| Sculpted Pedestal Table -- Tabletop and Pedestal Stock |
From "Wood Works"
episode WWK-402 |
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In this episode of DIY Wood Works, host David Marks builds a sturdy lamp stand with a hand-sculpted spiral pedestal. It's a project with a new twist on an old idea -- a simple table with a spiral pedestal. The highly figured Bubinga top rests on a handcrafted base. The crescent legs are template-routed and the pedestal is hand-shaped, adding visual elegance to the piece. The table stands 29-3/4 inches tall, and the circular top is cut from one piece, and is 16 inches in diameter. A sub-top holds the joinery, and it's 8 inches in diameter (figure A). The top is joined with a mortise and integral tenon. The legs are attached to the pedestal using slotted dovetail joinery. Important: This project is made entirely from Bubinga wood. Bubinga is a dense hardwood. Use caution when working with it. Sponsored Resource
> Click here to order your tools and materials for this project from Woodcraft! Materials: Bubinga stock
MDF for mockup
Table saw; tenoning jig
Table router; 5/16-inch beading bit; 3/4-inch round-over bit
8-degree dovetail bit
Band saw
Disc sander
Drill press; 1-inch Forstner bit
Hand-drill; counter-sink bit
Sharp chisel
Straight-edge
Compass
Carpenter's pencil
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. Bubinga Table-Top and Sub-Top Steps:
- To make the round top and sub-top, begin by making two MDF templates with the proper diameters. These will be used to cut out circles from the Bubinga boards. First, use a compass to trace out the circles onto MDF (figure B).
- Cut out the two circles roughly to size using the band saw.
- Use a disc sander to sand the edges of the circular templates (figure C), following up with some hand-sanding with 220-grit sandpaper (figure D).
- Once the templates are complete, mill the Bubinga stock into two squares. The top and sub-top pieces are cut slightly oversized. Mark lines to indicate the centers on the templates as well as the stock. Use the circular MDF patterns to trace the circles onto the stock (figure E).
- Next, lay out the marks for the mortise that will join the sub-top to the pedestal (figure F).
- While the stock is still square, use the drill-press and a 1-inch Forstner bit to drill away the bulk of the mortise (figure G).
- Square up the corners of the mortise -- from both sides -- using a sharp chisel. Flipping over the stock during this process helps to ensure that the sides of the mortise are straight.
- With the mortise cut, pre-drill the holes for the screws that will secure the sub-top to the top. Use a hand-drill and counter-sink bit (figure H) to drill the four holes into the sub-top.
- With the holes drilled, cut the top (figure I) and sub-top (figure J) roughly to size using the band saw.
- At the router table -- with the MDF templates taped to the Bubinga stock -- flush up the edges of each circle (figure K).
- With the basic shapes cut and trimmed, some decorative touches can now be added to the pieces. At the router table, an auxiliary fence is added to house a 3/4-inch round-over bit. The fence acts as additional bearing surface as the bit shapes the bottom edge of the sub-top (figure L). Since Bubinga is a dense wood, this procedure is done in two passes. A push-block is used to stabilize the wood.
- As seen on the prototype, a decorative bead is added to the top as a design accent (figure M). This is accomplished using a 5/16-inch beading bit that has a bearing on the end.
- To carve away the bottom portion of the top piece, a table-top cutter is used (figure N).
- Typically this bit has a bearing on the end to control the depth of the cut. However, for this project, a different cutting method is used to cut the curve without using a bearing. To control the depth of the cut on the carved surface, we clamp a piece of wood to the fence so that half of the bit is buried into the wood (figure O). The exposed portion of the bit cuts the desired lip in the top piece.
- First the bead is cut. The bearing on the beading bit rotates against the stock and controls the depth of the cut (figure P).
- Next, the bottom portion is cut away using the tabletop cutter buried partially into the fence. This cut is made in two passes to avoid chip-out.
Pedestal Stock With the top pieces complete, work can begin on the pedestal. - A piece of Bubinga is milled to 1-7/8 inch square, and 21-3/4 inches long (figure Q).
- Before beginning work on the decorative, spiral shape, the joinery is created on the two ends of the pedestal. At the top, an integral tenon is made to fit into mortise that was drilled and chiseled into the sub-top earlier. The tenon is cut 3/4-inch deep by 1-inch square. At the bottom of the pedestal, sliding dovetail slots will be cut to hold the legs.
- To begin making the tenon at the pedestal top, score each side of the pedestal 3/8-inch. Then, using a tenoning jig, cut off the shoulders on each side to expose the tenon (figure R). The tenon may need to be filed down slightly to achieve a good fit. But the fit should not be overly tight, as you'll need room for the glue.
- Next, the layout marks are made for the joinery on the bottom of the pedestal. As seen on the prototype, the legs are joined using dovetail slots (figure S). Dovetails are a classic method of joinery, and also one of the strongest.
- At the router table -- with the pedestal sandwiched between an auxiliary fence and stop-block (figure T) -- begin making the slots by cutting dados using a straight-cutting bit.
- Cut each dado 7/16-inch deep, and make them in two passes. Finally, use a 8-degree dovetail bit to finish cutting the slots (figure U).
- Important: To ensure that accurate cuts are made in the expensive Bubinga, it's very important to first make some practice cuts on scrap lumber.
In the segment that follows, the legs are cut and the pedestal is sculpted. 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
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