First Table
Welcome! / Forums / Project Series / How to Make a Table / First Table
- This topic has 6 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 7 years, 1 month ago by Riley Lennon.
-
AuthorPosts
-
10 March 2017 at 6:46 pm #310015
Well I finally finished my oak end table. This is my first “proper” piece of furniture and I couldnt be happier. I learned a great deal as I worked through numerous issues along the way. A big thanks to Paul and his team
- This topic was modified 7 years, 1 month ago by Riley Lennon.
- This topic was modified 7 years, 1 month ago by Riley Lennon.
Attachments:
You must be logged in to view attached files.10 March 2017 at 8:35 pm #310027Looks like you’ve done a fantastic job, really nice work!
Would you mind elaborating on some of the numerous issues? It’s always good to hear about how others have overcome problems.
Rob
10 March 2017 at 11:46 pm #310029Fair enough. I will share some of the lessons I learned.
1.) Don’t laminate legs from thinner stock unless you absolutely have to. The boards I had to choose from were almost impossible to match. Th legs didn’t end up looking too great because of the grain mismatch. I remember Paul saying something to the effect that when one laminates legs, “it ends up looking like you didnt care”. In my case he was right. Next time I will buy 8/4 stock. One of my glue lines also ended up showing a gap several days after glue up. (See lesson two)
2.) Let your stock acclimate for as long as you can possibly stand it. I waited two weeks. I figured two weeks in Arizona heat and single digit humidity would do. I was wrong. After the legs were glued up and shaped; vertical checks opened up on one of the legs parallel to the laminate glue line and on the glue line itself. Luckily I was able to fill the defect with superglue and it turned out looking half way decent. Speaking of defects – see lesson three
3.) Your plane can never be sharp enough or set well enough. I cant count how many times I was planing and hearing the sweet “swish, swish” of a plane working properly…but on the next pass there was that terrible sound as the plane stopped dead in its track..leaving a grand canyon size divot in the middle of your freshly laminated table top.I definitely need work on plane setup and technique; and I will definitely be more picky about the boards I purchase. Beautiful, swirling grain is not a novice woodworkers friend.
4.) Last lesson. Joint freeze is real. And it sucks. It struck me on the second joint during glue up. I was not ready for it. The joint in question was very tight. Too tight it turns out. I actually broke a clamp trying to squeeze it together. When that failed I blindly beat the hell out of the joint with my chisel hammer and a block until it submitted.
So overall it was was a nightmare..I cant wait to do it again.
11 March 2017 at 12:07 am #310030ohh yeah. I forgot about brass wood screws. Cheap, brass wood screws. I went through them like a kid eating his Halloween candy. Even with pilot holes, I was able to snap the shafts in half. Then I would have to dig the remnants out of the turnbuttons and table top. I think I will stay away from brass in the future 🙂
Cheers,
Riley
11 March 2017 at 11:54 am #310033Tip on brass screws. Because of the common problem you describe, I will do a pilot hole as usual then screw in a steel screw of the same size and this will cut the threads and size the hole. Then screw in the brass screw after that. Also, put a little wax on the screw as well…
13 March 2017 at 5:09 pm #310125Thanks for the like Mike and Rob! My “workshop” has quickly relegated both cars to the driveway. Luckily I have a supportive spouse. We will see what she thinks when its 115 degrees outside. I might have to put some wheels on the bench to move it out of the way.
And thanks for the tip on brass screws Brett. I actually did go to furniture was on the threads of the screws, and it worked very well.
Best Regards,
Riley -
AuthorPosts
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.