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Thread: Coffee table

  1. #1

    Coffee table

    For whatever reason I like working with geometric figures. I needed a coffee table so after a lot of experimenting I decided on an elongated octagon.I really liked the octagon designs that I put together in the middle, but created some problems surrounding them. Had to wing it a bit to complete the top. I wanted the shelf supports to come up from the base of the legs, but couldn't figure out how to join them without messing up the glides. Think I learned a few things along the way and hope I haven't forgotten. Stuff leaves my head faster than it enters It was a lot of work hand scraping and sanding and I'm reasonably satisfied. I think because I used a water based grain filler and finish as time goes by. it ends up getting a rippley feeling to it. Might try one down the road with better hard woods where I can get more contrast. I couldn't darken the oak without really darkening the plywoodIMG_2118.jpgIMG_2117.jpgIMG_2119.jpgIMG_2120.jpg

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    San Francisco, CA
    Posts
    10,304
    How did you make the pattern on the table top? In some places it looks like baltic birch edge grain. In other places it looks like rift cut lumber. And how did you form it -- is it essentially veneer?

  3. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by Jamie Buxton View Post
    How did you make the pattern on the table top? In some places it looks like baltic birch edge grain. In other places it looks like rift cut lumber. And how did you form it -- is it essentially veneer?
    Red oak boards, maybe homies, maybe lowes, plywood I got at lowes before the plague. It was 14 ply and the veneer was thicker than any of the other stuff I could find at the local lumber yards. It was all Vietnamese crap with paper thin veneer. The lowes stuff was a little better. As I said in my other post, my knowledge of woods is pretty limited as is my knowledge of joinery. I'm a bit of a hack

    For the octagons I laminated two layers of plywood and two of oak maybe 2.5 inches wide then run them through the chop saw 22.5 degrees. Glue them up the same way I did for the end table a few threads. down.

    Top designs are like a jig saw puzzle without a picture to go by. I cut up a bunch of chips. I started with the oak but ended up using a dark mdf and plywood to cut down on the cost a bit. Then I start playing with designs. I had to start taking pictures, because I'd wake up in the middle f the night with a new idea, look at it and think to myself, I've been there before.

    When I have a design I like, I may have ten or fifteen triangle run. Glue up the blocks in that pattern and slice off quarter to three eighth inch thick pieces and glue them to substrate. I wish I could explain it better and I don't have any step by step pictures.

    Here's a couple of pictures of my puzzling. I've got a bunch of them. glued up just like the square tables and sliced to thicknessIMG_1702.jpgIMG_1704.jpgIMG_2490.jpgIMG_2484.jpgIMG_2489.jpg

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    In the foothills of the Sandia Mountains
    Posts
    16,622
    Very cool looking work!
    Please help support the Creek.


    "It's paradoxical that the idea of living a long life appeals to everyone, but the idea of getting old doesn't appeal to anyone."
    Andy Rooney



  5. #5
    That is amazing, reminds me of Mid Eastern mosaic tile for some reason.

  6. It looks really nice. I bet it took a lot of patience too, but worth it in the end.

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by Bruce Page View Post
    Very cool looking work!
    Thank you

    Quote Originally Posted by Ron Citerone View Post
    That is amazing, reminds me of Mid Eastern mosaic tile for some reason.
    If you say so. Honestly I just fell into this kind of stuff. I was looking in furniture stores and online to find stuff to copy. Was leaning towards some parquet style tables and accidentally came up with this.

    Quote Originally Posted by Stephen Prunier View Post
    It looks really nice. I bet it took a lot of patience too, but worth it in the end.
    Patience is not exactly my strong suit. I am pretty meticulous, but as soon as I hit a snag I spend a lot of time on the couch mulling I’m retired and have time and the projects are fun. I get requests from people but have no interest in selling stuff. Takes the pleasure out of it

    I might make a few of these style tables out of hardwood and give the oak/plywood tables away. Just trying to keep busy.

    Too many of my friends retiree from the trades and don’t know what to do with their free time. I lived in an apartment got sixty four years. This is fun, aggravating at times, but fun

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