mdbuilder Posted September 24, 2010 Report Share Posted September 24, 2010 This past weekend I finished up this coffe table I've been working on for roughly a month. Orders from the significant other were "it has to have drawers!" The inspiration came from a stubbier version done by Chris Schwartz a few years ago in the magazine. The original was much narrower, only 2 drawers and constructed from largely plywood / biscuits and screws. My version is QWSO for the most part and all solid construction. The drawer box is held together with handcut dovetails which was a first for me. The legs are attahced to the sides with mortises and loose tenons. Drawer fronts attached with machine cut 1/2 blind dovetails. Finish is a coat of watco natural follwed by a coat of brown gel stain and a topcoat of few sprayed coats of lacquer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulMarcel Posted September 24, 2010 Report Share Posted September 24, 2010 I like the sweeping grain on the drawer fronts. Nice table! Also like the contrasting stripe down the middle of the top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PMR Posted September 25, 2010 Report Share Posted September 25, 2010 Looks real nice, I like the opening between the top and the drawers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markwilliams75 Posted September 29, 2010 Report Share Posted September 29, 2010 Really nice table. Is the top a single slab or a glue up? Also I like your desgin alot, how do you thing a contrasting wood choice would work? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdbuilder Posted September 29, 2010 Author Report Share Posted September 29, 2010 Definately a glue up there are 5 or 6 different boards in there. QWSO tends to be 5 - 7 inches wide at my supplier by the time you rip off the edges to get a straight board. The drawer fronts did all come from 1 board. Dunno about contrasting wood, maybe depending on the style of the room it is going in but for us I went with 1 species. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cody.sheridan-2008 Posted September 30, 2010 Report Share Posted September 30, 2010 Beautiful job man. Can we see a close up of the joinery? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdbuilder Posted September 30, 2010 Author Report Share Posted September 30, 2010 Beautiful job man. Can we see a close up of the joinery? Sure, a little kludgy in spots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomP Posted September 30, 2010 Report Share Posted September 30, 2010 Beautiful looking table. Did you hand cut the joinery? The design is unique looking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdbuilder Posted September 30, 2010 Author Report Share Posted September 30, 2010 Yes on the main drawer box section. No on the drawers, I used one of the smaller porter cable jigs for those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lighthearted Posted October 3, 2010 Report Share Posted October 3, 2010 Looks Great-- I like the sweeping grain on the drawers as well, I only wish it was slightly more dramatic, or bookended. Joinery looks good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillN Posted October 4, 2010 Report Share Posted October 4, 2010 Very nicely executed. It reminds me that I have to build one out of cherry in my living room. Do the drawers slide open on both sides or are they stopped? I've seen some where they go both ways so it's easy to reach stuff in the back from the other side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdbuilder Posted October 4, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 4, 2010 Very nicely executed. It reminds me that I have to build one out of cherry in my living room. Do the drawers slide open on both sides or are they stopped? I've seen some where they go both ways so it's easy to reach stuff in the back from the other side. There is a back fitted in a groove so the drawers only open on one side. You could leave off the back easily enough and do drawers with a front on both sides. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Bennett Posted October 4, 2010 Report Share Posted October 4, 2010 Hi there like the clean lines very much. If you hand cut those dovetails and they were your first attempt. BE PROUD! Old fools like me never learned to do them with jigs and things so I suppose having always cut them by hand for more than fifty years I find the easy and very enjoyable. I hate to think what my first ones were like, hopefully they have long been burned. Well Done. Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdbuilder Posted October 4, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 4, 2010 Hi there like the clean lines very much. If you hand cut those dovetails and they were your first attempt. BE PROUD! Old fools like me never learned to do them with jigs and things so I suppose having always cut them by hand for more than fifty years I find the easy and very enjoyable. I hate to think what my first ones were like, hopefully they have long been burned. Well Done. Pete LOL! Thanks. Now, I say "first ones" as in the first time I've done a case side like that. I did do a drawer for a shop cabinet once with like 2 tails <g>. And I have done 2 or 3 practice pieces say 5" wide. Once it worked and at least once I cut on the wrong side of the line so it came out a little loose . Also, I'm working on an Arts & Crafts style tool chest now, also by Schwarz. This one is in cherry, cherry is about a million times softer than white oak! I'll put some pics up of that as I get a little further along. I have the main case / shelves and dividers done. The 6 drawers and 2 divided light doors will take a while. The little $65 Lee Valley dovetail saw works great FWIW. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayWC Posted February 9, 2011 Report Share Posted February 9, 2011 Quick question for you...was it just the color of the wood in the bright sun or is the vertical piece to the left of the left drawer that much darker than the rest of the wood no matter what kind of lighting you put the table under? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noumenon Posted February 15, 2011 Report Share Posted February 15, 2011 Great design with the space between the top and the drawers. Very functional, a good place for my woodworking magazines The only things I would change which have only to do with my personal taste are the hardware and not as shiny of a finish. Oh and like your joinery choices and execution! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdbuilder Posted February 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2011 Quick question for you...was it just the color of the wood in the bright sun or is the vertical piece to the left of the left drawer that much darker than the rest of the wood no matter what kind of lighting you put the table under? It is quite a bit darker, not quite so obvious when not in direct sun but still darker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdbuilder Posted February 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2011 Great design with the space between the top and the drawers. Very functional, a good place for my woodworking magazines The only things I would change which have only to do with my personal taste are the hardware and not as shiny of a finish. Oh and like your joinery choices and execution! Thanks for the comment, I think I agree on the shiny finish. My wife asked for a bench at the computer station in the kitchen so I threw this together over the weekend and finished it in satin. Looks better, especially with oak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayWC Posted February 21, 2011 Report Share Posted February 21, 2011 It is quite a bit darker, not quite so obvious when not in direct sun but still darker. Thanks for the reply! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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