Sarah and I are going to build a kitchen table this spring, but we haven't made much progress on it. It's going to be a big (and messy) job. In the mean time, along with the leather working, gardening, pruning, etc. I built a little end table out of some of the scrap barn wood and a pallet. Mostly I wanted to practice some of the skills we'll be using for the larger table.
I started with a chunk of wood about two inches thick in some places and not so thick in others, and 14" x 20".
The board was a little bowed, a little twisted, and a little warped.
The bench vise has been a great addition to the shop. I feel so cool using it with my hold fasts and even made a rough bench dog to help at times as well.
After quickly squaring up the sides, the real work began. A lot of material had to be removed in order to get the bottom level and ready for legs.
I wanted the worn surface to be the one that was exposed, but obviously that side wasn't conducive to holding glasses vertically. So what I came up with was the idea to build a frame around it and use a bar top epoxy to create a level surface. I tried to make dovetail joints, but it didn't go real well. I wound up with some decent box joints in the end.
Harrington's Wood Shop: Sawdust, shavings, and other fine wood products
I'm not sure it's done yet. It probably needs a coat or two of finish on the legs, and Sarah says it can't stay in the middle of the floor. I can't imagine why. I'm pretty happy with it, and happy to have it done. Next up, a huge circular kitchen table. I'm sure we're ready.
