The following series of photographs are again off the cutting room floor. Books have space limitations but here in this platform we don’t. They show some more details while this small table was built in Nov. 2008.
This was the first piece I designed and built for the book projects and as it turns out it’s still my favourite of the six. I have since designed some other variations and plan on building one of them sometime this year when my time line permits. I’d love to hear from you if you decide to build you’re own version of this small side table. The photos here aren’t in order of operation but small slices of life while working through the build. Enjoy!
Sawing through dovetails for the ‘drawer box’ in ash.
A fret saw is used to remove the waste between the tenons in the drawer box sides.
Paring the sides of a tenon to refine where the drawer box side meets the leg.
Sawing a tenon for the top stretcher that runs front to back.
Detail of tenon work.
Refining the shoulder of a top apron
A dry fit establishes a sense of scale to determine the final table top size.
The table legs are still square at this point and could have been left this way. The appearance with the square legs gives the design a more Danish feel. I think the tapered legs bring the piece closer to Shaker. When you build this piece what will you decide to do with the legs?
Shaping the curve in the front, top apron. The bow saw is the perfect tool for this.
Top apron complete.
Ripping small stock for the table top supports.
Chopping the mortise into the top apron for the table top support
I think these two supports, running front to back under the surface were somehow omitted from the book or weren’t very visible in the text; they’re attached to the top front and back apron with a simple lap joint and the table top is screwed to them. The holes in the supports are elongated to allow the top to move through the seasons.
Dry fitting the table top support into the front apron.
Joinery complete and waiting…
Planing the tapered legs. I wonder what this table would look like with gentle turned legs?
In this final shot I’m fitting the ineterior drawer runners and guides. The top still hasn’t been beveled and this is another area to adapt your own tastes and styles.
Feedback
Good luck with them and happy shavings!
I’m glad to see someone building one of these. I’ll probably build one myself later this year.
Tom,
Keep up the great ariticles. One of these days I might come up to Canada for some one-on-one.
Regards,
Jim
thanks Jim,
that sounds like a plan!
Tom, in the midst of this piece – at 3/8″ the sides feel pretty flimsy to me. Did this cause you any issues with the dovetails or the drawer guides? Also – your book and plans seem to lack detail on the back of the piece that fits into the rabbet on the carcass. Is this one piece – and how did you attach it?
Thanks! So far it’s been a wonderful experience – I had no idea the satisfaction that would come with doing so much of this with hand tools…
Hi Tom
I am about to embark on a modified version of this table and have two questions. First, did you put a back on the piece. You don’t mention one in the text and your final photo in this section does not show one but the sketch up plans show one.
And I was wondering about movement in the wood over time. The way the grain runs on the box suggests there will be some back and front movement, which will move in sync with the top (ie the grain all runs in the same direction. However, the movement in these pieces looks to be at odds with the front back supports which will not change in length over time. Is this a problem or is the piece too small for movement issues to cause significant problems. Or have I got it all wrong.
Cheers
Ashley
Hey Ashley, thanks for the comments.
I did put a ‘temporary’ back on the side table using a piece of walnut I had left over from the back panel in the little walnut wall cabinet in my book. It was already re-sawn and it was almost quarter sawn material to begin with so not much movement at all. It’s under a 1/4″ in thickness and has stayed put through the seasons. I attached it using one brass screw right through the center of it and into the back of one of the drawer dividers. !?!
I always said I’d make a ‘proper’ frame and panel back for it but never did get around to it. Maybe this reminder will be just what I needed!
As for wood movement in the main part of the table, the grain on the box carcass runs the same as the top as well as the legs- it’s been almost four years and hasn’t moved at all. This Ash was a piece of driftwood from the shore on Cape Breton Island- I had it milled to 2″ thickness and then sat on it for a few years before bringing it up here to Toronto. It was bone dry when I built the table and wood movement hasn’t been an issue.
I know what you mean about the grain direction and perhaps in a wood with higher moisture content it would make sense to run the grain horizontally on the side panels? Then you could incorporate some forgiveness’ in the joinery to allow for any seasonal changes.
Thanks again for the comments- hope that helps!
Tom
I am close to the glue-up stage of the table in cherry. 2 questions: 1) in the post above you attached the back with one screw in the one of the drawer dividers. Do you mean the middle divider on the bottom or one on either side? 2) What size tenon pins (one front, three on sides) do you recommend?
I have really enjoyed working on this table.
Dan
Dan,
thanks for the question.
I attached the back into the middle drawer divider but I think a better way would be to make up a proper frame and panel back. That could be attached with a couple of small nails at the top and bottom.
As for the pins, they’re 1/4-in. dowels.
Hope that helps!
I’d love to see some pics when you get the table finished.
All the best.
Tom
Tom,
Thoroughly loving the book and am about to embark on a variation of this theme by making a desk with similar drawer sections on each side and longer (of course) desk top. Regarding a frame and panel back for each drawer case, how would you recommend attaching it to the legs?
thanks,
Brian
Brian,
Thanks for the question and apologies for the delayed response.
I’d use mortise and tenons for the panel frame into the legs. Without seeing your design I am only guessing but that is my first guess.
Hope it helps and all the best in your project.
Tom