First furniture project

[Duncan Potter]

81640

81641

My daughter got this stone tile with a picture of her horse etched into it.

I decided to get brave and stoopid at the same time and build it into a small table. Walnut legs, top and aprons curly maple.

First piece of furniture, first tenon joints.

All in all, not too unhappy. It is amazing how many details you have to keep track of in even a small project like this!

Great learning experience, and thanks for all the help here!

EDIT: No I did not chip the tile. That happened in shipment (thankfully).

[Joseph Ragsdale]

Nice work. I'm impressed. A fine gift for your daughter.

[Sam Yerardi]

Very, very nice first furniture project!! You should be very proud.

[Mike Steinhilper]

Duncan, that is terrific. I really like the detail on the apron, and the splines. What is the base of the tile? By the way, I once read a book about painting icons, and the author suggests never pointing out a flaw in your work. it's hard to do when it's so obvious to you, but likely overlooked by others. :D Again, that is really nice work.

[Pete Harbin]

Very nice Duncan! There are a lot of nice details in that piece for someone's first real piece of furniture. You must have learned a ton in the process!

Good job!

Pete

[Duncan Potter]

Thanks for the positive comments.

I have a long time friend who is quite accomplished. I'd call him up for advice. By the end of the project I was almost afraid to call him because he was always telling me what the right way, as opposed to the easy way, was and then cajoling me into trying to do it.

It definitely stretched my skill set but it has done a lot to show me I can do stuff if I will just slow down, think things through, and take little steps.

Finding this forum has also been a great help with advice and inspiration.

[gary Zimmel]

Duncan

Your daughter will be verrry happy.

Great job.....

[Duncan Potter]

Mike

Sorry I missed you question. My mother-in-law got new kitchen counter tops. When the job was finished, the contractor asked her if she had a photo she liked. She gave him this one, and he etched it onto the tile. Kind of a nice little extra!

According to the sticker on the back, it's Silestone. Don't know what the etch process was but it seems like it might have been chemical. You can feel it just a tiny bit in the surface.

[Jeffrey Makiel]

You're a pretty good Dad.
-Jeff :)

[Jason Scott]

wow, wish my first project looked like that! Come to think of it, I wish any of mine looked like that lol, nice job!

[John Thompson]

Nice work Duncan, especially like the legs.. but you might say I'm a leg and foot man! ;)

Sarge..

[Jeff Wittrock]

Thats a real nice looking table especially for a first project. I really like the bead on aprons. Are the miter joints on the top keyed with walnut?

[Von Bickley]

Duncan,

Great work on the table.....:)

[Daniel Shnitka]

Nice Horse, very handsome.

[Duncan Potter]

Yes I cut the splines from walnut. First my "friend" (see above) told me I really needed to spline the joint. Once he had me cajoled into that, he told me to be sure to cut the splines so the grain ran across the miter.

Like I said, he wouldn't let me get away with anything.....thankfully!

The horse is a registered Morgan. My middle daughter, now 25, has been horse crazy since she was about 0. She went to college and got a 4 year degree in Equine Science (who knew). Grandma and Granddad gave her enough money for graduation to buy a used horse. She competes and gives lessons. I know less about horses than I do about woodworking, but he seems like a pretty cool guy to me.