console table

8/14/2019 Console Table

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165

CONSOLE TABLE

Copyright 2004 Martian Auctions 756


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is simple console table is a greatginner's project. Its straightforward linese reminiscent of Shaker pieces built over0 years ago. But simple doesn't have toean unsophisticated. This solid cherryece is well-tailored, crisply built and canjust about anywhere: your front hall,hind a living room sofa, in an upstairsdroom, or even in your bathroom if it's

essed with enough extra space.

t good design isn't the whole story. Thisece is also easy for a beginner to build. Its only nine parts: four legs, four rails andop. And we show you how to build it withthing more than hand tools and a fewrtable power tools. Everything you needdescribed in "Beginner's Toolbox".

rhaps the best part of this design,

wever, is that it puts to good useerything that comes before it in thisoodworking Guide. If you start this tablew, your gratification won't be delayeduch longer. You should be able to finish itin just a few weeks of spare timeeven

you just learned how to sharpen a chiselcut a mortise-and-tenon joint.

herry Stock

e material we used for this piece is soliderry stock that we bought flattened onth sides and jointed on one edge. You'llve to pay more for this service, but it's

orth the cost. The standard thickness fors type of hardwood is 13/16 in.

e first step in preparing the lumber is toosscut all parts to rough length, a coupleinches longer than their finished lengths.en check the jointed edge of each piece

flatness and square. If someinements are required, clamp the boardthe side of your worktable and use anch plane to true the edge (Photo 1).

ext, cut the boards to finished width usingcircular saw with a rip guide (Photo 2).ean up any saw marks with a benchane.

1--Begin the top by flattening one edge ofeach board, using a bench plane. Makesure the edge is planed square to theface.

2--Cut each top board to width using acircular saw and rip guide. Make sure therip guide follows the planed edge.

3--Lay out the location of the alignmentdowels on the board edges. Then use adoweling jig and drill to bore the holes.



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4--Cover the edges and dowel holes withglue, insert the dowels and bring theboards together with pipe clamps.

bletop

is tabletop was made from four smallerards that were glued together. Usingultiple boards helps keep the top flat over

me. If your stock is wide enough to usely three boards, that's fine. Begin worklaying the boards on a flat surface and

oosing the most attractive grain patternarranging the boards in several ways.en lay out the dowel locations on all thents and bore the dowel holes using aweling jig and a portable drill (Photo 3).

ext, place a drop of glue in each dowelle and gently tap the dowel in place.en spread the glue evenly on all the

ating edges and push the boardsgether. Tighten the joints, using pipeamps (Photo 4), and check that the panelflat before letting the glue set. If it's not,adjust the clamps until the surface is flat.ter 20 minutes scrape off any excessue from the joints and let the panel dry

ernight.

hen you remove the clamps, check thenel surface carefully. If the joints aresh, set the panel aside. If they aren't,e a bench plane to smooth the surfacehoto 5). Hold the plane at a 30 degreesgle to the wood grain and makeearing cuts.

5--When the glue is dry remove anysqueeze-out, then let the assembly cure.Flatten joints if necessary with a plane.

6--Mark the finished length on both endsof the top panel. Then make the cuts witha saw and straightedge guide.



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ext, cut the panel to finished length, usingcircular saw and a straightedge guidehoto 6). Make sure that both ends areuare to the sides before making the cuts.

ext, mark guidelines for the edge chamferound the perimeter of the top and use aock plane to create these bevels (Photo

Be sure to clamp a scrap block to eachng edge to keep them from splitting when

u're working on the end grain.

omplete the tabletop by sanding smoothth sides and all the edges. Begin with0-grit paper and move through aquence of 150-, 180- and 220-grits.

7--Mark the chamfer around the top andplane the edges to this line. A scrap blockkeeps the side edge from splitting.

8--Cut the leg stock to size, then applyglue to the mating surfaces. Keep theboard edges flush when clamping.

gs And Rails

osscut the leg stock to finished length.

ote that each leg is formed from threeeces of stock that are glued together.pply glue to the three boards that make

each leg and clamp them togetherhoto 8). Scrape off the excess glue afterminutes, and leave each leg assembly

amped for at least an hour. Don't do anyther work on these pieces until the glues cured for 24 hours.

y out the mortises on the corresponding

9--Lay out the tenons on the ends of the

table rails with a marking gauge. Keep the



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gs with a marking gauge. Then use aweling jig and a portable drill to removeost of the waste (Photo 12). Finish up theortise by squaring the ends and sidesth a sharp chisel.

nce the joinery is done, cut the tapers onth inside edges of each leg, as shown in

e drawing below. Use a circular saw and

sure to cut on the waste side of theyout lines. Finish these tapers with anch plane (Photo 13), making sure toeck for square as you work. Before the

gs and rails are assembled, it's a goodea to finish sand all the parts with theme progression of grits that was

scussed earlier.

gauge base flat on the board surface.

10--Make the cheek cuts on the tenonsusing a backsaw. Keep the blade kerf justto the waste side of the layout lines.

11--Make the tenon shoulder cuts with abacksaw. Clamp a scrap block to theboard to help guide the saw blade.

12--Remove the waste from the mortiseusing a drill and doweling jig. Square the

ends and walls with a sharp chisel.



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ssembly

gin by joining a long rail to a pair of legs.read the glue evenly on the tenons and

ortises, and then clamp the piecesgether. Do the same with the other legsd long rail. When the glue has cured onese two assemblies, join them togetherth the short rails. Assemble the parts on

lat surface. Once the clamps are inace, compare opposite diagonaleasurements to check for square (Photo). If the assembly isn't square, readjuste clamps until it is.

hen the base joints have cured, lay outd bore the holes in the rails for thebletop fasteners. Then turn the topside down on a padded table and placee inverted base assembly on the

derside of the top. Adjust the base so it'sntered on the top. Then mark thecation of the fastener holes. Bore pilotles and screw the base to the top (Photo).

13--Rough cut the leg tapers with acircular saw. Then reduce the edges tofinished thickness with a bench plane.

14--Glue and clamp the legs to the rails.Then check for a square assembly bycomparing diagonal measurements.

15--Attach the tabletop fasteners to therails. Then turn the table parts over andscrew the fasteners to the underside ofthe top.


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