JayhawkCRNA Posted June 4, 2018 Report Share Posted June 4, 2018 Hello all. As the title suggests I am a beginner woodworker but I am eager to learn and advance in the craft. My fiancé and I are closing on our first house in a couple weeks and the house has a 30x30 detached garage that I will use as a dedicated shop. My father was a bit of a woodworker however he passed away a couple years ago and I inherited his tools. They included basically everything I could need to get started, table saw, Bosch routers with table, Bosch sliding miter saw, 6” craftsman jointer, 12” planer, jigsaw, worm drive skil saw, Milwaukee circular saw, plunge router, lots of pipe clamps My fiancé has requested me to attempt to build a dining room table. She likes the farmhouse trestle table look with benches. I have shown her the video by Third Coast Craftsman, https://www.thirdcoastcraftsman.com/product-page/trestle-table-plans on YouTube and she really likes it. needless to say it is a large undertaking as it is mortise and tenon, breadboard top and draw boarding, no mechanical fasteners. I want to tackle it but would this be a mistake? Especially since the lumber isn’t a small cost. Any tips would be greatly appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted June 4, 2018 Report Share Posted June 4, 2018 I'd suggest joining the Guild (if you haven't already) there's a couple of those tables in there with some very detailed instruction to guide you along. Reality is that anything you get for free on YT isn't going to really give you enough detail if you haven't done it before. Cool part about the Guild is that you get the plans, cut lists, and the guided instruction. Now, for the record, even tho I'm an admin here, that advise comes from me, not the admin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayhawkCRNA Posted June 4, 2018 Author Report Share Posted June 4, 2018 I actually joined it when someone bought me the chest of drawers plan, but I haven’t gotten to start that and we would want the table first. I do enjoy the quality of instruction though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted June 4, 2018 Report Share Posted June 4, 2018 Just now, JayhawkCRNA said: I actually joined it when someone bought me the chest of drawers plan, but I haven’t gotten to start that and we would want the table first. I do enjoy the quality of instruction though. So, you'd just need to go purchase that project and go for it. Congrats on the new house and shop BTW! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted June 4, 2018 Report Share Posted June 4, 2018 I totally agree with Kev. Marc/Woodwhisperer is a great teacher. And while practicing on something inexpensive like poplar, you can play and replay the videos. Welcome to the forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheeset202 Posted June 4, 2018 Report Share Posted June 4, 2018 Welcome aboard, you can’t go wrong with Marc’s instructional video plus the help you will get from this site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted June 4, 2018 Report Share Posted June 4, 2018 Marc did a trestle table on his free site that has good details. It's not the same style as the one you posed but it doesn't say anywhere you have to make it to his style. I love making tables they are somewhat simple and very rewarding. The Roubo build would probably be the best project to buy that is as close to what you want. Big timber big M&T joints draw bore. You'll have to come up with your own table design but that is easy. Through tenons are covered in Marc's free video on the knockdown trestle table. The Morris chair build covers big M&G joints regular M&T joints as well as through tenons. It also has a lot of techniques in it that can apply to a wide variety of projects. If you use the search feature on this website i'm sure you can find some journals for tables that are done by people that include lots of pictures and good details. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post curlyoak Posted June 4, 2018 Popular Post Report Share Posted June 4, 2018 Ask your lady to be patient. If she goes along with that, then start with some easier projects. New houses will have a lot of projects. You can't speak a new language by tomorrow. Step one is to learn how to dress lumber. If you can't do that right then it will show in the outcome. It is very important. It is like a foundation of a house. If your foundation is not true you will be compensating all the way to the roof. ( little but not much exaggeration.) I wish you luck. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted June 4, 2018 Report Share Posted June 4, 2018 I agree w "curly " . Start with some small projects first. You could build a coffee( bedside or end) table in that style as a practice run. However you proceed I recommend buying some poplar or other inexpensive hardwood & practice the breadboard & mortice & tenon joinery long before you even think about tackling any table with those details. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayhawkCRNA Posted June 4, 2018 Author Report Share Posted June 4, 2018 51 minutes ago, wdwerker said: I agree w "curly " . Start with some small projects first. You could build a coffee( bedside or end) table in that style as a practice run. However you proceed I recommend buying some poplar or other inexpensive hardwood & practice the breadboard & mortice & tenon joinery long before you even think about tackling any table with those details. Thanks for the tips. I understand pricing can vary widely. What should I expect poplar to cost per bf? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bleedinblue Posted June 4, 2018 Report Share Posted June 4, 2018 I watched that build from the Third Coast Craftsman not too long ago and really liked it. That dude does well, especially for a hand tool heavy neanderthal. I doubt the $10 plan will give you a ton of detail, but for $10 I'd think it worth a shot...and, well, it's a table. They're not difficult. We can always walk you through parts you are unclear about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted June 4, 2018 Report Share Posted June 4, 2018 Poplar is around $2 a board foot in Atlanta. Thicker boards might be a little more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted June 4, 2018 Report Share Posted June 4, 2018 Poplar is $3 a board foot in Kalispell MT.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bleedinblue Posted June 4, 2018 Report Share Posted June 4, 2018 Red oak probably isn't much more than that either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted June 5, 2018 Report Share Posted June 5, 2018 Just see what the least expensive hardwood in your area is. Hopefully you can get something that's not to difficult to practice joinery on. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayhawkCRNA Posted June 5, 2018 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2018 Is there a project that you all would suggest to start with for mortise and tenon work? I would rather make something if I am practicing the joint rather than just cutting joints that are not used. i was thinking maybe. Couple sturdy saw horses out of some big box construction lumber. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tmize Posted June 5, 2018 Report Share Posted June 5, 2018 To me the best starter project in furniture is the shaker end table it has m&t’s,dovetails and edge joining a top. All great joints to learn on a smaller scale an is a awesome looking piece. An only about 10-15 board feet of lumber so not a lot of expense either Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted June 5, 2018 Report Share Posted June 5, 2018 A shaker table could be a good choice even if you built a simple drawer and save dovetails for the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bleedinblue Posted June 5, 2018 Report Share Posted June 5, 2018 Without a doubt, the shaker table. Didn't Tommy Mac 2.0 make a shaker table on the first episode of the new Rough Cut? He skipped the drawer on that. Take a spin through that episode. It's a great looking table and a fantastic entry project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewisc Posted June 5, 2018 Report Share Posted June 5, 2018 This small table was based on the shaker table. I made it as an entry table for keys and whatnot. It was fairly simple without putting a drawer in. I've made a few tables over the last couple of years and it was fairly easy to translate that into a dining table. The theory/practice is all the same just on a bigger scale. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curlyoak Posted June 5, 2018 Report Share Posted June 5, 2018 Go to a shop that does woodwork. Ask for scraps for a breadboard. It would be little or no money. Make something that requires dressing lumber. and glue joints. Sanding and finishing. Something easy and build confidence. The first six months of my informal apprenticeship was how long I was made to wait before I was aloud to touch anything that could hurt me. I was kept busy and was happy after 5 months I was on a tiny trimming router. My teacher lost a finger 2 months in as a kid. When I was finally turned loose I knew what the steps were with confidence. Mostly remember you are dealing with dangerous tools. Do not proceed without certainty of safe procedures. Build your knowledge at a reasonable rate. Then you will become fully addicted like many here... Speed is not important early on. Be willing to undo or scrap your work if it is substandard. Be demanding of what you will accept of your work. A woodworker is a shop keeper. Meaning we are constantly putting our tools back and cleaning. And cleaning. It never stops. Another early project before even a cutting board is shop fixtures. Like benches and storage racks for material and shelves for sand paper and glue and varnish etc. I would not start anything until I had a decent bench... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted June 5, 2018 Report Share Posted June 5, 2018 Shaker table is a good idea. If your setting up a new shop you'll need shop tables and starter work benches. This is a great place to start practice. Big timbers are easier to cut mortises on and seem to be more forgiving. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brendon_t Posted June 5, 2018 Report Share Posted June 5, 2018 14 hours ago, bleedinblue said: Red oak probably isn't much more than that either. And then we run into Maple a few pennies more.. See, learning already. This is called project creep. You start set on poplar and end up at Cocobolo. Welcome to the forum. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodbutcher Posted June 5, 2018 Report Share Posted June 5, 2018 If you decide to make a small table, such as a shaker, or whatever, Id recommend making it with a drawer. You dont have to dovetail it, but theres so many parts to drawer making that are valuable to know. My first real project was two shaker tables. They are a crash course in joinery and techniques, but nothing complex, M & T's, breadboard ends, dovetails, and tapered legs. I didnt find the project overwhelming as a first project, and I didnt have all that much for tools when I made them. So Im with the others that said a small side table would be a great starter project. But I think making it with a drawer is the way to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny4 Posted June 8, 2018 Report Share Posted June 8, 2018 Heya! Welcome to the craft. I started in a similar situation as you are in. My approach, for what it’s worth, was to pick a tool or two and become really, really familiar with it. I started with the bandsaw. I learned how to set it up, change blades, square a fence, adjust for drift, change tires, and basically strip the thing down and build it back up. I didn’t touch a table saw until I had taken an intro to tablesaw safety class, which I cannot emphasize enough. Even then, I would watch many hours of table saw safety on YouTube and the magazines/books....you know, reading . Until you can explain why kickback happens, and can describe how to do your basic cuts properly, don’t even plug the thing in. Learn how to tune it properly before you plug it in. I’m a bit of a safety freak, but it’s a serious and potentially life and limb altering hobby. Give yourself permission to enjoy the journey. If you rush into it, you will be frustrated, and miss the beautiful scenery that comes with learning the skills you will one day use to build that table. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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