Finished picture first, as per regulations. Built this table as my first adult effort at furniture woodworking. Previous woodworking experience… almost nil. Built a box in highschool (20 years ago) and then watched lots of youtube. This is the story of building a table by trial and error, with limited tools to begin with.
[img]http://images.plebeians.net/_data/i/upload/2019/08/06/20190806173415-b0ba2279-xl.jpg[/img]
First, go get lumber. most of this table is 2x4s from Bunnings.
[img]http://images.plebeians.net/i.php?/upload/2019/08/06/20190806173402-bf37bf1e-xl.jpg[/img]
Then try and joint lumber correctly to make 90×90 legs… fail miserably at using the table saw to joint the lumber because the cheap $150 table saw has too much flex in the trunnions.
[img]http://images.plebeians.net/_data/i/upload/2019/08/06/20190806173349-c4ea119c-xl.jpg[/img]
Buy cheap power planer to joint the lumber instead. Figure out that the planer didnt come with a shaving extraction port and design your own with the 3D printer.
[img]http://images.plebeians.net/_data/i/upload/2019/08/06/20190806173336-57ec369a-xl.jpg[/img]
Make lots of legs… fail a LOT. One 3m stick of lumber would make 2 legs… so you get how often i failed.
[img]http://images.plebeians.net/_data/i/upload/2019/08/06/20190806173310-88731922-xl.jpg[/img]
Give up on the power planer and hand planers. Buy thicknesser in the end of financial year sales. Win.
Find out that the thicknesser has a damaged indexing bit out of the box (wasnt parallel with the indexing side). Wait for new cutting bits.
[img]http://images.plebeians.net/_data/i/upload/2019/08/06/20190806173240-6a329b60-xl.jpg[/img]
Break big toe while waiting… enforced 4 weeks of rest 🙁
[img]http://images.plebeians.net/_data/i/upload/2019/08/06/20190806173228-9b3132fb-xl.jpg[/img]
Give up on rest and build a Thien separator for the thicknesser, as the head clogs without dust extraction.
[img]http://images.plebeians.net/_data/i/upload/2019/08/06/20190806173214-d386f913-xl.jpg[/img]
[img]http://images.plebeians.net/_data/i/upload/2019/08/06/20190806173201-c4411a5f-xl.jpg[/img]
YAY. Start making wood shavings again, much more effective this time.
[img]http://images.plebeians.net/_data/i/upload/2019/08/06/20190806173153-64b0bada-xl.jpg[/img]
First attempt at tapering the legs, saw blade doesnt cut deep enough to be able to taper using a fixed jig against the fence. Too much flex, so will need to be cut on a sled.
[img]http://images.plebeians.net/_data/i/upload/2019/08/06/20190806173142-f2301f57-xl.jpg[/img]
Build a tapering sled using bits of scrap melamine cupboard salvaged from a bathroom reno down the road. Buy bling clamps to hold it in place.
[img]http://images.plebeians.net/_data/i/upload/2019/08/06/20190806173125-9250c0ac-xl.jpg[/img]
Firstly, decide that laminating a top together will be a BIG headache, and start thinking about other options. Find some seconds of a 2100x900x30mm benchtop at Bunnings and buy a sheet for the top. Much simpler than laminating a top together (for now)
[img]http://images.plebeians.net/_data/i/upload/2019/08/06/20190806173119-35d1171c-xl.jpg[/img]
Decide that you want a 30° taper on the edge and so build a sketchy as jig to hold a 100mm diameter 30° ebay router bit in your father in law’s router.
[img]http://images.plebeians.net/_data/i/upload/2019/08/06/20190806173113-e2760e2c-xl.jpg[/img]
Successfully cut taper in the top, over the course of four passes. On one of the windiest days in Melbourne this year… dust extraction courtesy of 60km/h winds.
[img]http://images.plebeians.net/_data/i/upload/2019/08/06/20190806173108-47011dea-xl.jpg[/img]
Yay, one taper cut.
[img]http://images.plebeians.net/_data/i/upload/2019/08/06/20190806173100-d9fd0d7b-xl.jpg[/img]
Time to get on with it then. Legs tapered so i thicknessed some 90×35 down to 85×25 and built a frame using dowels and pocket screws.
[img]http://images.plebeians.net/_data/i/upload/2019/08/06/20190806173054-590dde91-xl.jpg[/img]
Stained the top a nice walnut colour
[img]http://images.plebeians.net/_data/i/upload/2019/08/06/20190806173048-bd449296-xl.jpg[/img]
[img]http://images.plebeians.net/_data/i/upload/2019/08/06/20190806173038-0cffb812-xl.jpg[/img]
Now stained the legs
[img]http://images.plebeians.net/_data/i/upload/2019/08/06/20190806173028-e7601755-xl.jpg[/img]
Affix the top with figure 8 clips
[img]http://images.plebeians.net/_data/i/upload/2019/08/06/20190806173017-24935599-xl.jpg[/img]
[img]http://images.plebeians.net/_data/i/upload/2019/08/06/20190806173009-5bfed956-xl.jpg[/img]
Add plenty of coats of varnish, a combination of brushed to build up layers and then rubbed/wiped for the final coats.
[img]http://images.plebeians.net/_data/i/upload/2019/08/06/20190806173000-7d380532-xl.jpg[/img]
Move into place in dining room… then realise how really big it is in the space.
[img]http://images.plebeians.net/_data/i/upload/2019/08/06/20190806172950-3a0d2cb9-xl.jpg[/img]
[img]http://images.plebeians.net/_data/i/upload/2019/08/06/20190806172940-1e800a60-xl.jpg[/img]