Sofa Table

[ken hatch]

With the bath wall cabinet hung it is on to the next build.

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh222/VTXAZ/bathWallCabinet-2374_zps1xqhqolx.jpg

The panel is a little much, I expect once I find a free day or two I will build another door with a Cherry panel. It was a good idea that didn't work.

MsBubba wants a sofa table to hold her morning tea. There are a few constraints such as it shouldn't be more than about 200mm (about 8" for those still stuck in the in, ft, and stone world) wide and needs to be somewhere longer than 2300mm (7.5') and 750mm (just under 30") tall.


The 200mm makes it tough to fit four legs and a apron under the slab and attaching the slab with turn buttons could be interesting as well. I thought about using "waterfall" legs for about 2 seconds and quickly decided there ain't no way no how. After some more butt scratching I decided to scale up one of my foot stools. It meets all the requirements: Strong, stable, an easy build, and not totally butt ugly.


Here is a bad sketch, the journal is on the slab I will use for the top. It's a nice hunk of Sapele, a beautiful wood when finished but a bear to plane. I will leave the slab as thick as I can, it should end up over 40mm thick. Wood for the legs it is yet to be determined, I've some very pretty Honey Locus or I could use some of the leftover Beech from the last bench build.


Other than it being big and heavy to work it should be an easy build. Four, maybe five, dovetails on each end, two through mortises and a tenon on each end of the stretcher. A little shaping on the legs and it's done.

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh222/VTXAZ/sofaTable_zpsbum7kq7u.jpg

The Sepele was on the bottom of the wood pile, I figure at about 5 lbs a board foot I had to move close to 3500 lbs of wood to retrieve it from the stack then this morning re-stack the wood I moved. Can you say "my back is killing me". :eek:

ken

[Mel Fulks]

I love the cabinet and its panel. Beautiful and interesting. I suggest that the smallness of a bathroom invites more critical color compatibility than other rooms.

[Brian Holcombe]

Nice design! Looking forward to seeing this project as it goes along. I've built a few things for my wife in sapele, I like cutting joinery in it.

The bathroom looks great, I think the maple door panel is awesome.

[Kent Adams]

I think that door panel looks fantastic.

[Andrew Hughes]

I like the panel too, it draws my eye with pleasurable surprise.But I know what it's like to have your heart set on a particular look and something differant comes out.😕 Looking forward to seeing the table.If you want to share.

[Jim Koepke]

I think the cabinet door is beautiful. Give it time and it may start to feel good to you.

jtk

[ken hatch]

Thanks Guys,

With as much stuff in the pipe line as there is, I expect by the time the cabinet door comes to the top I will have fallen in love with it. :)

I've been wrestling the sofa slap most of the day, time for the hot tub and a martini.

ken

[Pat Barry]

You should really draw this to scale as the dimensions you show don't match the appearance you want.
The bathroom cabinet is very nice. whats on the inside?

[Christopher Charles]

I also think the door panel looks great and glad to hear you're anticipating a change of heart :)

I agree with Pat that your drawing and dimensions don't match to my mind. In particular, the dimensions suggest a relatively narrow table compared to the drawing. Which should be fine if between a sofa and wall, or braced against something (like, say, a sofa...) but might be prone to tipping otherwise. That said, I'm sure you've all this thought out already.

C

[Brian Holcombe]

The bathroom cabinet is very nice. whats on the inside?

My guess;

Lawyers, guns and money.

[ken hatch]

You should really draw this to scale as the dimensions you show don't match the appearance you want.
The bathroom cabinet is very nice. whats on the inside?

Pat,

Thanks.

Inside are adjustable South American Walnut shelfs on brass pins. I must say the SAW shelfs look pretty good with the Cherry and Spalted Sycamore. No photo available maybe later.

Yep, I know. If I were trying to show a client what was being made they wouldn't have a clue from that rough sketch but my sketches are just a place to note rough position of pieces and starting dimensions. I make pretty simple furniture and size as I go.

ken

[ken hatch]

I also think the door panel looks great and glad to hear you're anticipating a change of heart :)

I agree with Pat that your drawing and dimensions don't match to my mind. In particular, the dimensions suggest a relatively narrow table compared to the drawing. Which should be fine if between a sofa and wall, or braced against something (like, say, a sofa...) but might be prone to tipping otherwise. That said, I'm sure you've all this thought out already.

C

Chris,

The tipping/stability was the main reason I rejected legs and apron for the base. i expect you can't see it from the rough sketch but the end pieces/legs will be slightly wider than the slab.

ken

[ken hatch]

When I can find a couple or three minutes to rub together I've been beavering away on the slab. I love the look of Ribbon Sapele once finished but it is a bear to work, add in that the hunk of wood is 200mm X 2300mm X 45mm it is probably a good thing I can only find short, broken times to work on it ;).

I do love me some woodies for this kind of work:

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh222/VTXAZ/sofaTableSlab151103_zpsl7nhwa0z.jpg

ken

[Robert Engel]

When I saw the width and height the first thing I though of was stability. I'm surprised no one else did.

Very unusual dimensions.... Can it not be a little wider?

[Barry Dima]

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh222/VTXAZ/sofaTableSlab151103_zpsl7nhwa0z.jpg



Your bench looks like it went across Europe eating lesser benches to absorb their mass and powers.

Thanks for the details and (I'm guessing) WIC build pics and conversation. I have something like a sofa table on the docket, so I'm happy to learn from you.

[ken hatch]

When I saw the width and height the first thing I though of was stability. I'm surprised no one else did.

Very unusual dimensions.... Can it not be a little wider?

Robert,

It has to fit between the sofa and the wall, 200mm is about it. Stability was one of the reasons for rejecting a standard leg/apron approach. The end legs will be slightly wider than the slab. I've used this with foot stools and they are very stable, even though the table will be scalded up I expect with it being between the sofa and wall there will be no problem with stability.

I must say when I gave the "yes dear" answer to MsBubba I hadn't thought through the build or problems. If I had I still expect the answer would have been the same as I've become a smarter man over the years and know the correct answer to any request from SWMBO.

ken

[ken hatch]

Your bench looks like it went across Europe eating lesser benches to absorb their mass and powers.

Thanks for the details and (I'm guessing) WIC build pics and conversation. I have something like a sofa table on the docket, so I'm happy to learn from you.

Barry,

LMAO, I call it my cross channel bench....French bones with an English skin. It has been the best of all worlds, I can't think of a thing I would change.

It will be slow going at least till spring (although I don't expect to take that long building) because the day job is crazy for the next several months. I will post build photos and commentary as it progresses.

ken