Replies

1. 
   IMERC | Feb 01, 2004 04:42am | #1

   Is this one for Knots..

   This is the tool domain...

    

   Who ever invented work didn't know how to fish....

2. 
   Sphere | Feb 01, 2004 04:46am | #2

   NO, NO, NO...run into knots, and repeat that..and you will hear NO< NO< NO...3/4 is just fine...almost ALL table tops are 3/4 and Home Depot is NOT where to go..unless you are really wealthy..ask them at knots...I'll be there.

   Go Stab yourself Ya Putz! Ya think I Parked here?
1. 
   Buzzsaw | Feb 01, 2004 06:35am | #3

   Thanks SPHERE,

      I thought I was in General Discussion... I thought 3/4" was fine for the coffee table as well.  I will stick with that... Thanks.Regards,

   Buzzsaw

1. 
   IMERC | Feb 01, 2004 07:00am | #4

   This the tool talk forum.

   Seriously over in Knots there are some very knowledgeable folks. 

   Who ever invented work didn't know how to fish....

3. 
   WayneL5 | Feb 01, 2004 07:46am | #5

   A lot depends on the proportion and style of the piece.  My store bought Queen Anne coffee and end tables have 3/4" thick tops with ogee edges, and they look fine for them.  But, my Craftsman style coffee table has fatter, 2" square legs and the 1-1/8" thick top looks good on it.

   One common alternative to using solid boards for table tops is to make the top of 3/4" thick veneer plywood and edge the plywood all around with thicker material.  A contrasting wood can look nice, but it depends on your legs too, of course, and the style.  Contrasting wood would not look good on, say, a Queen Anne piece.

   You can't edge solid wood this way because you can't fasten solid wood along the ends of boards with the grain at right angles or it will fall apart when the humidity changes.

   Here's a photo of a coffee table I built with a plywood top, edged in a darker wood.

   Try visiting a furniture store with a tape measure or museums and practice developing a eye for what looks good to you.

   
1. 
   Buzzsaw | Feb 23, 2004 04:21pm | #7

   WayneL,

     I love the coffee table.  Can you tell me what you used for the edge wood and how you attached it? Any more details on it's construction would be helpful.Regards,

   Buzzsaw

1. 
   WayneL5 | Feb 24, 2004 01:37am | #8

   Thanks for the compliment.  The legs and aprons are solid oak.  The top is 3/4" oak plywood.  The edging is zebrawood, attached with biscuits and yellow carpenter's glue.  The little fake splines in the simulated breadboard ends are little bits of cherry, and the fake square pegs are walnut.

   The peg holes were cut only a quarter inch deep or so with a square hollow mortising chisel, though could be cut with a standard chisel.  The fake spline holes are just as shallow, cut with a standard chisel.  The legs are attached to the aprons with steel leg corner braces.

   The legs were glue ups of three thinner boards.  But I was careful to match the grain, and turn the orientation of the final cuts kind of diagonally, so all four faces of the legs were close to quartersawn so the grain all looked the same from any direction.

   In making the top, I found zebrawood to chip easily when planed, so I had a friend run them to thickness on his stationary belt sander.  The edges were glued on first.  Then when dry, the length of the assembly was trimmed to final size on a table saw with a good fine blade, then the ends were glued on.  Routing the edges was done last.

   The zebrawood is not purple like in the photo, that's just a reflection from the sky.  It's actually a medium brown and darker brown stripe.

   I'm not normally this good.  This is probably the best peice I've ever made, so it's the one I like to show!

1. 
   Buzzsaw | Feb 24, 2004 03:21am | #9

   Thanks for the added info.  I love stuff like this. Did you pretty much design it on your own or did you take pieces from different projects that you had seen?Regards,

   Buzzsaw

1. 
   WayneL5 | Feb 24, 2004 04:23am | #10

   It was a compilation of looks that I like.  Basically a Greene & Greene cloud lift kind of apron with a lighter wood than they generally used, and an easy to make shape for the top, but with some colors I thought would go well together.  They did similar breadboard ends, but I didn't want to carve the joints between the boards like they did, so I made the top smooth.

2. 
   Buzzsaw | Feb 24, 2004 03:30pm | #11

   Can you suggest any periodicals that I can purchase that discuss coffee tables and the building of them.  It appears that you have done some homework here.. Thanks...Regards,

   Buzzsaw

3. 
   WayneL5 | Feb 25, 2004 02:14am | #12

   There isn't any one in particular that comes to mind.  For construction details it's just basic woodworking that I've picked up from many places over the years.  I've looked under a bunch of coffee tables, too.  For design, I've grown to like the Arts & Crafts style, in particular the work of Greene & Greene.  They were architects who practiced on the west coast at the turn of the 20th century.  Their work is often seen in any number of books on the Arts & Crafts (also called Craftsman, or Mission) style.  If you do an internet search you'll come up with something.

   This house is one of their best known works, and inspired my style a lot.  http://www.gamblehouse.org/

   Actually, this magazine talks about the craftsman style and occasionally shows a Greene & Greene piece.  http://www.style1900.com/

   The folks over at the Knots forum may have better recommendations about woodworking books.

4. 
   Dreamcatcher | Feb 23, 2004 10:10am | #6

   Buzz,

   Go with your idea. It is normal and will look fine. If you want to get more complicated you can mitre the length of the edge.

   gk