| Inlaid Corner-Table -- Tapered Legs, Base Assembly and Top |
From "Wood Works"
episode WWK-310 |
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With the top for the template made, and the stock and joinery cut, work can begin on the tapered legs and top for the table. As seen in the prototype, the tapers on the legs begin 3-1/4 inches down from the top of each leg, leaving room for the apron. Each leg tapers from 1-1/2 inches square at the top down to 1 inch square at the bottom (figure A).
Materials: Cherry stock
MDF template
Table saw
Tapering jig
Jig saw
Table router; flush-trim bit
Hand-scraper
Sanding block; 220-grit sandpaper
Yellow wood-glue
Band clamp
Bar clamps
Straight-edge
Carpenter's pencil
Double-stick tape
Safety glasses or goggles
Note: Cut sizes may vary. For exact measurements, please contact David Marks through his Web site -- information below under Resources. Safety Alert: Always wear safety goggles or safety glasses when working with wood, power-tools, saws, drills, routers, etc.
Tapered Legs
- To create the tapers, 1/4-inch of stock is removed from each face. A tapering jig and spacer is fashioned that will assist in cutting away 1/4-inch of stock over a 16-inch span. The taper is set up on the table saw and each leg, in turn, is then set in place in the jig to make four separate cuts as the stock is rotated.
- Tip: It's a good idea to use chalk to mark the faces of the leg stock as its cut with sequential numbers -- 1 through 4 (figure B). Also, always rotate the stock in the same direction as you make the sequential cuts.
- First, cut tapers on two sides of the leg without a spacer.
- After making the second cut, add a spacer to the jig to make the last two cuts (figure C). Since the flat references were cut away on sides 1 and 2, the spacer properly positions the leg for the third and fourth tapers.
- Once the legs are tapered, use a hand-scraper to smooth the surfaces (figure D) and remove any marks left by the saw blade.
- Soften the edges of the legs using 220-grit sandpaper taped to a wood block.
Assembling the Base and Cutting the Top With the legs tapered and the mortises cut, the base can be assembled. The base is glued up all at once, and upside-down, resting on a flat surface.
- Add yellow woodworker's glue to the mortises (figure E) and the tenons.
- Assemble the pieces carefully, making sure that the corners are square and the joints close up tight (figure F).
- Add blocks to protect the corner edges of each leg as the corners are pulled together using a band clamp (figure G).
- The rounded blocks help the band-clamp draw tightly around the corners, pulling the 45-degree angles together.
- Add bar clamps along each side (figure H) to close up the joints and reinforce the 90-degree corner.
- Keep the structure clamped securely as the glue dries.
- While the glue is drying on the base, the top can be made from cherry stock. To achieve the width necessary for the top, two boards are edge-glued together. Since the shape of the table-top is triangular, a combination of a long and short board can be used to avoid wasting wood.
- Glue the edges of the boards together, and clamp them securely (figure I) for a few hours.
- Once the boards are dry, clean the surface and remove any excess glue using a hand-scraper (figure J).
- Use the MDF template to trace the layout onto the glued-up stock, making sure that the template is aligned with the jointed straight edge (figure K).
- With the layout marks made, rough-cut the top -- slightly oversized -- using a jig saw (figure L).
- At the router table, flush-trim the sides of the top-piece (figure M) with the template taped to the top using double-stick tape.
- A pin attached to the router table helps to stabilize the router-bit as it contacts the wood (figure N), and helps prevent the wood from blowing out. This is particularly helpful when dealing with end-grain and small surface-cuts around corners.
In the segment that follows, the decorative inlay is created using ebony stock and scarf joints.
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
Popular Woodworking
F & W Publications, Inc.
Website: www.popularwoodworking.com
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