| Copper-Top Hall Table -- Legs and Apron |
From "Wood Works"
episode WWK-111 |
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In this project, host David Marks demonstrates the major steps in building a walnut hall table that features an inset copper panel with a beautiful blue-green patina finish. The legs of the table are gently tapered, and dark-stained feet provide a distinctive accent. A bevel-cut frame and finely detailed apron accent the visually striking textured-copper top. Materials: Walnut and wengae (African hardwood) stock
Jointer
Power planer
Drum sander
Band saw
Table saw; tapering jig
Handheld drill and dowel jig
Multi-router
Table router; dual-profile bit
Wood-scraping tool; sandpaper
Woodworker's glue
Clamps
Carpenter's pencil
Saftety glasses or goggles
Note: Cut sizes may vary. For exact measurements, please contact David Marks through his website -- information below under Resources. Safety Alert: Always wear safety goggles or safety glasses when working with wood, saws, drills, routers, etc. The construction of this project is functionally divided into three sections: the base (including the legs and apron), the frame for the top, and the copper-panel insert. The legs are made from black walnut and accented at the bottom by feet of dark wengae hardwood (figure A). In their finished form, they will be structurally tapered along their inside edges. The Tapered Legs For the legs, black walnut stock is milled to a dimension of 1-7/8" square. To the bottom of each leg, a block of the African wengae -- milled to the same dimension (figure B) -- will be added using a simple dowel joint. Since the leg stock will later be tapered, the hole for the dowel must be offset (figure C) at the time that the pieces are joined. With the dowel joint properly offset, there's no risk of cutting through the joint when the stock is cut into its final tapered shape. Steps: - A hand-drill, with a 3/8" bit, is used to make the holes for the dowels in the feet and legs. The holes are drilled about 3/4" deep, and a doweling jig helps ensure that they are drilled accurately (figure D).
- For the dowels, 3/8" dowel stock is cut into pieces on the band saw (figure E). Each piece is just under 1-1/2" in length.
- After dry-fitting to check the alignment, yellow glue is applied on the feet, legs and dowel pieces, and the leg pieces are assembled (figure F).
- Clamping pressure is applied (figure G), and the leg assemblies are allowed to dry for a couple of hours.
- Once the legs are dry, one of the outside faces on each is run over the jointer (figure H), creating a flat surface. For each of the legs, the stock is then rotated to joint the other outside face -- resulting in two flat faces and right angles on the outside of each leg, and a seam between the walnut and wengae with perfectly flush surfaces.
- The jointed surfaces are marked with blue tape to serve as a reference to avoid confusion with the nonjointed surfaces. The nonjointed surfaces will later be cut to create the tapered form for the legs.
- Before tapering the legs, joinery for the piece is created. Mortise-and-tenon joinery is used to attach the apron pieces to the leg (figure I).
- With the tenon stock already premilled, measurements are taken and layout lines are made on the leg stock so that mortises can be cut using the multi-router (figure J).
- Mortises are cut in the legs (figure K) using the multi-router. The mortises are cut 1" deep and 3" wide and slightly offset from center to allow for the taper cuts in the legs. Once the first mortise is cut in each leg, the height is readjusted to cut the second mortise in each -- allowing for the offset.
- With the mortises made, work can begin on cutting the tapers in the legs. The tapered cuts are made using a tapering jig. The tapering jig has a stop block at the top and the bottom. The bottom stop block has a rabbet (figure L) that holds the legs at the correct angle as the cuts are made. The jig helps ensure identical tapered cuts for each leg.
- Two cuts are made on each leg (figure M) -- one on each of the inside surfaces. (Recall that blue tape was put on the jointed outside surfaces of the legs earlier to distinguish them as the outer surfaces. The nontaped inside surfaces -- the ones with the mortises -- are the ones that are taper-cut.)
- Once all of the taper cuts have been made, some light surfacing with a hand scraper (figure N) and sandpaper cleans up the surfaces and completes the process of making the legs.
The Apron Pieces and Assembly - The apron pieces are cut to size from black walnut stock using the table saw.
- Once cut to size, the apron pieces are taken to the multi-router to cut mortises in their ends that will match up with the mortises already cut in the legs.
- Once the mortises are cut in the apron stock, the pieces are shaped on the table router using a bit with a dual cutting profile. With this bit, each pass on the router simultaneously cuts a shadow line and a half-round bead in the apron stock (figure O).
- With the legs and apron pieces complete, glue-up can begin. After dry-fitting the mortises and tenons to check for fit, glue is applied to the pieces and the end assemblies are glued together (figure P). Gluing the table in stages helps ensure that the base is solid.
Important: The end assemblies are put together with the tapered sides of the legs facing up. In that way, the other side can lie flat as the glue dries, and the assembly won't get misaligned. - After about two hours of drying time, the end assemblies should be solid enough to allow for the remainder of the assembly. The two remaining aprons are glued to the two end assemblies and gently tapped in place to ensure a secure fit (figure Q).
- The assembled structure is clamped (figure R) to ensure a snug fit as the glue dries.
In th following segment, the tabletop frame is fashioned out of the black-walnut stock. The bevel-cut frame will support the copper panel insert. Sponsored Resource
> Click here to order your tools and materials for this project from Woodcraft!
RESOURCES :
Fine Woodworking
A magazine devoted to high-quality craftsmanship in woodworking.
The Taunton Press Inc.
Website: www.taunton.com
The Small Wood Shop (The Best of Fine Woodworking)
Author: Helen Albert (Editor)
Publisher: Taunton Press
ISBN: 1561580619
Woodworking Techniques: Best Methods for Building Furniture from Fine Woodworking
Author: Editors of Fine Woodworking magazine
Publisher: Taunton Press
ISBN: 1561583456
Mastering Woodworking Machines (Fine Woodworking Book)
Author: Mark Duginske
Publisher: Taunton Press
ISBN: 0942391985
David Marks Website
David Marks, DIY's Wood Works host, is a master woodworker. For more information on cut sizes and project details, please contact him via his Website at www.djmarks.com
The Complete Woodworker's Companion
Author: Roger Holmes
Publisher: Watson-Guptill
ISBN: 0823008665
The Complete Book of Wood Joinery
Author: Robert J. Decristoforo
Publisher: Sterling Publishing Co.
ISBN: 0806999500
Advanced Woodworking
Model: 0783539126
Author: Editors of Time Life Books
1998
Time-Life Books Inc.
Website: www.timelife.com
Popular Woodworking
F & W Publications, Inc.
Website: www.popularwoodworking.com
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