Table - SIDE TABLE (End Table), Woodworking Plans
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]Side Table
A compact table with a generous drawer on top and a wide-open shelf on the bottom.
This handsome table is a truly versatile piece of furniture.
Because of its compact size, you can use it as an end table
for a sofa or chair and even as a night stand alongside your
bed. But its sturdy design and appealing lines make it work
equally well as a console table in the hallway or an
occasional table in the kitchen or bath.
Its utility, however, is only part of the story. Though not as
complicated as the rocker or bookcase in our guide, this
piece is nonetheless a challenging bit of woodworking.
From the mortise-and-tenon joinery that holds the case
together to the sliding dovetails that join the drawer face to
the drawer sides, much depends on working carefully and
precisely. But the rewards of a job well done are well worth
the effort. And the skills that you develop––
Stock preparation
Like the rocker and bookcase, the material used in this
table is quarter- sawn white oak. The legs are cut from 8/4
solid stock, the top from 5/4 material and the rest from 4/4
lumber. For the drawer sides, you will have to either plane
4/4 stock to 1/2-in. thickness or have your lumber dealer
plane the lumber to the finished size. The same holds true
for the drawer guides, which are 5/8 in. thick.
1--Use a router with an up-cut spiral bit and an edge
guide to cut the rail mortises in the table legs. Make
several passes.
The panels for the bottom shelf and tabletop are glued up
from narrow boards. Cut stock slightly longer and a bit
wider than required to yield the finished panel. Edge-joint
each piece, then lay out the locations of the No. 20 joining
plate slots every 6 to 8 in. along the mating edges. Keep
the end slots about 3 in. from the finished ends of the
panels.
Use the plate joiner to cut the slots, registering the cuts
against a flat work surface. Then apply glue to the slots,
plates and edges and assemble the panels. Use clamps to
pull the joints tight, then let the glue set for about 20
minutes. After the glue fully cures, rip and crosscut the
panels to finished dimension.
2--When the routing is done, carefully square the
ends and flatten the sides of each mortise with a
sharp chisel.
Joinery
Rip and crosscut the remaining parts for the table base to
finished dimension. Then, lay out the mortise in the table
legs. Use a router with an edge guide and 1/2-in.-dia. up-
cut spiral bit to make these cuts (Photo 1). Use a sharp
Joinery
Rip and crosscut the remaining parts for the table base to
finished dimension. Then, lay out the mortise in the table
legs. Use a router with an edge guide and 1/2-in.-dia. up-
cut spiral bit to make these cuts (Photo 1). Use a sharp
chisel to square the ends of each mortise (Photo 2).
Use a dado blade in your table saw to cut the tenons on the
side and back rails. Since the tenons are 7/8 in. long, you
will have to make two passes for each tenon cheek.
Readjust the blade height to cut the shoulders at the top
and bottom edges of the tenons (Photo 3). Check the fit of
each tenon in its matching mortise.
3--Use a dado blade in a table saw to cut the rail
tenons. First cut the cheeks, then readjust the saw
to cut the shoulders.
Mark the locations of the slat mortises in the side rails.
Clamp a tall fence to the drill-press table to help locate the
rails, then bore overlapping 3/8-in.-dia. holes to remove
most of the waste (Photo 4). Complete the mortises by
smoothing the walls and squaring the ends with a sharp
chisel.
4--Cut the slat mortises in the rails using a drill press
to remove most of the waste and a sharp chisel to
finish the cuts.
Lay out the joining plate slots on the bottom shelf and side
rails. Use the plate joiner to cut the slots in the shelf ends,
registering the cut on a flat workbench or on the top of your
table saw (Photo 5). To cut the slots in the side rails, you
must use a spacer block under the plate joiner to yield the
proper slot position (Photo 6).
Before beginning to assemble the base, sand all the parts
with 120- and 220-grit sandpaper, then dust off the pieces
thoroughly. It is much easier to do a good job of sanding at
this stage than it is once the base is together.
Base assembly
Position the side slats in their mortises in one bottom side
rail (Photo 7). If the parts fit properly, you need not apply
glue to these joints, since the slats will be held captive
between the rails. Place the top side rail over the slat ends,
then clamp the assembly temporarily to be sure that the
slats are completely seated in the mortises.
between the rails. Place the top side rail over the slat ends,
then clamp the assembly temporarily to be sure that the
slats are completely seated in the mortises.
Apply glue to the rail tenons and leg mortises, then
assemble the table side. Clamp the joints tight, then
compare opposite diagonal measurements to be sure that
the assembly is square (Photo 8). Follow the same
procedure for the other side. Apply glue to the joining plate
slots, mortises, tenons and plates for assembling the shelf
and back rail to the sides. Join the rail and shelf to one side
(Photo 9), then place the opposite side over the shelf and
rail ends. Stand the base on a flat work surface and clamp
the joints tight (Photo 10). Check for square.
6--Clamp the bottom rails to your table saw fence.
Then use a plate joiner to cut joining slots in one
side of both rails.
Use a router with an edge guide to cut a 1/4-in.-deep x 3/4-
in.-wide dado in each drawer guide (Photo 11). Bore and
countersink pilot holes for mounting screws in the guides,
then sand the guides with 220-grit sandpaper before
fastening them to the table legs (Photo 12).
7--Test fit the side slats in the rail mortises. Sand or
trim the joints, if necessary, to achieve a tight fit for
each slat.
8--Apply glue to the mortises and tenons, then
clamp the parts. Check for square by comparing
diagonal measurements.
9--To join the sides to the back rail and bottom shelf,
apply glue to the slots and plates, and to the
mortises and tenons.
10--Clamp the side assemblies to the back rail and
shelf and check the parts for square. Readjust the
clamps if necessary.
Mark the locations of the tabletop fasteners on the top edge
of the side and back rails. Use a 3/4-in. Forstner or
multispur bit to bore the 1/8-in.-deep recess for the
fasteners. Bore a pilot hole for each, then attach the
fasteners with 1-in.-long No. 8 fh screws.
Drawers
Cut stock to finished size for the drawer sides and back,
and rip stock for the drawer face, but don't cut it to length
yet. Instead, leave the drawer face blank about 12 in. long.
The drawer sides are joined to the face with sliding
dovetails. These joints are not difficult to cut, and they
provide a nice compromise when you do not want to invest
the time required for traditional dovetail corner joints. In
order to cut these stopped dovetail slots, construct a U-
shaped jig to guide the router. You can build this jig by
screwing together three strips of scrap lumber or plywood.
The dimensions of these pieces are not critical. But it is
important that the three pieces are assembled square to
each other.
screwing together three strips of scrap lumber or plywood.
The dimensions of these pieces are not critical. But it is
important that the three pieces are assembled square to
each other.
Set the dovetail bit––
––
14--Use the same dovetail bit in a router table to cut
both sides of the dovetails on the ends of each
drawer side.
15--Cut a dado between the dovetail slots on the
drawer face for the bottom panel. Cut matching
dadoes in the drawer sides.
16--Apply glue to all the drawer joints, then clamp
the box together. Reinforce the side-to-back joints
with brads.
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