DIY Network

Frame for the Tabletop Amy Devers contructs the tabletop for her Freeform cocktail table. From "Freeform Furniture" episode DFFF-213

The frame for Freeform Furniture's beautiful cocktail table is constructed with eight pieces of wood using a tenon jig, crosscut sled, table saw and combination square to cut the lap joints.

advertisement

	Room: Before
	Room: After
	Host Amy Devers creates this modern contemporary...
	cocktail table that defines Freeform Furniture.
	Amy begins the projects by cutting the lap joints.
	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C
	Figure D

Materials:

white oak wood
stop block
straight edge ruler
pencil
clamp
pipe clamps
bar clamps
yellow wood glue
small synthetic brush
cauls
cotton rags
marking gauges
glass insert
scrap blocks of wood
oil-based wipe-on polyurethane
cup
respirator
rubber gloves
prefabricated feet
felt pads

Tools:

combination square
table saw
cross cut sled
tenoning jig
hand plane
bench top mortise
1/2" mortise bit
chisel
mallet
handheld router
random orbital sander
drill
soft, rubber mallet

Cutting Lap Joints

1. Mill the oak to thickness and cut it to length.

   Note: Joinery is necessary because in-grain is not a suitable glue surface. Use a lap joint for the frame. A lap joint notches away the wood so that you have a long grain to long grain glue joint A lap joint has two parts—a shoulder and a cheek (figure A). When it is all glued up, it will be as strong as solid wood. The first step is to measure and mark out all of the shoulders.

2. Use the combination square to pencil in just one of the eight shoulder notches so you know where to cut each joint on the table saw.

3. When one shoulder is marked, set the table blade to the proper height and set a stop block on the fence. That way you can do all your shoulders on the same set up and they will be exactly the same. First, with a straightedge ruler, measure and adjust the height of the blade on the table saw to match the dimension you just marked for the shoulder.

4. Position the stop block on the crosscut sled (figure B).

5. For the frame, use four pieces of wood, which means you need to cut a total of eight shoulders.

   Note: The crosscut sled is great because it has runners on the bottom that slide along on tracks, preventing the wood from shifting or pivoting as you make cuts (figure C). You can make your own crosscut sled or buy one at a woodworking specialty store.

6. Just as you did with the shoulders, mark out one cheek and use that to set up your tools to cut out all of the cheeks.

7. Use the combination square again to mark the cut line right where you want the cheek and the shoulder to form half of the lap joint.

8. Once that is marked, you can clamp it into the tenoning jig and align it with the table saw blade.

9. The tenoning jig clamps it against one fence and also back against another fence in the back so you can slide it upright into the blade. Push this next to the blade and then scoot it over until you are inside that pencil line (figure D).

10. Just like with the shoulders, you need to cut a total of eight cheeks on the table saw.

11. The tenoning jig allows you to lock the wood in an upright position to cut the cheeks you want for the tabletop. Tenoning jigs are generally used for making mortise and tenon joints, but you will use it here to make lap joints.

RESOURCES :

Festool
Website: www.festoolusa.com

Stanley Tools Product Group
Website: www.stanleytools.com

Lie-Nielsen Toolworks, Inc.
Website: www.lie-nielsen.com

WMH Tool Group
Website: www.wmhtoolgroup.com

Adhesives, Abrasives and Safety Equipment
3M
The 3M Company
Website: www.3m.com

Power Tools
Porter Cable Power Tools
Website: www.deltaportercable.com

Gladiator GarageWorks
Website: gladiatorgarageworks.com

Hand Tools
Garrett Wade Co., Inc.
Website: www.garrettwade.com

The Peck Tool Company
Website: www.pecktool.com

Biesemeyer
Website: www.biesemeyer.com

Saw Blades
Forrest Manufacturing Company
Website: www.vacupress.com

Jogensen Adjustable Clamp Company
Website: www.adjustableclamp.com

Klein Tools
Website: www.kleintools.com

Power Tool Accessories
Woodcraft
Website: www.woodcraft.com

Ulmia GmbH
Website: www.ulmia.de

Shop Equipment
Eagle Manufacturing Company
Website: www.eagle-mfg.com

Delta Power Tools
Website: www.deltaportercable.com

MacBeath Hardwood
Website: www.macbeath.com

IMS Metal
Industrial Metal Supply Company
Website: www.imsmetals.com