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Thread: Shaker end tables build

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
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    South West Ontario
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    Shaker end tables build

    Need to make a pair of Shaker end tables for a daughter. Found my cherry, tidied up a bit. Started with the tops. The top is 18” square, I cut two lengths 18 1/4” from the board and put a straight edge on one side with my #7. After that I cut the peice in half and glued up the halves. Easier to get a straight edge with the longer peice.
    Some cupping but it’s too thick at 1” and needs reducing to 5/8” eventually.

    8774393B-0DDE-4510-8A5F-2D6D442A6239.jpg2DF406C2-BD2F-40C0-A902-2B1D336A9206.jpg

    6D2479EF-353D-4662-8A40-1F899493FFF8.jpg
    ​You can do a lot with very little! You can do a little more with a lot!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
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    Libertyville, IL (Chicago - North)
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    360
    Cutting big boards into small baords in order to glue them into big boards.
    Odd hobby we have here.

  3. #3
    Keep us posted on the build!
    *** "I have gained insights from many sources... experts, tradesman & novices.... no one has a monopoly on good ideas." Jim Dailey, SMC, Feb. 19, 2007
    *** "The best way to get better is to leave your ego in the parking lot."----Eddie Wood, 1994
    *** We discovered that he had been educated beyond his intelligence........
    *** Student of Rigonomics & Gizmology

    Waste Knot Woods
    Rice, VA

  4. #4
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    Dec 2016
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    Took the tops out of the clamps, one was more cupped than the other. Lots of wood to plane away however so both end up flat. My BU LV jack worked the best with the grain, my bailey style worked across the grain or skewed but not so well with the grain. This is old very dry cherry.
    I could plane in any direction without the wood moving, quite a good workout and not over yet. The grain at the joint blends very well and the grain overall is beautiful. One top is far redder than the other, all from the same plank, that's wood for you.

    IMG_4618.jpgIMG_4617.jpg

    My target thickness is about 5/8" but can live with 6/8", from 1" starting.
    Should have more time this week....
    ​You can do a lot with very little! You can do a little more with a lot!

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Location
    United Kingdom - Devon
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    503
    Keep it coming, nice to see a Clifton in the mix!

  6. #6
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    Dec 2016
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    Finished flattening the tops with the #7. Grain on one superb, the other average with one small knot to fill.

    Turned to the legs and stretcher sides and the rails above and below the drawer.
    IMG_4619.jpg
    Used the #7 for the legs, was rewarded with lovely grain, knot free.

    On to the stretchers.
    IMG_4623.jpg

    There was some cup to all of them, cup down to start, used the LV BU Jack along with the 5&1/2. Ended up with 6 pieces arranged the grain between the two tables so the boring grain at the top where not so visible and the good stuff down.

    IMG_4627.jpg IMG_4627.jpg

    Then just the small stretchers above and below drawer.

    IMG_4629.jpg

    Popped up a few dogs and cut them to length. Fun day and next the mortice and tenon.

    I was eyeing up some spalted maple in my shop, lots of worm holes to fill with bronze powder and epoxy. Would be a cool drawer front but not so traditional. Have to think about that!

    Very happy with the leg grain especially.
    ​You can do a lot with very little! You can do a little more with a lot!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Location
    South West Ontario
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    Got some stretchers made. One inch tenons on the ends. Marking knife then a knife wall with a chisel. Sawed down with a 12” dovetail saw and split off the waste. Cleaned up with a chisel and then my large shoulder plane.
    B797145F-5286-44B7-9781-92A0FBAB98F2.jpg
    57996A38-BFA5-498C-835F-75D6AAFF5EE4.jpg
    AFFE550A-6B5B-4B8C-9AAF-8D8D6728A3BF.jpgD1FC6B3C-72C2-4E5D-AE6A-7EA45E194EDE.jpg763FC026-3E93-44AE-B786-5A421A4E44D0.jpg

    Next the small stretchers above above and below the drawer then cut the mortices after adjusting the tenon lengths.
    ​You can do a lot with very little! You can do a little more with a lot!

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
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    SE Michigan
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    William, that’s interesting that you split off the waste for the tenon cheek. Never thought of doing it that way vs. sawing. Is that your normal method?
    Thanks for sharing the build...

  9. #9
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    Dec 2016
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    South West Ontario
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    Yes Phil, for small tenons with straight grain it is much faster and very accurate. I did saw one but it took much longer. For large tenons such as on the bench build I saw. With 6 inches of wood or more you never know where the grain will go.
    I split half the waste off to start, watching the grain, then to the line if all is well. I only had one knot that required extra chiselling.
    Paul Sellers has a video describing his technique for this.
    ​You can do a lot with very little! You can do a little more with a lot!

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Location
    South West Ontario
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    Organized by leg wood grain. The top face stretcher is held with a dovetail, the lower stretcher below the drawer a mortice and tenon. For some reason I left the top stretcher a full inch, I had planned 5/8”. To keep the drawer size the same I lowered the bottom stretcher 3/8”. The side and back stretchers bottom edge will be 3/8” higher but I doubt that will be too troubling visually.
    Used a new dovetail saw for the top joint, need to practice more! Luckily the full 1” works in my favour making a strong tight joint and it’s not visible in the end product.
    A7E0E021-695C-414C-A2D2-D24632DAC699.jpg
    Cutting this joint involved a 45 degree angled cut, then careful chiselling out from the front. The tail vise held it very solidly for chiseling the bottom of the socket flat then splitting off the waste gradually. Need to be careful not to stress it too much or the top of the leg can split. Fit the tail carefully, not too much stress for the same reason.
    12C8D331-FAD4-4B38-8B62-507F4F35A6C0.jpg
    The lower stretcher had shouldered mortice and tenon and less caution required to fit it. The legs are not large so fitting has to be careful.
    F701138E-B659-4552-A2AC-0241BF1FAD49.jpg
    I did plane the lower stretcher down to 6/8” before making the tenons. The swirling cherry grain meant I had to saw all the cheek cuts.
    CAD3266A-246E-4E93-8B52-C8EF0102BE14.jpg
    Two face frames produced. I can now modify the tenons on the side and back, mark out the mortices and chop away!
    I was using a recent Kijiji purchase a small set of Japanese chisels. Two chipped their edges quite badly with minimal levering so had to mostly use my Ray Isles for the clearing out. I have some pig stickers, some use here but mostly overkill. Spent some time recovering the edges on the Japanese chisels. I like the fact they are shorter for some things, better control and very sharp.
    ​You can do a lot with very little! You can do a little more with a lot!

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Location
    South West Ontario
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    A lot of careful chiselling later....Had to plan my tenons very carefully. The bottom rail of the face frame is the weakest joint so I made the rear tenons down low for maximum strength. The other tenons followed on from that.
    Had up to 10 chisels out at once but mainly used 4 for the mortices. Here is the tenon lay out:
    3B5742FC-E61A-49F2-99C0-9B4CDABAD2C4.jpg
    The tenons will be draw pinned with dowel in such a way that the dowel also holds the lower stretcher without tenon. You don’t get to see those once assembled!
    Assembled one to check it out:
    E10D27AA-AC17-4F3C-8FEE-6CBBBDF4CB10.jpg
    No glue yet...rear right leg tenons need some attention. The legs will be tapered on the 2 inside faces, it makes the piece look lighter and more refined. That is the fun stuff after all the mortice work. Each tenon is 7/8” long, the legs are 1 & 1/4” square roughly.
    The better top grain wise is an absolute joy, can’t wait to put oil on it, that also gets tapered at the bottom edge for a lighter look.
    4546228B-BD7F-4463-87E3-66EC2DE9BA82.jpgCE391152-38AA-4C08-8E82-3168C5DE83EC.jpg
    Need to get these glued up then on to the drawers.
    Last edited by William Fretwell; 05-05-2019 at 8:26 PM. Reason: Spelling!
    ​You can do a lot with very little! You can do a little more with a lot!

  12. #12
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    Mar 2015
    Location
    SE Michigan
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    Nice progress, William, it’s looking very good. It makes me nervous as well, when doing a dovetail socket in the top of a leg. To add a little insurance, I clamp the leg before chopping. I do the same when chopping a mortise...maybe overkill, but it makes me feel better.


    E6F3DA28-0D00-46DE-BCE7-1837AD1696D9.jpg

  13. #13
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    Sep 2010
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    New England
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    Something's not right if I'm seeing things correctly. In pic #2 of post 11, the alignment of the back left corner does not match the other corners.

    The stretcher on the left is set back from the leg on the front but not the back. But the stretcher on the right is set back from both legs.

    Enjoying the build as I follow along. Just curious.

  14. #14
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    Quite right Dave! I noticed the same during assembly. The tenon on each is offset but that was on the wrong side. The good news is the extra wood is on the outside and will be planed to create the balancing reveal. My bigger problem is the right rear corner needs the tenons adjusted to remove the twist in the leg, will look at that tomorrow.
    ​You can do a lot with very little! You can do a little more with a lot!

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    New England
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    Quote Originally Posted by William Fretwell View Post
    Quite right Dave! I noticed the same during assembly. The tenon on each is offset but that was on the wrong side. The good news is the extra wood is on the outside and will be planed to create the balancing reveal. My bigger problem is the right rear corner needs the tenons adjusted to remove the twist in the leg, will look at that tomorrow.
    So the stretcher will get taper planed down and the mistake gets moved to the inside where it won't be seen? Awesome! You gotta love a clean fix like that! But you'll visit it again with the drawer. No biggie tho.

    Good luck with the twist on the right leg.

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