Children's table

[Bombarde16]

 

With a stack of salvaged ash leftover from a previous build, I set about creating a new play table for our little one.  Her previous table (built when she was toddling) was built like a tank and a few inches lower.  Tempus fugit, she's now ready for something a bit more elegant and a bit taller.  When she outgrows it (assuming it survives her and her partners in grime) the legs could be cut down to make a coffee table.  The top is gently curved on all four sides.

 

 

As for the internals, we'll call it a Shaker table that goes to eleven.  Three drawers, one of which is cut from the long apron for grain matching.  Integral tenons, tapered legs with a cove detail done on the router table.  Four different secondary woods (i.e. whatever garbage I had laying about) and some pocket screws for runners and kickers.  Yada yada yada.

 

 

I've got an upcoming commission to build some cases for a set of handbells, so the drawers provided a chance to test drive a new dovetailing jig.  The knobs came off of an old dresser that someone discarded in the recent village  Sides and backs are poplar and the bottoms are plywood.

 

The table is finished with boiled linseed oil and varnished with shellac.  The Celtic knotwork on the top is painted.  I've wanted to incorporate such designs into my work for a while and this was a good opportunity to test the waters.

 

I spent a few bucks on small brackets to attach the top.  (Nifty little things that I was glad to discover:  They have holes on one side but slots on the other so you can allow for wood movement)  Other than that, the whole thing was leftover junk.

[Tpt life]

Rob, you've got a great eye for color. From primary to secondary woods, accent knobs and paint this piece is well balanced and blended. I was so impressed with your altar build that I'm almost a little disappointed that it is paint and not inlay:-)

[Bombarde16]

I did indeed look at it and briefly thought about inlays...then I started to count the number of pieces that would entail!

 

Let it be said that celtic knots would be doable as an inlay.  They look more complicated than they are and there are a lot of identical parts that you'd be able to batch cut.  For larger work, you could even go so far as to make a set of router templates.  Unfortunately, that would have been impossible here:  Since the sides of the table curve, the knotwork is laid out on curved lines rather than a regular grid meaning that every piece is more or less unique.

 

As I said, it's a first step.  Just learning how to lay out a knot took weeks of practice and a whole stack of graph paper.  Look for more in future projects.

[duckkisser]

rob you know my opinion on inlays and im very disappointed in you i think its too nice for a little kid........in my house at some point it would a fort, boat, raft, space ship, base ball bat, cover for a army battle, dodge ball shield, and eventuly a bed.  that's just one day. and i don't even have any kids to play with. hope you don't mind burning it in a few years because that is all it would good for after i or any kids got done playing with it

[jimmykx250]

Thats a real nice piece Rob- considering its all leftover material. I really like the painted pattern on top. What kind of dovetail jig did you use?

[Tom Crawford]

Wonderful!!  What are the dimensions?

[Bombarde16]

22 3/8" wide at the widest point

52 3/4" long at the longest point

23" off the floor

 

A Porter-Cable dovetail jig.  Worked well enough:  Out of the box, I had it dialed in after about eight test pieces.

[G S Haydon]

Fantastic workmanship Rob. It's very pleasing on the eye.

[woodieboy]

Nice details. Clean work, it looks great from here. As first look, the design on the top is like an inlay. Splendid work on that reclaimed wood.