - if you like the Blues HIGHLY recommended!

Best, Mike

[Joe A Faulkner]

Mike, I love this project. I've never done an A&C build, but am a fan of the form. I take it the joinery of the rails to the legs are using through mortises and are pinned. Did you pin these with round dowles and then cover with the rosewood squares?

[James Pallas]

Mike very well done work. A & C pieces look easy because of all of the square corners but executing the work is very difficult. Lots of M & T to do and make well fitting to the eye. I always hear that you need sharp tools for pine but if you work in white oak you need sharp and a big mallet or dents and splinters will plague you. Your work has nice crisp edges well done design. I enjoyed the build and waiting to see the finish.
Jim

[Stew Denton]

Mike,

Thank you! Really neat! I like the A&C stuff a lot, and your pictures and descriptions help me understand how it goes together and is built.

The photos and descriptions that guys like you and Jim, and the others that show how these projects are built are much appreciated.

Me, I am still restoring tools and cleaning up a place to work, etc....sigh, hoping to get there sometime.

Again thanks,

Stew

[Mike Allen1010]

Mike, I love this project. I've never done an A&C build, but am a fan of the form. I take it the joinery of the rails to the legs are using through mortises and are pinned. Did you pin these with round dowles and then cover with the rosewood squares?

Thanks Joe - I'm glad you're enjoying he build.

The rails front/back are M&T's, pinned with Oak dowels. I didn't cover these w/ Rosewood plugs because btheir directly adjacent to the exposed through tennons from the side rails. I wanted to feature through tendons so left them 1/4" pound and chambered the ends. Putting rosewood plugs right next to I thought would look too busy. Also I used rosewood plugs to cover the pinned M&T's on the frame and panel doors, which are also visible from the front/back.

These kind of "design" issues are waaay over my head. I suck at design and don't enjoy it. I much prefer to copy exsisting designs I know I like. Just ask Sherrie about some of my early projects from my own designs - for about 5 years none of those seemed to make it into the house. The Boss seemed to always know someone who these projects "would be perfect for". Some have been shop storage for the last 20 years!

Chews, Mike

[Don Slaughter]

Mike,
You can't demean such fine craftsmanship. It speaks for itself. Making errors is how one gets to be as good as you are. That is a very finely designed and executed piece of furniture that will carry your integrity way past your years. Very Nice. Inspirational! Makes me wanna get out there and do something!
Thank you so much for sharing this build. Hope to see you at the meeting next Wednesday!
Don

[Will Boulware]

Amazing work on top of an incredible design. Thanks for taking the time to share this with us. I've learned a lot from this!

[Mike Allen1010]

Thanks Don and Will.

There's another post(or is it a thread?) with part 3 of the build.

Now I'm in the middle o finishing process. Many thanks to Kent B. and Glenn in the finishing forum for finish suggestions. I'm following their plan to the letter and so far it's working out waaay better than my usual finishing " fire drill". Hopefully I'll make enough progress to post some final picks after next weekend.

Best, Mike