a good beginners project?

[tobytools]

Hi all, first time post in this forum, I normally float in hand tools. Its safe to say im a beginner, in the sence I've not been doing it long. My skills are rather basic. I can T&G, join, t&m (once or twice), plane, chisel, shoot ect, ect I've made a few chopping boards with various wood and used as little machines as possible (nothing wrong with machinery) and a few bits a pieces. My tools are good and sharp and want to taste wood.
What would anyone recommend.
I have a side table in mind with basic t&m but i will avoid the dovetail draw for now.
And simple projects you did when starting out and learn alot from,
Thank
TT

 

[AndyT]

I agree that a small table is an ideal beginner's project.
It does not need much wood (so not expensive).
8 mortises and tenons to fix rails into legs. Ploughed groove on inside of rails to take buttons. Edge jointed boards for top. Optional edge treatment for the top - a simple chamfer or a moulding. Optional bead to bottom edge of rails. Optional chamfers and tapers for the legs.
Go for it!

 

[RossJarvis]

And simple projects you did when starting out and learn alot from,
Thank
TT

I'm not sure if you've seen my post about the log store, but I'm finding it great as a beginners/remembering-how-to-do-stuff project. I think the table idea you have is very good, however if you make it "for the garden" with no worries about it being a bit rough or whatever, Like I'm doing, then maybe you can pick up the skills and fun of the project, without the disappointment or frustrations that come along, if it doesn't look nice enough for "indoors".

Ross

 

[Glynne]

As per AndyT's suggestion, almost exactly : -

Jointed boards for the top, breadboard ends (to match existing furniture) and straight legs.
The drawers are dovetailed, however you will want to try that at some point so just take your time and remember the drawers will be closed for 99% of the time and the ones on this table certainly aren't perfect.
If you want dimensions just let me know.

Glynne

 

[tobytools]

As per AndyT's suggestion, almost exactly : -


Jointed boards for the top, breadboard ends (to match existing furniture) and straight legs.
The drawers are dovetailed, however you will want to try that at some point so just take your time and remember the drawers will be closed for 99% of the time and the ones on this table certainly aren't perfect.
If you want dimensions just let me know.

Glynne

Good job you have done there, dimensions would be great ill jot it down and make that my 3rd project, the one I have in mind is only one draw so half the size of yours.

I haven't git a garden so will try and make it house furniture
I've been advised to take it slow and I will "Rome wasn't built in a day and neither will my table lol)

Thanks everyone great help. When I have mastered the basics and can dove tail to a satisfactory level I want to make tool box like the one in another thread with the sliding draws so I can get shot of my tatty old ones

TT

 

[AndyT]

Very nice Glynne but with some more advanced elements to it.

This is one I made. The top and rails were salvaged from my parents' old chest of drawers.

 

[longinthetooth]

Ha! A fear of dovetails!

What is one of the basic woodworking skills? - sawing to a line - necessary for lots of things including tenoning. If you can saw to a line, you can cut a dovetail!!! That's all it is.

If you do the table idea Toby then remember to allow for seasonal movement across the width of the top. This thinking applies to many wooden items in fact ...

 

[Glynne]

That's really nice Andy, love the figuring on the top.
I think I prefer tables without breadboard ends like yours, but I needed mine to go with some existing furniture (you can just about see in the background).

TT
Dimensions of mine (all in cm): -

Top 93 x 38 x 2 (made from 2 boards, edge jointed with a couple of biscuits by way of belt & braces)
Frame 83 x 34 x 48 (rails are 11.5)
Legs 5 x 5
Drawer front 35.5 x 7.7 x 2
Drawer sides are made from 1cm stock (not too sure what) with 2 dovetails and 1 + 2 half pins.
So overall height is 50 which enables grandson to run his toy cars over the top!

 

[tobytools]

Ha! A fear of dovetails!

What is one of the basic woodworking skills? - sawing to a line - necessary for lots of things including tenoning. If you can saw to a line, you can cut a dovetail!!! That's all it is.

If you do the table idea Toby then remember to allow for seasonal movement across the width of the top. This thinking applies to many wooden items in fact ...

I see your point, im just choosing to not use them as I want to take it one step at a time, when im comfortable with t&m ect then I will use dovetail joins. I will probably practice on a few bits of scrap and see what its like but in the plane I intend to follow there is an alternative to dovetailing.
I'll keep in mind seasonal movement thanks.

TT

 

[MickCheese]

As per AndyT's suggestion, almost exactly : -


Jointed boards for the top, breadboard ends (to match existing furniture) and straight legs.
The drawers are dovetailed, however you will want to try that at some point so just take your time and remember the drawers will be closed for 99% of the time and the ones on this table certainly aren't perfect.
If you want dimensions just let me know.

Glynne

Glynne

Really like your table, I have sent you a PM but see you've added the sizes a bit further on so just ignore me.

Mick

 

[AndyT]

Another nice thing about a little table like this is that you can adapt the size to suit a space or the wood you have. In my case it just fits between a sofa and the open door. The top and rails are the thickness that the reclaimed wood planed down to - about 3/4" / 18mm. The legs are about 2" /50mm square.

 

[Glynne]

A few more pictures for Mick: -

and complete with model

Some construction details: -

Finally, some not too brilliant dovetails!

Essentially made as per AndyT's post, the only other thing that comes to mind is that the top rail above the drawers is fitted to the legs using dovetails i.e. to stop the legs spreading as the tnon on the lower rail isn't very big.

Obviously made in oak and finished with neutral wax as it is easier to polish after the battering it takes 2 days a week (the model was less than impressed I'd moved his cars off whilst I took the photos).

 

[MickCheese]

Glynne

Thanks for the extra pics. Will probably steal your design but with shorter legs.

Mick

 

[AndyT]

I just thought of another good idea for a beginner's project - follow Richard Maguire's video series on the small cupboard. Richard makes wonderful benches and is an enthusiast for hand tool methods. Well worth a look as a source of loads of practical info.

http://www.theenglishwoodworker.com/