Console Table: Episode 3

Posted 10 July 2019

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We don’t think you’ll have seen this before. In this episode, Paul shows how to make a front apron and a drawer front that share a continuous grain. It isn’t easy, but the result is well worth it for some pieces like this little, minimalist flat-stock table. There are quite a few tips and tricks in this episode, as well as a bit of a blunder. Enjoy!

Want to make your own Shooting Board like the one seen in this video? Click here for a step-by-step tutorial.

Previous: Console Table: Episode 2

29 Comments

  2. Hate to see anyone make a blunder but…..the rest of us with minimal experience make them more often than we’d like.

    Loved that none of this was edited out and we got to see Paul work through it on the fly while the glue had already been applied to the other piece.

    Fact is these types of little blunders are the reality of woodworking and to me an invaluable part of Paul’s teachings.

    Loved it!

  3. Oh, and thanks for the lesson on how to assure the continuous / matching grain in the drawer front.

    I don’t see this detail in most pieces I look at and for sure sets the craftsmanship apart with this piece

    3. Hi,

      Pauls says:

      Primarily I have no problem with using screws. Not being a purist helps me because as soon as this was screwed together I was ready to start working on other aspects without waiting for the glue to dry. Finally though, I see nothing wrong with secondary components to ensure longevity. Whereas glue will fail, ultimately the screws will be there forever.

      Kind Regards,
      Izzy

  6. Love the comment about how you did the mistake on purpose to show how to fit it, Paul. The little smile after that was priceless!

    Also, It was so nice to see you have to stretch to reach the drill while having to hold the drawer front. So often I do that same thing and wonder why I don’t have the presence of mind to not put the needed tool closer to where I am for the next step. Nice to know It’s not just me. LOL.

    Seeing you fix that little misstep on the fly so easily was amazing. I would have had to wipe off the glue, have a cup of coffee and take an hour to think about how to recover from that.

    This whole lesson is going to come in handy. Love the final look of that drawer front. Neat trick with the cut off nails for placeholders.

  8. I was waiting for this episode! Thanks for that!
    I did the same mistake a few times and it was very useful to see how you deal with it, especially when the time is running out.

    Couple of questions:
    Do you find it easier to align the pieces using the screws or what is the reason behind this?
    I have also noted that you draw three triangles on the front face but in the end it is only the center triangle that is still aligned and the rest are off by 1-2 mil. What was the purpose of side triangles? Just to find left and right pieces?

    Thanks
    Denis

    1. Hi Denis,

      Paul says:
      The screws obviously do make it easier to align, and this is a great reason for using them. The purpose of the triangles is to show orientation only and is not for alignment as such.

      Kind Regards,
      Izzy

  9. Probably my favourite episode. Fixing my mistakes is a large part of my practice, and it is really helpful to (a) know that even the masters are human, and (b) have something in the back pocket to DO about it when you err. Thanks for ‘doing it on purpose”. 😁👍

  10. Brilliant. Thanks so much. At my age that’s what woodworking is all about, how to correct your mistakes or make a feature of them. Such an encouragement to us to know you are not perfect Paul.
    Much blessing to you.

  11. Loved this episode, and especially your ability to correct an all-too-human mistake on the fly. And that’s where real skill comes in; it isn’t when everything is going as planned, but knowing (from practice, I’d wager) what to do when things go wrong. Thanks Paul & co., you’re doing an invaluable service to all the woodworkers (at least those with internet connections) of the world.

  12. I think of all the videos Paul and team have released over the years this is my favourite. It shows immaculate craftsmanship as well as human frailty and the ability of a craftsman to overcome problems resulting from nature and self. Just look at each end of the assembled piece and see how the middle piece is set in by that saw-kerf. I know it is the logical outcome – I’m just not sure mine would have looked quite the same! Fantastic result – it almost makes me want to do that part of the project alone, as I don’t have a need for a console table – to be able to produce that continuous grain effect has to give enormous satisfaction.

  14. Paul,
    The videos continue to motivate me. Question on the continuous drawer front. Could you have planed the edges to be rejoined together as if you were going to glue up a panel? Or were you concerned with having a perpendicular opening for the drawer that that method might not afford?

  19. Isn’t this c o o l . I’ve made a drawer front like this for a children’s table. I am amazed by how easy and controlled everything felt and how little width and length I lost sawing and planing although I have little woodworking practise and never did anything comparable before (joined a total of 5 boards in my life, this one included, so you see the obvious lack of experience). These videos are just invaluable.
    By the way, mine is only about 70cm long, and I don’t have a plug cutter, so I just did not use screws (no risk, no fun). Glue and clamps have been fine for tabletops for a few hundred years now, so I suppose that’s OK.

  20. I loved this video. The part came out great but like other commenters, I really enjoyed seeing how quickly Paul was able to resolve the error and move on without any problems. I am glad this was shown and not edited out. Thanks. Awesome work by everyone that puts these together.

  21. Loved this episode. I very much appreciate seeing Paul make the odd mistake, and even more, how he remedies them. This method for the matching grain was amazing. I made a similar project for my son last year, but made a hash of chopping out the drawer section, and fitting a another piece of wood for the drawer front. Not a great result. For my younger son’s desk, I will be following this video closely! Thanks so much to the whole team for this site. – S.

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