Making a Maloof inspired table- Finished

[Don Baer]

As a result of the recent workshop I attended with some fellow creekers I decided to make a Maloof inspired table. Sam considered this a fairly easy project and says that he can knock on out in a half a day using scrap. Here is a picture of one of his tables that I am using as an inspiration. The table pictured is 28 1/2 high by 41 wide. No other demension are given. I will document the process of making the table in this thread. Comments and questions are welcome.

[Don Baer]

Sam used a template to make all of the legs the same size. I decided to make the table 26 1/2 high. I deducted the thickness for the top and decided that the legs shoulf be 25 high and I arbitrarily picked ten inches for the spread of the legs. In the Maloof style I took a piece of 1/2 Plywood and cut it 10 x 25 square. I next took a pencil and sketched the shape that I wanted. As it turned out the center colume ended up 18" tall.
Here is a picture of the template.

[Don Baer]

I decided to make the table from 8/4 maple. Since I didn't have enopugh scrap laying around I went to my local harwood supplier and got 16 bd.ft of 8/4 maple 9" wide. Each leg is made of 3 pieces, the foot, the collum and the table support. The pieces are then doweled and glued together for final shaping. Each leg is attached by a rabbit to a 4x4 pices of stock which is the center support.

Here some picture of the stock milled and ready for glue up. Since I didn't have a pice of 16/4 maple laying arounf I glued together two pices of 8/4.

[Don Baer]

And here is a picture of the three pieces layed out with the Template to see how they will fit together. Tomarrow I'll be gluing up the pieces for all four legs.

[John Miliunas]

Yeah, well from what I understand, Sam's "scrap pile" would probably make my primary lumber stock look pretty sick!:o Nice start on it, Don! Now, you've got until Noon tomorrow to get that puppy knocked out! And heck, you've even got a head start, considering you already did a bunch of the prep work!!!:D Seriously, I'm look forward to progress, as well as the final product!:) :cool:

[Andrew Ault]

Nice to see, Don!

I plan to make one also, during the Christmas season. So happy to see you pioneering it. Thank-you so much for sharing the process as you go along. I promise that I will do the same in a few weeks when my schedule is less impacted and I have time of my own. It seems like a good way to use what we learned on that Saturday.

John: Sam is very frugal in his use of wood. He saves and uses scraps. I got the impression that he does not let much pile up and find uses for everything. It seems that in spite of his AMAZING inventory of wood, he tries to use up every bit of his stock. The tables are a means for him to use up odd scraps. He pieces together sets from his scrap pile.

- Andy

[Dan Larson]

Hi Don,

Thanks for posting this thread-- I'm very interested in your Maloof inspired table project. Recently I've been thinking about making a piano stool that would have a base/leg assembly reminiscent of a Maloof table. I've been staring at pictures of these tables and trying to imagine how Sam put them together.

One of the issues that I was scratching my head over was joinery for the various pieces that make up the legs. I was thinking that loose tenons might be a possibility, but was having trouble coming up with a way to accurately mill the mortices on odd shaped stock.:confused: Ahhh, but you mentioned DOWELS! This seems like an appealing option...

Would you mind describing the dowel joinery for the legs in some more detail? How many dowels per joint? How did you drill the holes on the mating pieces so that they line up perfectly? I have no practical experience with dowel joinery, so any info that you could offer would be helpful to me.

Thanks Don!

Dan

[Don Baer]

Hi Dan,
I'll be joining the leg pieces tonight and will try to post picture of the process. Sam uses 2 dowels per joint. The joints are all on 45* angles so he notches the outside of the pieces to that he can clamp them while the glue sets. What's realy interesting also is how he joins all 4 legs together on a center post. That part will have to come later when I have all 4 legs finaly shaped.

[Mark Singer]

Don,
Glad to see you making the table. That was a great day and I enjoyed meeting you and the other Creekers. My bigest thrill was to watch Sam eating an "In and Out Burger"! Looks like you are off to a graet start!

[John Scarpa]

Don, Looks like things are taking shape. I'm looking forward to seeing this table coming together. That was a fun day!

[John A. Williams]

Great thread, can't wait to watch the progress!

[Tim Farrell]

Don - thanks for doing this. These are my favorite types of threads at the creek - watching a project in progress and learning from experienced wood workers. Good Luck - and the clock is ticking!!!

[Don Baer]

Well Since unlike Sam I have to work for a living I haven't been able to spend as much time as I'd like on the project, Since the LOML is busy preparing the feast for the family I have some shop time today. I won't have any for the rest of the weekend since I'll be helping my youngest son relocate to Arizona. Here is how I assembled the legs segments.

First I lay out the three segment on a flat surface. Some have asked for some demension information. As previously stated Sam has the plans in his head and does little if any measurement and I seem to be following his example. In this case the pieces turned out as follows. The foot piece is 10 1/2 x 8 3/4. The Collum is 18 x 4 1/2 and the apron piece is 10 x 4 1/2.

Next I lay the template over the pieces and trace the pattern on to the finish pieces.

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Once the pettern is transfered I use a square to firgure out where the dowels should be placed

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[Don Baer]

Next I transfered my lines to the edge to be joined.
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Using a self centering dowel jig and a brad point bit I drill the holes for the dowels. Sam has a horizontal drill with a table for this operation but since I don't have one I used a Jig I bought from my local WW supplier

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The next step involves cutting a notch on each segment in an area that will not be a part of the finished piece. This is used to clamp the pieces together while the glue dries.

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Now I get to repete this process for the other three legs.

[Dave Ray]

Don, great thread. Thanks for leading us thru it, step by step. Happy Thanksgiving

[Mark Singer]

Don,
It is really coming along! I am enjoying watching you work. Are you going to shape with a rasp, spokeshave, die grinder, sander,or what have you?:rolleyes:

[Don Baer]

Don,
It is really coming along! I am enjoying watching you work. Are you going to shape with a rasp, spokeshave, die grinder, sander,or what have you?:rolleyes:

I have some rasps that were my dads so after I do the band saw and router stuff I will be using them... Like Sam said a spokeshave is to slow..;)

[Don Baer]

while I was waiting for the Glue ups to dry I milled the center colum which will be used to fasten the legs together.

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It is made from 2 pieces of 8/4 glue together. The slots are dadoed 3/4" wide and 5/8" deep. For the corners I used a 1/2" Cove bit in my router table. Unlike Sam I don't feel quite comfortable free handing a router.

[Dan Larson]

Thanks for the update, Don. Hard to beat the feeling of shaping wood with good rasps, isn't it?

Do you have any reccomendations to make when buying a doweling jig? Is there one type of design that works better than others? Favorite brand?

[Mark Singer]

Dan,
I have a couple like Don's and the Marples which is different. The one Don has is good. Just always keep the same face registered on the same face of the work.

[Don Baer]

Dan,
The one Don has is good. Just always keep the same face registered on the same face of the work.

Dan,
I have tried several and find they all have there good points and bad points. The one in the pictire is one I got at Rocklers and I realy like it since I only have to worry about missing a mark in one direction. Mark nailed it on the head when he said "ALWAyS keep the same face registered on the same face of the work".

I think I paid about $45 for the jig.

[Don Baer]

Since I didn't have shop time last weekend other then thursday I decided to start the weekend tonight and start shaping the legs.

First I traced the outline on the glued up legs. I quared the top and back the portion that will fit into the leg center support. I'll be cutting a rabbit in these later, I left 5/8" for the rabbit.

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Next I cut the back of the legs on the rip fence.

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Using the cross cut sled I cut the top support square with the backs of the legs. I'll square the bottom of the feet once I have finished shaping all for legss. That way I can insure that the are ezactly the same height.

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Now was the fun part. Using the band saw like a great big scroll saw I put the rough shape on the legs. Tomarrow I rougn shape the other three legs and start doing the shaping using my router, scroll saw and some rasps.

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[Mark Singer]

Don,
Looks like it is really coming together! That was a great day at Sam's place! Keep up the great work...

[Don Baer]

Mark,
It sure was a great day and doing this project is realy fun and only serves to reinforce what Sam was doing. Especialy doing the band saw work. when shaping this leg I can undertand what Sam was doing. He was actauly carving, no whittling out the shape he wanted. I rough cut the basic outline staying outside of my template line then I went back and whittled away until the shape was right where I wanted it to be taking very small cuts. I also lightened up on the band saw tension. I'm using a 3/16th blade but is is tensioned like a 1/16th. I remember you remarking how Sam ran a very light tension and this is why. It realy gives you great control when taking very light cuts.

It was also great getting together with my fellow creekers...;)

[Vaughn McMillan]

Is that a glimpse of the new saw in the last pic, Don? Do I sense a stealth gloat? Sounds like you've already got it trained to do what you want it to.Way to go. It's a very impressive saw.

Keep them progress pics comin' -

- Vaughn

[Dan Larson]

Very interesting Don. I get the impression from your description of the rough shaping on the band saw that you won't be cleaning up the shape of the legs by using the template & router with pattern bit? Let me guess-- Sam doesn't bother doing this because it's too slow?:rolleyes:

[Don Baer]

Very interesting Don. I get the impression from your description of the rough shaping on the band saw that you won't be cleaning up the shape of the legs by using the template & router with pattern bit? :rolleyes:


That is correct. Due to the complexity of the shape it requires a lot of hand work from here on in and a template would be useless.


Let me guess-- Sam doesn't bother doing this because it's too slow?:rolleyes:


Actualy he'd just grabs a router in one hand and hacks away...:D

Actauly it is a process that he uses of alternating between a router, bands saw and raspsor what ever else is needed to give the piece a very organic feel. I only hope I can do half as good as he does.

[Don Baer]

Is that a glimpse of the new saw in the last pic, Don? Do I sense a stealth gloat? Sounds like you've already got it trained to do what you want it to.Way to go. It's a very impressive saw.

Keep them progress pics comin' -

- Vaughn


Yes Vaughn, thats the new 12" C man BS. It realy did a terific job so far. I am realy pleased with it.

[Don Baer]

Prior to final shaping of the legs I decided to dry fit the legs to the center column. I decided that in this way I could get a perspective as to how it will look after final finishing.


First I decided to make the feet level with the top. To do this I used my Rip Fence as a backstop and used the miteer sled to square cut the bottom of the feet

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Next I used my Dado set to make the Rabbits on the back of the legs. These Rabbits are 3/4" wide and 5/8" deep. They fit into the dados I cut in the center column.

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Next I fitted each leg in the center column using my TS as a WB.

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I'm glad I did it this way since to my eye it apears that I want to chage the design on the legs. They apear a bit to massive for my taste. This is again very much in the Maloof style of design. I read that he once said "Design doesn't just exist on paper, It pervades every step in the creation of a piece of furniture." He further said "Sometmes a chair leg will look a little heavy, or a table top a little thick. When they do I change them."

[Mark Singer]

Don,
It is really coming nice! Now take your time and get the exact shape you want....Remember Sam takes one day to rough out the chair and "the boys" take another 2 weeks to shape, hard line and finish it..

[Don Baer]

Thanks for the reminder Mark. Actualy working with the rasps, router, band saw, sanders and taking may time shaping a leg has been a very satisfying expierance. I'd post progress picture but the progress would seem so minuscuel I hesitate to tye up band width until signifcant progress is made. I just hope that I'm not boreing other with my progress pictures. I try to show miles stones in case other are tempted to try one of these. Since there are no plans to go from I am trying to be as concise as possible.

If someone has any suggestions as to how to do something differant since a lot of what I am doing is my methods and not necessarily Sam's methods since he covered so much stuff in that one day worksop a lot was left up to interpitation.

[Matt Crew]

An artist will say the statue is in the rock and they just uncovered it.
Thats what your doing by letting the table take shape as you go.
It looks great, keep up the good work, and keep us posted.
Thanks

[Don Baer]

The next step is final shaping of the legs

This is done using a variaty of tools but starts on the band saw.

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Once the hard line is set on the band saw now the rest of the shaping is done with a variaty of tools including hand and power tools. The bottom of the legs is shapped using a 1/2 roundover router bit. Then the rest of the shapping is done using rasps, block plane and power sander.

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One down and three to go...:)

[Dave Ray]

Don, this is a great thread and nice learning experience. It's like looking over your shoulder while you work and still staying out of your way. Please keep posting updates. Thank you.

[Lee DeRaud]

Then the rest of the shapping is done using raps, ...Don, I think the image of you rapping is really more than I want to try to handle this weekend.:p

"It's basically a Sam Maloof design, with hip-hop overtones..." :eek:

[Mark Singer]

Don,
I am enjoying this and great progress!!

[Don Baer]

Don, I think the image of you rapping is really more than I want to try to handle this weekend.:p

"It's basically a Sam Maloof design, with hip-hop overtones..." :eek:

Hey, I can rasp with the best of em...;)

[Vaughn McMillan]

Isn't "rasp" just hip-hop with a speech impediment? :D

Progress is looking good, Don. I'm looking forward to watching the table evolve.

- Vaughn

[John S Richards]

Gotta love Maloof's organic style. The maloof chairs I've made have been my favorite projects. One day I'll make a Maloof table as well.

Thanks,

John

[Don Baer]

John,
It's great to try to follow in his footsteps and learn along the way. I consider the table easier then a chair and that's why I selected it as a first project in his style. It has been a learning expierance and I hope that by showing how I use his style I can encourge others to reach out and do there own thing. One thing that I got when I met with Sam is that he feels very strongly that the woodworker should do what feels right when making a piece. since I started this piece I have many ideas for future projects that may be in the Maloof style but are not copies of his works.

[John S Richards]

I agree with you absolutely. I have been working on a project in my head for some time perfecting the design. When I finally get through all the paying projects I will build it. I have a lot of plans to incorporate the organic sculptural woodworking in future projects. It is a very rewarding process, but very very labor intensive. I had over 90 hrs of hand work in my rocker, but loved ever minute of it.

I am also getting ready to teach my first class on making these rockers out of my own shop. I'm really looking forward to that. My classes will be once on a month with lots of "homework" for the students. :)

Good Luck Don, I look forward to seeing more posts.

John

[Mark Singer]

Don,
That is a great tip on design and does represent what Sam always says..."It is so much more rewarding to design your own"...still you are doing a terrific job and it opens many doors. Learning to shape wood and make it flow using soft and hard lines is a wonderful learning experience...the hardest part is getting started and then doors open...
I appreciate the making of lamps, chairs and tables in my home that are organic in nature...the lamps seem to grow from the floor like trees with a base or root system...the tables and chairs reflect a free form and not one piece of dimensional lumber is identified...

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=26686&d=1133237755

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=26687&d=1133238300

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=26688&d=1133238319

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=26689&d=1133238343

[Don Baer]

I spent Christmas in Arizona with my youngest son ang Grandadaughter. LOML wouldn't let me take the shop with me so I didn't get any shop time in.
I did spent two weekends part time plus today sanding and final shaping the legs and center columm. When I did a check fit I still didn't like the massive size of the center so I remade the columm today using 2 pieces of 6/4. Glued up then I recut the dados and shaped the coves in the corners of the columm. Here is a final fitting prior to final glue up. I realy like it better with the smaller center columm.



I'll spend tomarrow after church and monday doing a little more sanding and final glue up of the base and next week and I'll cut up and assemble the top.

I have some small pieces of 6/4 on top to see how it will look. I am debating between using 6/4 or 8/4 for the top. I am leaning towards the 6/4.

As always question and comments are welcome.

[Mark Singer]

Don,
You can ease the edge of the top to give a lighter feel....looking great...You can blend the hitches on the legs with a little sanding....I line them up and try to make them all look the same...

[Don Baer]

Don,
You can blend the hitches on the legs with a little sanding....I line them up and try to make them all look the same...

Thanks Mark, I'll give it a try tomarrow. Just taking my time from here. The the more hand work I can do priior to final glue up the easier it is.

[Mark Singer]

Don,
I call the final shaping "Tailoring" and it is smart to take your time....that is what you see...hand sanding at the end makes a big difference and the synthetic steel wools...are great for contours...3M makes some good ones the grey is a very nice grit ...

[Rick Thom]

Don, just wanted to say that I am enjoying following your progress via this thread and that the commentary is very useful and inspiring. Thx for taking the time to document for our benefit.

[Don Baer]

I spent most of Sunday and yesterday "Tuning" the pieces. Per Marks suggestion I clamped all 4 legs togehter and using my RAS I got all of the hitches equal. Then I fitted them to the center post. This may sound easy but with the hand finishing it took most of both days. Then I glued them up clamped them in 4 places and let the glue sit overnight. Here is the completed base.

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This week I'm going to final tune the base, I'm going to predrill the skirts for the table top and apply a first coat of finish. this will make final finishing easier when the table is assembled. I'll be picking up the 6/4 for the top this week and hopefully make glue and shape the top next week end.

[Don Baer]

This week end I working on the table top. Not yet knowing what size I wanted the top I started out with some 6/4 and cut it into 6x33. I layed up out four on them and placed the pedistle up side down on the 4 board and with the help of LOML we determined that a 23" top would be about right for this table.

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Next using my courless jointer (well actually it a Jack) I planed the edges to make them true with the faces of the boards.

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Next I drilled dowel holes in the edges of each one prior to glue up. I do this not necessaryly for strength but to make it easier during glue up to align the boards and keep em from slipping and sliding.

Now I took my clamps and some cauls I glue up the top in section 2 at a time.

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Finaly when bouth table halfs are dry I glued the two half together.

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Next week end I'll shape and sand the top.

[Don Baer]

While waiting for the table to dry I made this circle jig for my band saw.

First I too a piece of scrap OAK PLywood on the appropiate size and fastened on some guides. Next I cut a slit half the width of the board.

Then I layed out a line ar right angles to the cut and drew a line at a right anle to the cut. Next I put Tic makes every inch. Then I drilled a whole that would accept a pop rivit in the plywood in this case since I am making a 23 " diamter table I had to make a special tic mark at 11.5". I'll drill the rest of the holes for the other sizes as needed or when I get a "round 2 IT"...

I made a test cut from some of the scrap 6/4 maple. It woks as advertised.

Here some pics

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[Don Baer]

I'ts been a while since I've posted any progress since my shop time has been limited. Work has kept me on the road the last two week Last week was in the northwest and the week before I was in Arizona. I did get the top cut out

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and Shaped.


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Now I am doing the final sanding and hope to put a few coats of finish on this coming weekend assuming I get the sanding done this week. I did make the top a little bigger prior to cutting it out. The final demension for the top is 28" the 23" I orignaly planned looked a little small.

[Vaughn McMillan]

Thanks for the update, Don...looking good! I'm looking forward to seeing it after finishing.

- Vaughn

[Richard Neel]

I agree with Vaughn - can't wait to see the finish. What do you have planned?

[Don Baer]

Thanks again guys. I'll be finishing this one with Maloofs own finish. It's a mixture of BLO, Tung oil and poly in a 1/3 ratio. Right now I'm sanding it to 400 grit then will use 0000 steel wool.

[Don Baer]

I sanded it to 400 and then used 0000 steel wool. Then I applied 4 coats of Sam Maloof's fniish and am letting it dry. Tomarrow I'll polish it up, move it into the house and tabe a final pic.


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As always comment and critics are welcome and thanks for looking.

[Corey Hallagan]

Excellent Don, can't wait to see it all polished up! Nice work.

Corey

[Karl Laustrup]

Looking good Don. I'll be looking for a couple of pix of it all finished and in the house. :)

Karl

[Don Baer]

Cory and Karl,
Thanks for the kind remarks. I learned a lot on this project.
I will take a pic of the table over to Sam so he can see that I was paying attenion in class even if I cant come close to the quality of work he produces. He did give a home work assignment when we took the workshop to build a table and a chair. Now I guess I better get started on the chair.
Thanks again for your patence and I hope I didn't bore you all with this thread.

[Mark Singer]

Don,
Excellent results! It really looks great and your thread was very easily understood!

[Dan Larson]

Beautiful work, Don! Thanks for bringing us along for the ride.:)

Dan

[Don Baer]

Dan, Mark,
Thanks for your kind words. I will post a final pic as soon as I can. This project has served to do several things . First it allowed me to expand on what I felt I could do as an amature wood worker. It also allowed me to learn that my only limitations I have are are the ones I impose upon my self. In studiong what Sam Maloof has done I have learned that one should persue their dreams and not let others influence your art.
I hope that you, my fellow craftsmen will do what you love, make more sawdust.

[Brad Kimbrell]

I took a class at Marc Adams School of Woodworking in Indy and we all made a Maloof table as well as several other projects. Completed shaping and glue up in 2 days (he moves fast!) and finished when I returned home.

I prefer light colors so I just oiled it with Watco Oak colored oil and then sprayed it with lacquer. When I presented it to my mother for her B'day, she loved it but later asked me to make her one in a "dark" wood. :(

So more practice is on the way, but she wouldn't give up this old one until I deliver the new one! Smart lady!

We splined the leg joints so we could get the grain running in a strong / long direction. Used hide glue and hand-held the joint for about 4 minutes each.

Here are a few pics.

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[Alan Tolchinsky]

Brad, That looks very nice. Thanks for sharing.

[Don Baer]

Very nice Brad, thanks for showing us your table. I am sure Sam would be proud that so many are inspired by his designs.