Popular Post Chestnut Posted December 21, 2021 Popular Post Report Share Posted December 21, 2021 Our lower level Living Room is the room we decided to have more modern style furniture. Previously I built a modern style media console or the TV and electronic dealywackers. The next item requested was end tables so that the lamps could have homes. I've been trying to find a good style that I really wanted to build. I wanted something that was a little bit more out there in design to separate the end tables from other furniture I've seen. I initially experimented with the design below but was unable to make reality the look I had in my mind. I came to the conclusion that my imagination was just better than reality in that aspect. So i decided to go with something different but a bit safer. I still wanted a floating or gravity defying element so I decided on a tapered splayed leg with a floating box for the top. Now is when I'd show my design but I didn't create one and have just been making everything up as I go along. I started by figuring out the height and deciding on an angle, 10 degrees. So my idea is to cut an angle on the end of the aprons to splay the legs out. The same angle would need to be cut into both ends of the leg to keep everything sitting right. I then tapered the legs so they are 2.5" wide at the top and 1" wide at the bottom. I did the tapering at the band saw. To help see the cut lines better I hung my festool light from the tension wheel to get me better light to see the pencil line on the walnut. I use this light quite a bit. Being able to slide an 18V battery on the back makes it a lot more useful as well. Joinery for the base is floating M&T. I was shooting for a tenon that was about 2" wide to cover most of the width of the rail. Everything about the base is going to be pretty bare bones so I wanted as much tenon as possible. I used a wiggly plungy thingy to make the mortises. I just put 2 marks on the board side by side and made 2 plunges. Ends of the apron and sides of the leg get the same treatment. The floating tenons ended up being around 2" wide and 2.75" long so 1_3/8" in each side and ~1/4" thick. Prior to assembly all the parts were smoothed with the #4 in iron, and then in bronze. The iron works well for heavy removal and the bronze cleans up the surface for finish. I saved the off cuts from both the tapes and trimming the aprons to length. I glued the angled blocks to the tapered wedges to create clamping blocks. This was very critical as the angles would not allow for easy clamping. To make things easier i just put some double sided sand paper between my clamping blocks and the work piece to hold everything in place. Using the sand paper meant that I didn't need to clean up that edge again but also allowed for enough clamping pressure to keep the joints closed while the glue dried. I attached the end blocks to the taper scraps with CA glue. Jumping to the box that will be on top of the legs. It is made from Sugar Maple. Dimensions are 24" x 24" x 6". I made panels for the boxes to include the top and both sides. All the material was jointed and planed before the glue up. I used some floating M&T to provide alignment of the panel during glue up. After the panels were out of the clamps i spent about 2 hours getting every thing flat. I thought about doing some sort of wide finger joints for these but I decided they should match what I did for the media console. So i just did M&T reinforced butt joints. I kicked around miters but the sides won't be seen and the entertainment console wasn't mitered either so i figured It should match. The sides weren't perfect and required some cleanup. I used the #4 in iron to smooth out the sides. I've been seeing a lot of talk about the deadman on the roubo not getting used that often and why it was eliminated from the hybrid bench. Not sure how other people work but my dead man has seen almost daily use. You can't see it in this image but i have a hold fast sticking out that is supporting the end of this box. I do sometimes pound the hold fast to hold a panel in place with the deadman as well but more often it's just there for a bit of support. IMO it's more critical than a wagon or tail vise. My wagon vise is still absent from my bench, motivation is low to buy it. The only motivation i have to buy it is so I can call my bench complete because at this point it's still not finished despite being in heavy use for nearly 3 years. A lot of the planing was cross grain so the sides were then sanded with 120 and 180 grit. I used all that planing time to brain storm a solution to make the boxes appear to float. I decided to just use the floating table method and install the aprons in from the side a bit. To add some visual interest to the sides I cut a V in the bottom o the apron. I forgot to take pictures of this but it was pretty minimal. I then laid out the side aprons and marked out locations for more floating tenons. To cut the mortises i used a piece of figured redwood as a fence and made 2 plunges with the wiggly spinny bit thingy again making a 2" wide mortise. With the thickness of the material being 3/4" the mortises were only 5/8" deep. The mortise isn't perfectly parallel to the grain but i figure it's going to provide enough strength to support my weight dancing on top at a bare minimum. 2 simple glue ups later the bases were complete. I set one of the boxes on top o the assembly while it was being glued. I figured this would help hold it flat to prevent any possible rocking that may occur. I skipped ahead to finishing the bases and boxes. These will get drawers but i wanted them to be able to be put in action prior to Christmas guests arriving. This picture provides some details on aprons the provide the floating element. The fronts are the angled legs on the right and the aprons facing left are the sides. The boxes will be finished with Varathane WB poly brushed on. I'd show a picture but it'd just look like bare maple so just scroll up a bit. Assembly will be tonight as all coats of finish have been applied. I'll start on the drawers next which will be hand cut dovetails with shop cut birds eye maple veneer for the drawer front. I apologize for the long post I intended to journal this as i built but as the work to this point really was only a few days and i kept forgetting to transfer pictures to my computer. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chet Posted December 21, 2021 Report Share Posted December 21, 2021 Nice design so far. Are the drawer fronts going to be maple or walnut? On 12/21/2021 at 10:18 AM, Chestnut said: My wagon vise is still absent from my bench, motivation is low to buy it. I purchased the Veritas Inset Vise as an inexpensive solution until I saved the money for a tail vise, but I have been happy enough with it that I think it is all I will ever have. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted December 21, 2021 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2021 56 minutes ago, Chet said: Are the drawer fronts going to be maple or walnut? Birds eye maple. I'm going to use the material i bought in Maine while on vacation. 56 minutes ago, Chet said: I purchased the Veritas Inset Vise as an inexpensive solution until I saved the money for a tail vise, but I have been happy enough with it that I think it is all I will ever have. It's not even the money aspect. I just haven't felt like I needed it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark J Posted December 22, 2021 Report Share Posted December 22, 2021 7 hours ago, Chestnut said: Now is when I'd show my design but I didn't create one and have just been making everything up as I go along. The thought of this had me breaking out in a shaking cold sweat . And I can't believe what you can get done in a few days. Nice work. What are you gonna do when this house fills up, which at your rate will be next sometime next year. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bmac Posted December 22, 2021 Report Share Posted December 22, 2021 Very nice, solid design, an elegant look with a surprisingly simple design. Looking great!! That wiggly mortise making thingy is pretty nice isn't it! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted December 22, 2021 Author Report Share Posted December 22, 2021 10 hours ago, Mark J said: What are you gonna do when this house fills up, which at your rate will be next sometime next year. I feel like there are plenty of projects left. Once I'm done I'm going to offer to make things for close family. That may push me a bit more cause I'm sure I'll get design requests for styles I don't necessarily like. I'm excited for it. 2 hours ago, Bmac said: That wiggly mortise making thingy is pretty nice isn't it! It makes quick work of various sized mortises. I haven't touched factory made tenon stock in quite a long time aside from the 4mm size. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted December 22, 2021 Report Share Posted December 22, 2021 11 hours ago, Mark J said: What are you gonna do when this house fills up, which at your rate will be next sometime next year. Hey, styles and tastes change! I'm sure @Chestnutwill get plenty of requests in the future, for pieces that replace stuff he made in the past. Who would let a little thing like a house full of perfectly good furniture stop them? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronn W Posted December 22, 2021 Report Share Posted December 22, 2021 On 12/22/2021 at 8:04 AM, wtnhighlander said: Who would let a little thing like a house full of perfectly good furniture stop them? I wonder if my wife will by that argument?? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chet Posted December 22, 2021 Report Share Posted December 22, 2021 On 12/22/2021 at 6:04 AM, wtnhighlander said: Who would let a little thing like a house full of perfectly good furniture stop them? Finishing our master bedroom set a few months back put us at that threshold. My wife was asking what I was going to do now that the house is full. I guess I will start filling our two daughters houses. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post wtnhighlander Posted December 22, 2021 Popular Post Report Share Posted December 22, 2021 59 minutes ago, Chet said: I guess I will start filling our two daughters houses. Are you saying the next thing Drew needs to make is babies? 5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted December 23, 2021 Author Report Share Posted December 23, 2021 6 hours ago, wtnhighlander said: Are you saying the next thing Drew needs to make is babies? Hey now let's not get any ideas. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Chestnut Posted December 29, 2021 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted December 29, 2021 Here are some finished glamor shots. There was a bunch of discussion over Christmas and the end result was no drawers. It turns out the majority liked them open. I'm glad I took some time to smooth and finish the inside. Here they are in place. They match nicely with this Z style chair that was gifted to me through a family friend. They sold their lake cabin and wanted to find a good home for it. I didn't see any makers marks on it. The people that gave it to me have had it in their cabin since the early 70s and possibly earlier. They had it reupholstered once. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark J Posted December 29, 2021 Report Share Posted December 29, 2021 They look great! Matching coffee table in the future? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted December 30, 2021 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2021 2 hours ago, Mark J said: Matching coffee table in the future? I got the go a head to make something Nakashima inspired. So the coffee table will be a bit different but similar. Instead of live edge slab i'm going to do some sort of oval though. I'm not a huge fan of the live edge slab stuff. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted December 30, 2021 Report Share Posted December 30, 2021 Somehow, even after going back, I must have missed it. How did you attach the box to the frame? Very nice piece! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted December 30, 2021 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2021 11 hours ago, Coop said: How did you attach the box to the frame? Figure 8 fasteners on the tall aprons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chet Posted December 30, 2021 Report Share Posted December 30, 2021 Those came out real nice Drew, well done. Are you thinking the same combination on the coffee table maple top and walnut base? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted December 30, 2021 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2021 17 minutes ago, Chet said: Those came out real nice Drew, well done. Are you thinking the same combination on the coffee table maple top and walnut base? Megan floated the idea to make the top Walnut and the base Maple to add some depth to the other furniture in the room. We have a bookshelf thing planed as well that will be a maple case with walnut accents. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted December 30, 2021 Report Share Posted December 30, 2021 Drew, I suggest mocking up something with that color contrast before committing to it. Dark on the base can visually 'lower' the piece, or enhance the floating effect, but the reverse is not always true. To my eye, a light base and dark top tends to appear disproportionate. But that is a totally subjective opinion. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.