Anthony Watson
10-23-2008, 8:24 PM
After some of the impressive projects I've seen here, I'm almost embarrassed to show this off. But, we all start somewhere, right...
My in-laws have a 100 year old house with a very tiny kitchen (8'x12'), that shares space with a dining table on one side. Recently their refrigerator died and we had to get them a new one. Of course, the new fridge is larger, and the doors won't open fully without hitting their current dining table. So, I got this bright idea to build them a smaller table, despite never having built a table before.
We originally planned a 48"x30" table, but my largest clamps will only span 42". So, with a 1.5" overhang on each end, I shrunk the table to 45"x30". If anything, it'll just give my in-laws a bit more room in the kitchen.
This was my first time to build a project with red oak, my first time to make mortise and tenon joints, and the first project I didn't nail together with my nail gun. :)
I used a forstner bit in my drill press to make the mortises, and made the tenons by "nibbling" away wood on my table saw. I made numerous test mortises and tenons on scraps and everything seemed to be dialed in perfectly, but naturally when I cut the final tenons they ended up too loose. Figures... So, I had to glue some thin wood strips to the tenons and remill. A bit of extra work, but it turned out OK in the end.
I don't know if they were needed, but I added diagonal corner braces underneath and fastened them in place with pocket screws. If nothing else, it helped to square up the frame while I worked to attach the top. I used metal "Z" table fasteners in a groove around the aprons to attach the table top.
I used a Varathane "Light Walnut" stain and Minwax oil based glossy polyurethane. Again, I made many samples using a variety of stains I had on hand, but the final piece turned out darker than my samples. Figures... But, my wife think's it's beautiful, and that's what really matters to me. :) Having never worked with red oak, I figured enough coats of poly would fill in the grain on the table top. I was wrong. Six coats on the top, and the grain is still quite visible. Live and learn. I ordered some grain filler from Woodcraft, since I couldn't find any locally, but I needed to finish the table by this weekend. Naturally, the grain filler showed up yesterday, the same day I finished the table. :)
I've been trying to sign my projects over the last few years, but since I have horrible handwriting, I decided to try something new this time. I printed a label on my laser printer (regular copy paper), cut it out, and laminated it into the finish on the backside of one of the table aprons. I just applied a coat of poly, pressed the paper into it, and brushed another coat of poly on top. I applied two more coats over that when it was dry. I tested the idea on scraps first and found I preferred the reverse printout as shown, rather than black text on a white piece of paper. It works great as long as you don't try sanding the finish over the label. I like to think the table will be passed down through the family and someday someone will say "your grandpa Watson built that table". Then again, it might sell for $5 at a garage sale next year. :)
My in-laws have a 100 year old house with a very tiny kitchen (8'x12'), that shares space with a dining table on one side. Recently their refrigerator died and we had to get them a new one. Of course, the new fridge is larger, and the doors won't open fully without hitting their current dining table. So, I got this bright idea to build them a smaller table, despite never having built a table before.
We originally planned a 48"x30" table, but my largest clamps will only span 42". So, with a 1.5" overhang on each end, I shrunk the table to 45"x30". If anything, it'll just give my in-laws a bit more room in the kitchen.
This was my first time to build a project with red oak, my first time to make mortise and tenon joints, and the first project I didn't nail together with my nail gun. :)
I used a forstner bit in my drill press to make the mortises, and made the tenons by "nibbling" away wood on my table saw. I made numerous test mortises and tenons on scraps and everything seemed to be dialed in perfectly, but naturally when I cut the final tenons they ended up too loose. Figures... So, I had to glue some thin wood strips to the tenons and remill. A bit of extra work, but it turned out OK in the end.
I don't know if they were needed, but I added diagonal corner braces underneath and fastened them in place with pocket screws. If nothing else, it helped to square up the frame while I worked to attach the top. I used metal "Z" table fasteners in a groove around the aprons to attach the table top.
I used a Varathane "Light Walnut" stain and Minwax oil based glossy polyurethane. Again, I made many samples using a variety of stains I had on hand, but the final piece turned out darker than my samples. Figures... But, my wife think's it's beautiful, and that's what really matters to me. :) Having never worked with red oak, I figured enough coats of poly would fill in the grain on the table top. I was wrong. Six coats on the top, and the grain is still quite visible. Live and learn. I ordered some grain filler from Woodcraft, since I couldn't find any locally, but I needed to finish the table by this weekend. Naturally, the grain filler showed up yesterday, the same day I finished the table. :)
I've been trying to sign my projects over the last few years, but since I have horrible handwriting, I decided to try something new this time. I printed a label on my laser printer (regular copy paper), cut it out, and laminated it into the finish on the backside of one of the table aprons. I just applied a coat of poly, pressed the paper into it, and brushed another coat of poly on top. I applied two more coats over that when it was dry. I tested the idea on scraps first and found I preferred the reverse printout as shown, rather than black text on a white piece of paper. It works great as long as you don't try sanding the finish over the label. I like to think the table will be passed down through the family and someday someone will say "your grandpa Watson built that table". Then again, it might sell for $5 at a garage sale next year. :)