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Thread: Table Top Music Stand (or book stand)

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2017
    Location
    Plano, Tx
    Posts
    132

    Table Top Music Stand (or book stand)

    As I've mentioned in the few previous posts I've made I'm very new to woodworking. I've spent my time since getting into hand tools learning about how to use the various tools I've acquired, practicing sawing technique, dovetail joinery,and learning some other joinery techniques as well. I've even made several small boxes to store some of the smaller tools and supplies that I like to keep on my work bench.

    Tonight I finally finished my first real project - a table top music stand (or, more likely a book stand for my wife to use for her cookbooks, etc.).

    I started with big box store pine and dimensioned it to the sizes that I wanted to this piece. Before cutting the different joints I taught myself/practiced the half laps and mortise and tenons on some scrap before getting to work on the actual project. Overall the joints turned out pretty well! The shoulders of the half laps ended up a bit compressed/gappy because I did too many test fits but nothing a bit of sawdust and glue didn't improve - lesson learned for next time!

    The two things I'm not happy about are the stain and the hinge - the golden gel stain I used turned out much more orange than I had hoped, and despite what I thought was careful sanding I still discovered some scratches, etc. after staining and finishing. I could have gone back and fixed those issues before I got too far into the finishing process but I decided to leave all of the imperfections alone as a reminder of the progress I am making.

    The hinge turned out to have a bit more play than I wanted. Both halves are screwed down securely but i guess there is enough play in the hinge pin that it has some wiggle to it. I'd like to make a second one of these out of a hardwood that I can clear coat (flamed maple might be nice!) and I will likely look into a different method of attached the leg to minimize play (maybe just a higher quality hinge with no play?).

    I already have the lumber for my next project - a split top saw bench so that I don't have to awkwardly saw larger pieces from my workbench. Thanks for the friendly advice and feedback I've gotten so far on these forums!

    IMG_2757.jpg IMG_2790.jpg IMG_2791.jpg IMG_2792.jpg IMG_2793.jpg1

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2016
    Location
    Houston
    Posts
    241
    Looks good! What plans or dimensions are you going to use for the saw bench?

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2017
    Location
    Plano, Tx
    Posts
    132
    I’m going with the Stumpy Nubs version - only 30” long and 19” High. I’ll take the 2x6s down to 5” wide and try to stay as close to 1.5” thick as I can. Haven’t decided yet if I’m going to do mortises the east way for the feet before I glue two 2x4s together or if I will chop out the mortises after.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Sebastopol, California
    Posts
    2,319
    Nice work!

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Libertyville, IL (Chicago - North)
    Posts
    360
    Brain, Congratulations on a nice piece. You know the old saying about paying once for quality and being done versus using lower quality and suffering for a lifetime? That advice is tough to appreciate when it's time to buy hinges and other hardware - but boy is it ever true. After a few projects with quality hardware, you will get used to it and it will be expected. Inexpensive hardware only gets more irritating. Your music stand is great, but how did your wife's beef stew turn out?

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2017
    Location
    Plano, Tx
    Posts
    132
    Hasn’t made that one yet - it just happened to be the page I opened it to! It looks good though!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Rural, West Central Minn
    Posts
    218
    Brian,
    I followed the Stumpy Nubs version also when I made mine except I moved the legs in about 6 inches from the end and used double tenons on each upright. My reasoning was that when I sit on it to chop mortises, dovetails or whatever, I can do the chopping over a leg which would be a little more difficult if the leg was out on the vary end or bouncy if your not over a leg. There's no right or wrong in this construction just different ways for different people.
    Chet

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2017
    Location
    Plano, Tx
    Posts
    132
    Chet,

    I think I understand how you modified the legs on yours - would you mind uploading a photo for me to see? 1

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Rural, West Central Minn
    Posts
    218
    Brian, I'd love to upload pics but I've tried and others have tried to help but I'm challenged in that area. Basically I just cut 2 tenons on top each of the 4 legs that go thru mortises in the top. Then drove a wedge into each of the tenons and left the top boards overhang the legs about 6 inches on each end. Instead of dovetails on the ends of the boards like Stumpy did. If you PM me your email I can email you pics.
    Chet

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2017
    Location
    Plano, Tx
    Posts
    132
    I understand now - I'll still send you a PM. I'd like to see it just to have visual for the heck of it if you don't mind.1

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Rural, West Central Minn
    Posts
    218
    Pics are on the way, let me know if you don't get them

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