Coffee table WIP (ish)

[Zeddedhed]

I thought you might all like to see a recent commission (sorry, that sounds pretentious) for a client - a 7 sided coffee table.
The table is made from Euro Oak and measures 400mm wide, 700mm long and is 450 mm high. The boards are 27mm thick.

Essentially the table is half of a Dodecagon plus the top, so seven faces.
This gives a bevel angle of 15 degrees (or 75 degrees depending on how you look at it)

First task was to do a quickie CAD sketch to work out the relative sizes of the pieces.

Then a quickie MDF mock up to make sure it was clampable etc.

 

[pcb1962]

Dominoes or something cleverer?

 

[Zeddedhed]

Dominoes or something cleverer?

Dominoes it is. My workshop is not the home of clever.

 

[Zeddedhed]

The Oak was plane and thickened down to size (100 x 27) and then jointed to make up a 400 wide board.

Saw set to 105 degs (90 + 15) and then crosscut to the correct lengths. Then Dominoed using the baby Dom and 8 x 40 dominoes.

 

[John15]

Looking good

John

 

[Zeddedhed]

Dominoes inserted for a test fit......

So far so good.

Then the glue up....

And finally into the 'clamps' - need at least six hands to do this

I used Titebond (the green bottle) for this job so it'll have to stay hog-tied until tomorrow morning.

Then we'll see how it looks and if the joints are tight enough.

 

[gregmcateer]

Nice job, sir.
Not seen one like that before and I really like it.
TFS
Greg

 

[marcros]

i like that a lot. would it be asking to much to ask for the dimensions of each of the 7 sides? I understand if you don't wish to share that info.

 

[Zeddedhed]

i like that a lot. would it be asking to much to ask for the dimensions of each of the 7 sides? I understand if you don't wish to share that info.

It's no trade secret Marcros.

The dimensions are (starting from the bottom of one side)

297mm
97m
138mm
338mm
138mm
97mm
297mm

These dimensions are measured OUTSIDE the table - in other words the long side of each piece.
As I said earlier the bevel angle is 15 degrees.

If you have a go at making one please let me know - I'd love to see how you get on.

 

[marcros]

thanks. it is on the list of things to do, although I don't have any suitable timber at present. That said, it doesn't use a huge amount...

 

[Zeddedhed]

thanks. it is on the list of things to do, although I don't have any suitable timber at present. That said, it doesn't use a huge amount...

Allowing for about 10% wastage it can be made from 4 boards 100mm x ??mm x 2000mm long. This gives you room on each piece to have at least two goes at getting the bevel cut really crisp and clean.

I found that my table saw really mashes the cut once thrown over by 15 degrees, so I used masking tape over the cut line (face and rear) to see if it improved the situation, which it did.

 

[marcros]

thanks. i will have a look.

 

[Zeddedhed]

So I took the coffee table out of it's strapping the other day and here she is...

These pictures show a few little gaps in the glue up lines.....bugger!

If you've read my plea for help in the Finishes section of the Forum you'll know that this piece is destined for Tung Oil and then Wax, which I'm hoping will disguise these small gaps.

If it does then I'll rejoice since in my (limited) experience finishes tend to show up every little problem and make it look worse

We'll see.

 

[marcros]

looking good.
I have not used tung oil, but hard wax oil would work well- I have some Chestnut which is the only one that I have used but there are others too.

 

[Charlie Woody]

Very unusual and very nice. You could try some of the Liberon wax that comes in "pencil" shapes. If you mix some of the shades together you should get a good match. As the gaps are small once done only you will notice them!

 

[marcros]

i have been thinking about this item, and have a week off in August. A trip to british hardwoods to collect a couple of boards of cherry might be in order. I also fancy adding a drawer to the item, so that I can use it as a bedside table.

When you cut the pieces, did you set the blade to 75 degrees, make a cut, set it to 105, make the next cut, 75 cut, 105 cut...

I could turn the board over and leave the blade fixed but would I get a differing quality of cut depending on whether it was on the top or bottom of the cut.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Lovely bit of work. I can't imagine why anyone would want it, though. :?

 

[Zeddedhed]

i have been thinking about this item, and have a week off in August. A trip to british hardwoods to collect a couple of boards of cherry might be in order. I also fancy adding a drawer to the item, so that I can use it as a bedside table.

When you cut the pieces, did you set the blade to 75 degrees, make a cut, set it to 105, make the next cut, 75 cut, 105 cut...

I could turn the board over and leave the blade fixed but would I get a differing quality of cut depending on whether it was on the top or bottom of the cut.

Marcros,

I just tilted the blade by 15 degrees and then left it set and locked. The rationale being that it kept the cuts dead on consistent in terms of angle. To get around the breakout issue I used masking tape on both sides of the cut line.

Having made a few of these now I would probably add a step - make a quick shooting board jig for the 75/15/105 degree angle and tweak the joints with a seriously sharp plane.

It's the kind of piece where the joints are everything - very on show and they kind of define the piece because of it's shape etc. So I think I need to get them as good as humanly possible.

The biggest issue is the glue up.
I use dominos for locating purposes but what is absolutely essential is that you get a piece across the bottom inside to stop the 'legs' being forced in and thus out of square - it opens up the joints if it isn't absolutely cock-on.

I'll look forward to seeing your version with a drawer added.

If you have any more questions feel free to ask away.

 

[Zeddedhed]

Lovely bit of work.

Thanks. The client was delighted with it.

I can't imagine why anyone would want it, though. :?

I don't care why they want it. It pays my mortgage.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Of course.