# First Table



## pete00 (Apr 1, 2007)

Howdy

We looked around for a table for our 3 season room, but didnt find any that fit right. Never having made a table of course i said ill make one. Search around for patterns and how tos.

Came up with this test frame.






Of course i liked the corner brace in the bottom left, instead of the easy ones cut at 45d. Once i figured out what it was suppose to lool like it wasnt that hard. All cuts were 45d.






So i grabed some 1x6 pine and cut..cut ...cut...
Theres an extra grove by the corner brace, one of many oops.








The top is just screwed by the cleats in the back.







We wanted it to look a bit rustic so i left the planks with the gaps.








Put it together and this is what we got.








OF COURSE we didnt like the color, and we banged our knees on the apron. So i cut..cut...cut...and painted....didnt like the cut or the color...so i cut come more and painted over the first color.

Put it together and we got a keeper.
It about 36x33 x28"h







bet you think the story over right....nope

The legs are store bought because i couldnt make the legs.
HOWEVER look what came in the mail yesterday, my extention bed.






Looks like i can get a 36" piece in there

LOML now wants me to make her a desk.

now how do i make those legs...


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## Doghouse (Apr 1, 2007)

Very cool!  It is amaizing how our projects change as feature creap sneaks in.


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## pete00 (Apr 1, 2007)

> _Originally posted by Doghouse_
> <br />feature creap sneaks in.



LOL love that.... no more mistakes for me.

yup, ...it was a feature creap, panned it that way....[]


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## ctwxlvr (Apr 1, 2007)

cool


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## johncrane (Apr 1, 2007)

You done a darn fine job Pete![]


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## Alexander (Apr 2, 2007)

Very Nice, I like the extra work you put into it with the corner brackets. Very professional.


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## DocRon (Apr 2, 2007)

Nice one, Pete. The final design came out very nicely, not too fragile looking, not too crude. Just right for a casual game table. Good work.


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## pete00 (Apr 2, 2007)

thanks for the comments, but now i have a question for you real table makers...[]

How would you fasten the top to the rails. I just used some figure 8 brackets. Im thinking i need to go back and add some fillets along the sides and or back. If i lift up the table by the top ends i really have no support, and im lifting it by the figure 8 things.... 

i dont think norm has anything to worry about, i wont be replacing him soon.....[]


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## Woodnknots (Apr 2, 2007)

> _Originally posted by pete00_
> <br />thanks for the comments, but now i have a question for you real table makers...[]
> 
> How would you fasten the top to the rails. I just used some figure 8 brackets. Im thinking i need to go back and add some fillets along the sides and or back. If i lift up the table by the top ends i really have no support, and im lifting it by the figure 8 things....
> ...


I use figure 8's only with making a solid wood top.  They allow for wood expansion without warping or cracking.  If used properly, they will provide more than enough support for the occasional table move where you grasp the top.  Remember to inset them by using a 3/4" forstner bit.


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## Mikey (Apr 2, 2007)

> _Originally posted by Woodnknots_
> <br />
> 
> 
> ...



I agree, but I wouldn't have used the cleats with the screws. the wood is going to move and something is going to split apart there. Plus, it looks kind of like the boards are oriented wrong in that they are going grain direction toward the short sides.

Overall, it looks very nice with the fresh coat of paint.


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## pete00 (Apr 2, 2007)

woodnknots...thanks

mikey

funny i was just reading about short side and direction of grain, i should heve read it sooner...lol

any suggestions on how to secure the boards and the top, i could redo a few items.


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## Woodnknots (Apr 2, 2007)

> _Originally posted by pete00_
> <br />woodnknots...thanks
> 
> mikey
> ...


The cleats on the top may prove to be a problem with seasonal movement.  The top should have been edge glued (long side) and if you needed cleats to hold the top flat, the screw holes should be elongated.  You may run into problems in the center with the screws holding the center boards from expanding/contracting.  you may be able to elongate the screw holes in the cleats to alleviate that without doing any major rework to the top.


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## GaryMGg (Apr 2, 2007)

Pete,
I'm no pro, however I've made a few tables.
I make the aprons using mortise & tenon joinery, glue-up the tops, and make wooden "buttons" to join the top to the apron. The buttons are basically L-shaped wooden pieces that slide into a small stopped dado in the apron. The buttons are screwed into the top from below when the button is set in place.
Here are a pics from three different tables:
















If you'd like, when I get home I can take pics of the buttons and send you close-ups.

Gary


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## pete00 (Apr 3, 2007)

woodenknots
thanks for the tips

gary not sure what the buttons do, if not too much trouble pics would be great

pete


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## GaryMGg (Apr 3, 2007)

Pete,

I'll be home Friday and take pics this weekend. "Button" doesn't describe it well although it's the best we've got. Basically, a typical button looks like this:


```
-------
|     |a
|     |_____
|           |  b
------------
  c
```
more or less; c is where the screw goes up into the bottom of the table.
The leg, b, will go into the dado (slot) in the apron. The dado will be wider than
the width of the button. The length of "a" determines the position of the dado in the apron so that when attached, the bottom of the table top is held snug to the top of the aprons.
They allow the solid table to expand|contract without exploding as the wood changes size from changing humidity conditions.

Gary


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## pete00 (Apr 3, 2007)

ahhh.... one of those things......[]


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## wudnhed (Apr 3, 2007)

I know nothing about making tables but all the pictures in this thread are very pretty!


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## BigRob777 (Apr 7, 2007)

Nice table.  I did one the same way, except that I didn't put in the corner braces and mine was for an intarsiaist, who is making the top.  The legs are maple and the skirt is curly maple.  To speed up her process, I finished the legs, as I made the rest.  It doesn't look too bad for my first table.  She does fantastic intarsia, so I'm sure the top will be gorgeous.  I even sold her the wood for the top, back when I used to do that sort of thing.  

BTW, this shot was taken, before I cut the scrap off of the feet.
Rob



<br />


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## Gary Max (Apr 7, 2007)

I like the way this story required you buying MORE tools.
Good job on the table.


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## huntersilver (Apr 7, 2007)

Very nice looking table, seems very sturdy too[]


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## GaryMGg (Apr 7, 2007)

> _Originally posted by pete00_
> <br />ahhh.... one of those things......[]


As promised, a button in place:



<br />

Gary


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## woodwish (Apr 7, 2007)

To be honest I make a lot more furniture than pens.  If it is a solid wood top I either use the "buttons" that Gary uses in the post above or you can also buy some little steel pieces that have two 90-degree bends that do the same thing.  The metal pieces are easier to use but do give more of a production look instead of handmade.  To use the metal pieces just rip a groove about 1/4" deep and about that far from the top of side pieces.  Set the top on the base and use 1/2" screws to attach 6-8 of the metal clips to the top to hold it down.  Quick and easy, I get them from Rockler usually or Woodcraft.

Nice job on all the tables, and furniture making can be as addictive as penturning.


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## bob393 (Apr 7, 2007)

Nice work, DId you hand cut the corner brackets for the legs?


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## pete00 (Apr 7, 2007)

thanks for all the tips everyone.

Gary MAx
any excuse to buy more stuff....[][]

GaryMGg
thanks i thought it was that thing...

Bob393
Me and table saw cut corner brackets...[]

pete


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