The ToadStool Table

[Mark J]

Oh... I see.

[Coop]

Very well done! 

[wtnhighlander]

OK, photo overload time!

This is how I make leveling feet:

 

With the base disk assembled, I tested out the "ballast" retention bolt:

 

 

One more dry fit, just to be certain....

 

 

Now comes the most nervous moment of the project, preparing for glue!

 

 

Whew!  It went together OK. Lots of clear packing tape involved, keeping the staves together.

Hhhmmm....pretty sure I didn't starve any joints!

 

While that dried, I worked on edge-profiling the disks for the table top. The upper disk (oak), gets an edge like this:

Which I made on the tablesaw, using my Spin-a-ma-jig (c) and the outer plates of my dado stack (for rigidity).

 

The cherry disk gets a bull-nose profile. My router bit has no bearing, and using an edge guide won't work, since the bit cuts away the entire surface of the edge, which would lead to a never-ending spiral toward the center of the circle. This is why the Spin-a-ma-jig was conceived, since even a standard router circle jig is problematic to use when the bit can't be plunged across the edge.  For these large disks, I added some temporary bracing to stiffen the jig a bit:

 

And finally, the completed profile will look something like this:

 

 

I had some issues with splintering on the cherry, which required me to cut another pass. Good thing I started with it over-sized!  Anyway, now I need to reduce the diameter of the oak disk a bit, but I ran out of time. Stay tuned, more is soon to come!

 

 

 

[Coop]

And those gaps in the column have all but disappeared. Your solution was correct. Looking good bud! 

[wtnhighlander]

27 minutes ago, Coop said:

And those gaps in the column have all but disappeared. Your solution was correct. Looking good bud! 

Hard to tell under all that glue!  I plan to start cleaning that up tomorrow.

[Chestnut]

This is coming along nicely. It's very interesting seeing your jigs that you are using to make these table tops. The three legs on the base seem kinda close together even with the extra weight it appears to me that it might be slightly tippy. Tripods are good for never rocking but aren't as stable along the base of the triangle. It'll probably be fine I'm just curious i guess.

[wtnhighlander]

18 minutes ago, Chestnut said:

 Tripods are good for never rocking but aren't as stable along the base of the triangle.

I agree that the base is fairly small, but there is still the option of having the bottom of the cone directly on the floor. If I can get the top of the cone trimmed perpendicular to the verticle center of the cone, I can adjust the feet from above, before installing the top, allowing the feet to just add a bit of stability if the bottom rim rocks. 

As for ballast, that bolt can hold 5 ten-pound plates, so I feel confident. Like a Weeble, it might wobble, but it won't fall down! 

Sorry Drew, you might need someone older to explain that reference...

[Chestnut]

So tripods or bases with 3 contact points don't rock on an uneven surface like a base with 4 legs. The trouble with tripods is the distance from the center to the base is half that of the distance from the center to a leg. If yo apply a force along one of those 3 sides of the tripod they tip somewhat easily. In the picture below if a force is applied on the edge of the table, aka someone leaning on it, the person will have a much greater lever to tip the table over vs if they lean near a leg.

I don't know the dimensions of your table so the numbers there are just for illustration purposes.

With your added weight i doubt it's a concern but just a thought that came to mind. It's goign to be hard to tell until you get the table together.

[wtnhighlander]

The table top is 42" diameter (approximately), and the base is a bit more than 1/3 of that, about 15 1/2 ID". The idea with the adjustable feet being tucked under the 'skirt' at the bottom is to let the feet touch down just enough to eliminate any rocking on the concrete floor this will live on. The rim of the base will probably still touch in at least one point, and be  only a small fraction of an inch off the floor at most, so the rim will really catch any leaning events. It may still tip, but with ballast to counter the weight of the top, I expect it will be hard to push over.

The design stems from the client's desire to avoid having the usual 4 feet sticking out, so as to maximize seating around the circular table. I'll admit, its an experiment.

[Mark J]

Ross, your already thinking along the same lines as the solution I was going to suggest.  Adding 4th, 5th and 6th feet at the perimeter of the cone that are say 1/8"  off the floor.  These would be like outriggers to limit tip.  But the skirt or rim of the base is even better if the gap is small enough.

[Chestnut]

On 3/17/2020 at 8:15 AM, wtnhighlander said:

Like a Weeble, it might wobble, but it won't fall down! 

Sorry Drew, you might need someone older to explain that reference...

LOL i completely misread your post. I thought you were asking for clarification and explained the triangle thing which you probably knew. Man i feel like a mooron.

Weeble, i am familiar with the reference. A good friend of mine growing up had an inflatable one that we'd punch and kick like a punching bag. It was good fun and was encouraged so we weren't punching and kicking each other.... Later on while playing hockey i was commonly refereed to as a weeeble, as no matter how hard people tried they couldn't hit me down. It helps that I'm short. Like cremona short.

[wtnhighlander]

Spokeshave:

The most satisfying tool in my collection. Even this el-cheapo model peels long, curly strands from the wood with each stroke.

There may not be much faceting left, by the time I quit!  

 

[RichardA]

33 minutes ago, wtnhighlander said:

Spokeshave:

The most satisfying tool in my collection. Even this el-cheapo model peels long, curly strands from the wood with each stroke.

There may not be much faceting left, by the time I quit!  

 

Might even be as thin as a TP tube.

[wtnhighlander]

Today, I focused on trimming the oak disk for the top to size and doing a test assembly of all the components for the top. I discovered that using a tapered wood screw / countersink bit is perfect for using these pocket hole screws in non-pocket applications.

Assembling the top is a real dance. I'll include step-by-step pics when I assemble it after finishing.

[wtnhighlander]

Quickly approaching the "finish" line. Now is when it all slows to a crawl....

Here, the components are still only stacked together. When I add screws from below, the seam between the disks of the top close up tightly.

There is a gap under one of the cross-braces I need to fix...

 

Seating height test. I happen to have a shop stool the same height as the client's stools.

Nailed it.

As you can see, building a table has become challenging, since I moved in to the shed. My hand is sticking out the doorway to make this shot, and that is the ONLY open area large enough to stand the table in!  But at least I have heat and AC now.

I still have to make a cherry ring to slip around the base. Client tells me the concrete floor has a 1/8" per foot fall for drainage, as it was originally intended as an open-air porch, before he enclosed it. Guess I'll be making use of those leveling feet after all. Aside from adding a bit of color, the cherry ring, being loose, will slide down to cover any gap between the base and the floor.

I am really digging this size and shape of table. Might have to make one for my deck, if I can source some reasonably weather-resistant material for it.

 

[treeslayer]

Nailed it is right Ross, really looking great!

[RichardA]

1 hour ago, wtnhighlander said:

Quickly approaching the "finish" line. Now is when it all slows to a crawl....

Here, the components are still only stacked together. When I add screws from below, the seam between the disks of the top close up tightly.

There is a gap under one of the cross-braces I need to fix...

 

Seating height test. I happen to have a shop stool the same height as the client's stools.

Nailed it.

As you can see, building a table has become challenging, since I moved in to the shed. My hand is sticking out the doorway to make this shot, and that is the ONLY open area large enough to stand the table in!  But at least I have heat and AC now.

I still have to make a cherry ring to slip around the base. Client tells me the concrete floor has a 1/8" per foot fall for drainage, as it was originally intended as an open-air porch, before he enclosed it. Guess I'll be making use of those leveling feet after all. Aside from adding a bit of color, the cherry ring, being loose, will slide down to cover any gap between the base and the floor.

I am really digging this size and shape of table. Might have to make one for my deck, if I can source some reasonably weather-resistant material for it.

 

It looks like that brace with the gap is a tad higher than the other one that's visible at the rear of the brace, might mean a touch of chisel work in the joint.

[Chet]

The table is looking good Ross.

Did I miss a page in "The life of Ross"  Were did the shed come in to being and was it built specifically to be your shop?

[pkinneb]

That base is to cool so glad you shared how you did that! 

[Bmac]

I agree with Paul, that base looks great, really nice job blending it together too. Very cool

[Mark J]

2 hours ago, wtnhighlander said:

Nailed it.

Hold on there my friend!  It ain't tested until it's functionally tested.  You need a beer.  

[wtnhighlander]

2 hours ago, Chet said:

The table is looking good Ross.

Did I miss a page in "The life of Ross"  Were did the shed come in to being and was it built specifically to be your shop?

The shed has been here a couple of years. It began life as a hobby room for Cody's model trains, but he kind of lost interest (in the room, not the trains). In an effort to have a modicum of climate control, and vastly reduced volume of sawdust tracked into the house, I moved (most of) my tools into it. Lumber is still in the garage, and a couple of machines, but I'm getting by for now. After this table, MAYBE I'll have time to better organize the shed and reduce the cramped feeling.  I can see that a 'utility' shed, in which to house my DC/ vacuum gear and air compressor, would be a worth addition. I'm thinking a simple 8x10, right next to the work shed, and pipe everything out through the filler panel next to the Window A/C. BUT...need more power for that!

[wtnhighlander]

So, the last component I needed to make is a trim ring that slips over the pedestal, sliding to the bottom to cover any gap at uneven floor. It is made of cherry to add another splash of color.

I started by cutting some segments and making rings. The same angle-finding process from making he pedestal works for this as well, and I cut the pieces using an angled stop on my TS sled.  Hoops in the works:

Once the glue was dry on the rings, I stacked them together to form a taller "bricked" ring:

 

A wide drum sander would be useful for this. The individual rings were not perfectly flat, which resulted in a couple of cracked joints when I clamped the sandwich together. Since the glue between the rings holds everything solidly, I left the cracks to be filled with sawdust and glue later.

Time to warm up the 'Spin-a-ma-jig' again!  The cross bar is attacked to the bottom of the ring so the screw holes won't show.

 

Then to position it on the saw...

 

 

Approach angle to the blade determines how much profile is given to the cut edge. For this piece, I wanted a bit of flare at the bottom, so the ring was located so that the side against the table met the blade just behind where the teeth plunge below the throat plate with the blade fully raised. Moving the work more toward the center of the blade makes a straighter cut, pulling back makes more flare. 

Voila! A flared circle cut on the tablesaw.

 

 

The more observant among you might notice the obvious glue lines between my "bricks" . Apparently, the small drafting square I use to check the perpendicularity of blade to table isn't large enough to properly register past the throat plate and onto the table. My plate had some dust under it, giving me a false positive check. Fortunately, this ring goes on the floor, under a table. I doubt anyone will ever notice, especially after I give it the dark red color treatment, so I'm not going to do it over.

 

Next, I need to round out the inside of the ring, but I ran out of time this morning. Stay tuned for the exciting conclusion!  

[treeslayer]

Really interesting build Ross and I’m anxious to see the finished piece, very innovative process and jigs to make it happen. 

[wtnhighlander]

Thanks, Dave. I was thinking about it as I wrote the last post, and I believe this ENTIRE project, once the sleds & jigs were built, could be accomplished with no more than the table saw and a drill, including the milling, if you don't mind all your boards being under 3" wide.  Heck, even the jigs themselves take no more than that.   Clamps don't count, but even they could be replaced with rope, cauls, and wedges.

Before sanding, anyway.