Life in the Village and beyond, based around the interests of my life.

Life in the Village and beyond, based around the interests of my life. Sunset at Telegraph Point.

Monday, May 26, 2014

Building a Hall Table - Part 2

Commenced last post and progressing quickly.
Here is the piece of the slab that I have chosen for the top.



It has a natural edge for much of one side, and I propose to make this the leading edge, with the other long edge against the wall.


It will be held in place by buttons - these have been sawn from a scrap piece of camphor laurel, and will allow the table-top to move seasonally with wet and dry weather.





The finished and assembled table frame.  The legs are tapered on the insides and straight on their two outside faces.  This adds a look of some elegance - to my eye anyway :) .

Sanding through all grades of grit from 100 to 400 before a series finishing coats is applied.


Happy shavings to all.

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Where Have You Been? Watcha Bin Doin' ..........

Holy macaroons Batman, doesn't the time fly when you are busy.
A short potted history for between my last post and this one -
  • house painting - outside
  • grandkids
  • renovations and repairs to the main bedroom and walk in robe
  • house painting - inside
  • travel
  • grandkids 
  • house painting - outside
  • re-building with my son, his garage
  • travel
  • grandkids
  • house painting - outside
  • uke
  • singing
  • travel
  • Hastings Woodworkers Guild
Where was I up to with those projects....................
The ukulele hasn't moved from its last known location and condition - still on the "to get finished" list.

I have begun a hall table for our Guild exhibition in a month and will document it here.

Building a Hall Table - Part 1

My good friend Terry gave me a couple of slabs of camphor laurel that he no longer needed, and I decided that one of them would contain enough timber for a hall table.
I laid it out and cut it before I thought to take a picture.
Here is what's left of the slab - not very impressive is it?




Here is a hint of its lovely colour:


Here's what it dresses like to reveal the multi coloured grain


I cut out the legs and the side rails and glued them in using mortice and tenon joints:


Here's a close up of the joint showing the completed side rail tenon in its mortice as well as the mortice for the front rail:


Here are all four legs with both side rails glued in place:


The front and back rails will have a strengthening cross piece let into housings.  Here I am cutting them with a tenon saw before chiseling out the waste.



Here is the completed cross member sitting in its housing as a trial fit:


Finally with all pieces ready here is a trial fit of front and back rails before glue up:


After glue up I'll work on the table-top.
Happy shavings to all
Tom