Norms Butler Table


TerryMcK

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An interesting project this week (November 25th 2015 for 7 days) - made from mahogany (or is it? See Erics thread on mahogany IDing here) Norm shows how to make a butlers table (a tray and separate leg module).

Use is made of a machine I haven't seen before - an overhead router. Essentially a motor that can plunge from overhead using a rack and pinion mechanism into a workpiece. It is mounted onto what looks like a router table. An advantage I can see of this over a regular router table is that you can see the mortises or slots being machined. No more guess work when dropping on and hoping for the best!

Also a molding head is used on the table saw. Not something that we can get in Europe as we can't even use dado stacks. I think I would just use a reeding cutter in a router instead. The radial arm saw makes a guest appearance. Also the hand held belt sander makes a star appearance.

Norm introduces the viewer to the use of jigs to mortise the fancy hinges in place. Very useful advice if you have never used jigs before. The corner chisel is used to square off those mortises. He uses a sanding spindle mounted in his drill press to sand the curved edges of the table top. Good if you don't have an oscillating spindle sander (bobbin sander in UK tool speak).

The brad nailer is brought out (many cheers) to nail on some location cleats on the bottom of the table top. There had to be some iron in the project.

The safety mantra is developing in this episode (Season 2 Ep 3) and is becoming very familiar.

 

www.newyankee.com for the higher resolution version (be quick or it'll be gone) or just below for a low res YouTube one.

 

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I don't have my speakers connected, but that overhead router looks like a milling machine of sorts.

Yes it does - apart from manually pushing the stock through - it could be. He even uses a spiral bit. Spiral fluted slot drills are used on millers to produce slots and what woodworkers call mortises. 

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One of my very first projects...

Built as part of a 4-chair, 2-end table and 2-small bench set all in Honduran, finished in Epifanes. The set was refinished a few years ago (also in Epifanes), and still going strong after more than a decade...

The hinges are the key component for the butler tray top -- good hinges make the piece, but are expensive -- I seem to remember something like a $150.

I changed Norm's plan to add registration pins to prevent the top from sliding off the base as folks reach for drinks/munchies/etc.

 

==>a machine I haven't seen before - an overhead router

Consumer-grade pin router...

While the industrial units are available, liability makes the consumer-grade units few and far between... On the commercial units, the head is fixed and the table raises/lowers via foot pedal...  Not exactly sure how the consumer units work...

Edited by hhh
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