Coffee Table Design

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Marineboy

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Hi all. Would appreciate some advice re a coffee table I plan to make using a chess board which is about 60cm square, with a rather nice veneer on the reverse. I would like to be able to flip the board so that I can use the veneered side, so am thinking of a frame with battens on the inside which the board would just rest on.

Thing is, I have little experience of working in hardwood. I have a lifetime of diy, mostly working in PAR softwood and sheet materials. I am reasonably competent, have made beds and shelving etc, and recently refitted my kitchen with 12mm ply drawers on Blum runners and new MDF doors. In the distant past I have made distinctly average small boxes from hardwood, and made mortise and tenon joints but only in softwood (to see if I could do them).

This weekend I dimensioned and planed to size some ash which was part of the pallet my logs came in. I used it to make a picture frame for my wife's embroidery, and have to say it was the best picture frame I've ever made. It's given me the confidence to try something bigger in hardwood like the coffee table, either using ash for the frame or buying something like cherry.

I am thinking of the frame legs about 30mm square in section with aprons (is that the right term?) about 15mm thick, M&T'd into the legs. Is this doable, or is there another solution? I have looked at plenty of videos re joint making and feel I would like to have a go at the M&Ts. I have a hobby bandsaw (Inca), router etc, and a fair range of hand tools. I also have plenty of time, with retirement approaching fast.

Any views would be much appreciated.
 
I would say just go for it. You will find M&T joints easier to do in hardwood than in pine as it cuts cleaner and is more consistant to work with. Just keep the tools sharp.
The real trick in furniture making is starting with well prepared squared stock and proper marking out.
For the aprons I would use 19mm thick stock to leave a bit more to work with making the tenons. 19mm also being the standard size sold.
Plenty info on line how to do all the things needed. Enjoy the project.
Regards
John
 
Hi John, thanks for that advice. Good idea re the apron thickness needed for the tenons, which I think I will have a go at cutting on the bandsaw, and do the mortises with the router.
 
I would suggest making the parts a bit chunkier. As John said, up the rails to 18mm thick, the legs may be a little too narrow to take a decent length tenon, 40mm may be better. How are you fitting the top to the undercarriage?

Chris
 
Hi John

Good question re how I'm fitting the top. I did intend to just drop it into the frame formed by the aprons and rest it on battens but of course I have since realised that with M&Ts the inside of the frame will not be continuous where it meets each leg unless I make the aprons even thicker and offset the tenons so that the inside of the apron is flush with the leg and with the apron at right angles to it - if that makes sense. Is that viable do you think?

Regards

Nick
 
You could house out the inside corners of the legs, so the corner is cut back to the inside edge of the rail. This wpuld form little steps at the tops of the legs that the top could sit into.

Chris
 
I had assumed you would be letting the chess board into a top rather than the chessboard being the top. A table looks better if the top overhangs the stretchers and legs a bit. 60cm is rather a small coffee table also. Would not want to have to cut bits off the actual game board either.
I agree with Chris re the legs. Keep them at least 40mm or even larger. You can always taper the legs (after the mortices are cut) to give them a lighter look. If you keep the aprons deep it will hide any support structure holding up the chess board. A lip glued to lower inside of aprons can support cross members as one way of doing it.
Sketch up a a few ideas for how the board can sit in a table top.
Regards
John
 
I like your idea Chris of creating little steps on the inside corner of each rail, in that case going with larger rails as John says makes even more sense to give the required substance around the mortise. I see the point too about the generally accepted aesthetic that the top should overhang the rails and legs but I was thinking if the legs and rails were in a contrasting timber a la nested tables on your website Chris, that would work well.
Thanks for your advice
Regards
Nick
 

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