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HEIRLOOM
COFFEE
TABLE
© 2007 August Home Publishing Co.
Heirloom
Project
coffee table
This coffee table features cabriole legs, scalloped aprons, and an oval
top. But the straightforward construction won’t throw you any curves.
his coffee table is an elegant
Queen Anne project. It features
cabriole legs, a scalloped base, and
an oval top with a hand-rubbed fin-
ish. But don’t assume that this table
demands a lot of time or highly spe-
cialized skills. It doesn’t.
The legs are the most involved
part of this table. So to help out,
we’ve included a step-by-step article
on page 8. Or if you just can’t bring
yourself to build the legs, you can buy
them pre-made, see page 9. With the
legs done, this project moves along
pretty quickly. In fact, the table can
almost be completed in a weekend.
CABRIOLE LEGS. To build this coffee
table, the first thing you need to do
is to make the cabriole legs (A), as
you can see in the drawing below.
And as I mentioned before, you’ll find
a pattern for shaping the legs as well
as detailed instructions for making
them in the article on page 8.
RAILS & STRETCHERS. When the legs
are complete, the next step is to con-
nect them with 3/4"-thick side aprons
(B) and front/back aprons (C). Both
are the same width and have a scalloped
profile cut on their bottom edges.
But before cutting the decorative
profile, I cut the tenons on the ends
of the aprons to fit the mortises in the
legs, see Fig. 1.
Then after the tenons had been
cut, I cut a groove on the inside
T
1
2
a.
a.
a.
1 www.Woodsmith.com © 2007 August Home Publishing Co. All Rights Reserved.
faces of the aprons, see Fig. 2. These
grooves hold the simple Z-shaped
fasteners that I used later to secure
the top to the base.
SCALLOPED PROFILES. Now the aprons
are ready for their decorative profiles.
The nice thing is the symmetrical
profile is the same on both the side
aprons and the front/back aprons. So
I only needed to make a half template
for each set of parts.
To create each template, you’ll
start with the scaled pattern shown
below. Then simply transfer the pro-
file onto a cardboard template.
With the template complete, I
began laying out the profile on the
front apron, see Fig. 3. To do this,
the base needs to be dry assembled
first. That’s because the curve on
the template must start where the
transition block on the cabriole leg
ends, see Fig. 3a. (It’s also important
to keep the top edge of the template
flush with the top of the apron.)
Draw the profile; then flip the tem-
plate over and draw it again, starting
from the other end. The half tem-
plate meets in a shallow curve at the
center of the apron.
The profile on the side aprons is
the same as the front/back aprons
— just shorter (Fig. 4). So I simply
trimmed off the template. As with the
front/back aprons, the curve starts at
the transition block. You may need to
adjust the centerpoint of the profile.
After the profiles are laid out, the
scalloped edges can be cut. The
important thing here is to get a
clean, sharp corner at the “point”
of the profile. To do this, I started
by cutting the point of each profile,
see Fig. 5a. Then I cut from the
ends along the curves to the point
to remove the waste, see Fig. 5.
Finally, I glued and clamped the
base together. Then I sanded the scal-
loped edges smooth, making sure
the joint lines between the transition
blocks on the legs and the aprons
were flush, see Fig. 6.
4
5
a.
a.
6
APRON
TEMPLATE
3
2 www.Woodsmith.com © 2007 August Home Publishing Co. All Rights Reserved.
QUICK AND EASY GRID
Table Top
With the base complete, I set about
to build the top. This is pretty simple
really. The top is just a glued-up mahog-
any panel cut in an oval shape.
To do this, I began by making a
paper pattern first. Then I created
a hardboard template from this pat-
tern and used the template as a guide
when cutting and routing.
PAPER PATTERN. As I mentioned, the
first thing to do is create a pattern for
the top, see Fig. 7. The oval shape
of this table isn’t a true ellipse. So
it has to be drawn “freehand.” This
may sound a bit intimidating, but it
really does require less artistic skill
than you might think. You just draw
a grid, plot some points, and connect
the dots, see box below.
There’s one more thing I want
to mention: You don’t even need to
make a full pattern; a quarter pattern
will do. And it will give you more a
more consistent template.
HARDBOARD TEMPLATE. With the paper
quarter pattern complete, I used it to
make a full-size template out of 1/4"-
thick hardboard, see Fig. 8. There
are a couple advantages to creating a
hardboard template for this project.
For one thing, if you happen to make
a mistake when cutting or sanding the
template, it’s no big deal. Hardboard
is cheap compared to mahogany.
But even more important, it’s much
easier to shape and sand a 1/4"-thick
8
7
9
a.
a.
I’m not an artist and don’t feel com-
fortable drawing freehand curves.
But recently, I was shown a quick
way to draw freehand curves by
first creating a rough grid. All you
need is some paper for the pattern,
a pencil and a tape measure, and a
table with a square corner.
GRID. To do this, I made a 2" grid
using a trick I’d been taught by a
carpenter, see left and center pho-
tos. To draw the lines, hold the tape
firmly with one hand and “hook”
the pencil on the end of the tape.
CONNECT DOTS. With the grid drawn,
plot the points of the curve on the
grid. Now, drawing the curve is just
a matter of “connecting the dots.”
TABLE TOP QUARTER PATTERN
3 www.Woodsmith.com © 2007 August Home Publishing Co. All Rights Reserved.
hardboard template than a panel made
from 3/4"-thick solid wood.
Plus, I was able to use the template
to guide the router bit as I shaped the
edge, refer to Figs. 10 and 11.
To make the template, I started by
cutting an oversize blank and drawing
centerlines on the top to create “cross
hairs,” see Fig. 8. (The blank was 30"
x 48".) Next, I drew the pattern on the
blank, flipping it around the center-
lines from the quarter section until the
layout was complete, see Fig. 8a.
When cutting out the hardboard
template, I used a jig saw with a
fine tooth blade, staying 1/16" from
the layout line. Then I sanded the
template up to the line.
OVERSIZE PANEL. Now that the tem-
plate is complete, the next step is to
glue up a 3/4"-thick blank for the top.
This blank starts out the same size as
the template blank (30" x 48").
When the glue is dry, remove any
excess glue and plane and sand the
panel flat. Then carpet tape the hard-
board template to the bottom face of
the panel, see Fig. 9.
Like the template, I rough cut the
panel with the jig saw. But this time
to get the panel flush with the tem-
plate, I used a flush trim bit in the
router, see Figs. 10 and 10a.
However, when routing the edge
of the table top, you’re likely to run
into some chipout. The solution is to
backrout the edge, see page 5.
Next, I routed a profile along the
top edge of the table, see Figs. 11
and 11a. (This requires the same
procedure as the flush trim routing.)
There are a number of profile bits
you can use. I chose a special Freud
bit (product no. 99-011) designed
especially for table top edges. Note:
This bit didn’t fit the opening on my
router base, so I replaced it with an
auxiliary base, see Fig. 11.
Once the profile was complete, I
hand sanded the bottom lightly to
remove the sharp edge, see Fig. 11b.
Before attaching the tabletop to the
base, I applied the finish. First, I put
a coat of stain on everything. (For
more on staining end grain, see page
6.) Then I applied a couple coats of
varnish. It’s a good idea to add a third
coat to the top. This way, there’s a
thicker film of finish so you can “rub
out” the finish to a high gloss.
When the finishing is done, the one
thing that’s left is to attach the table
top to the base with Z-shaped fasten-
ers, see drawing below. W
10
a.
a.
b.
11
b.
4 www.Woodsmith.com © 2007 August Home Publishing Co. All Rights Reserved.
a.
tiPs from
our sHoP
talking sHoP
One of the cardinal rules of
routing is that you should
always move the router (or
the workpiece) so that the
stock is fed into the cutting
edge of the bit. There’s a
good reason for this.
DIRECTION. When routing
in the normal direction
(moving the router left to
right), you’re pushing the
cutting edge of the bit into
the wood (or vice versa on
a router table). This gives
you a lot more control over
the cutting action. As soon
as you stop pushing, the
bit stops cutting.
If you rout in the oppo-
site direction (backrout-
ing), the feed direction is
the same as the direction
the bit is rotating. So the
bit pulls itself forward as it
digs into the workpiece.
On a router table, this can
be disastrous. The router
can actually pull the work-
piece (and your fingers)
right into the router bit. For
this reason, I avoid back-
routing on a router table.
Backrouting with a
hand-held router is another
story. Since the workpiece
is clamped down to a
bench, the bit tends to
pull the router forward
(instead of the workpiece).
This makes it difficult to
control the router, but you
don’t have to worry about
your fingers coming into
contact with the bit like
you do on a router table.
So even though it’s
a little tricky, there are
times when I backrout to
get better results. Take
the top of the cof fee
table, for example.
END GRAIN. Because of
the oval shape of the top,
it’s impossible to avoid
routing across end grain.
In this case, if you rout
around the top in the nor-
mal direction, you run the
risk of ripping out large
splinters of wood as you
push the router bit past
the end grain, see Fig. 1.
But by backrouting the
top, the router bit pulls itself
into the grain rather than
pushing against it, see Fig.
2. So I was able to backrout
around the entire edge of the
top without any tearout.
SAFETY. But even with a
hand-held router, back-
routing can be risky. So
I usually take a few extra
safety precautions. First,
I always maintain a firm
grip on the router in case
it kicks back. And I clamp
the workpiece down to my
bench so that it doesn’t shift
or go flying off.
Start off by practicing
on some scrap pieces of
wood to get a feel for how
the router reacts. At first,
the router will feel like a
dog on a leash that’s just
spotted a cat. It will have a
tendency to kick back from
the workpiece and to skid
along the edge.
But keeping your elbows
tucked into your body
and your arms and wrists
locked in place should give
you a little more control.
Finally, I take several
very light cuts when back-
routing instead of trying to
make the cut in a single
deep pass. Then, after I’ve
removed all the material, I
make a final pass with the
router in the normal direc-
tion. This removes any
chatter marks left behind
by the backrouting. W
1 2
Backrouting
5 www.Woodsmith.com © 2007 August Home Publishing Co. All Rights Reserved.
staining end grain
When finishing a project, end grain can create some unique problems.
Here are some quick solutions we’ve come up with in our shop.
here’s one finishing problem that
doesn’t get a whole a lot of atten-
tion: end grain. Often after staining,
the end grain will look much darker
than the face grain.
Maybe the reason why this prob-
lem doesn’t get much attention is that
woodworkers have just learned to “live
with it.” Still, there are a few steps you
can take that will prevent this from
happening. But it helps to know why
it happens in the first place.
OPEN PORES. End grain naturally
looks a little different than face grain.
But it also acts differently too. The
reason for this is simple. The end
of a board is made up of open pores
that work like a bunch of straws.
Whatever is put on the surface of the
board won’t penetrate very quickly.
But any liquid substance (like glue or
stain) applied to the open ends will be
pulled deep into the wood.
STAINING END GRAIN. Applying a stain
creates a real problem for end grain.
Again, the open pores suck up the
stain like a kid at a soda fountain.
But that’s only part of the explana-
tion; after all, end grain sucks up
clear finishes just as deep as stains.
What makes the stain different is that
it isn’t clear. And the deeper the stain
gets pulled into the wood, the darker
the color at the surface will be. The
result is ends that are noticeably
darker than the face of a piece.
Getting the end grain to match the
rest of the project is a matter of stop-
ping the stain from penetrating so
deep. That way, the end grain and face
grain end up with roughly the same
amount of stain. Fortunately, there
are a number of ways to do this.
GEL STAINS
When you’re staining a project with
a lot of exposed end grain, the easi-
est way to get a consistent color is to
use a gel stain. A gel stain is like any
other stain — it’s just a little thicker.
So instead of spilling over the surface
of a workpiece, a gel stain will just sit
there, like a glob of pudding.
LIMITED PENETRATION. Because a gel
stain is thick, it won’t penetrate very
deep into the wood, whether it’s face
grain or end grain, see photos at left.
The result is that the end grain and
the face grain end up with an even,
consistent color.
You might think that gel stains are
all alike; a magical formula that an
expert concocted. Although all gel
stains are definitely thicker than reg-
ular liquid stains, they’re not all the
same. When it comes to end grain, the
biggest difference is their thickness.
T
{ A gel stain is just a thick stain. Its thickness
limits the amount it penetrates, so I usually
work it into the pores with a brush.
{ After it’s wiped off, you can see that the lim-
ited penetration of a gel stain means the end
grain is the same color as the face grain.
WoodWorking
tecHnique
6 www.Woodsmith.com © 2007 August Home Publishing Co. All Rights Reserved.
WOOD CONDITIONER
I’ve used some stains that were the
consistency of thick cream. Others
were like a thick paste.
Remember, what you want is a
stain that’s not going to seep into the
end grain. So when choosing a gel
stain, just keep in mind that a thick
stain will tend to penetrate less and
give you a more even color.
DRAWBACKS. Of course, gel stains
aren’t the answer in every situation.
There are times when I want the
stain to penetrate as deep as possible.
When I have a piece of figured wood,
like bird’s eye maple, I’m not going
to use a gel stain because I want to
highlight the figure of the wood. The
gel stain isn’t necessarily going to
“hide” the grain. But it will even out
the color more than I want it to.
The other time I don’t use a gel
stain is when I can’t find the exact
color I want. Here, I usually end up
choosing a traditional (liquid) oil or
water-base stain, so I take a different
tack to handle the end grain.
LIQUID STAINS
When I work with a traditional liquid
stain, I usually get a more even color
if I do a little extra sanding on the end
grain — to 600 grit instead of 220, see
photos above. The reason this works
is because you’re burnishing the end
grain. The pore openings are being
polished so they’re smaller and don’t
soak in as much stain.
CURVED SURFACES. With the coffee
table, the stain with the color I liked
happened to be a traditional oil-base
stain. The problem was the table was
curved. In fact, this table threw me
more than one curve.
For one thing, the cabriole legs
have end grain at the top of the knees
and the feet. But there’s no “hard”
corner where the end grain starts
and the edge grain stops. So instead
of sanding finer, I’d recommend
using wood conditioner, see below.
But the oval top was a different
matter. Wood conditioner applied to
this narrow edge would seep into the
face grain. I didn’t want light streaks
around the edge of the table, so I
went back to the sanding solution and
sanded the whole edge to 600-grit.
TOP COATS
When it’s time to apply a top coat, end
grain isn’t nearly as much of a problem.
The finish penetrates just as deep,
and in fact, you may notice that the
end grain gets slightly darker. That’s
because oil and varnish tend to add
an amber tint to the wood anyway.
But I’ve never thought this was very
noticeable, so I haven’t gone to the
trouble of sanding it any finer.
About the only thing you will notice
about putting a clear finish on end
grain is that it dries out a lot quicker.
So I sometimes end up applying an
extra coat of finish.
One final note: I’ve talked to wood-
workers who sand all end grain to
600 grit, even if they’re just applying
a clear finish with no stain. They do
this because the end grain looks and
feels so much better after it’s been
sanded so fine. But I think this is a lot
of unnecessary work. After you build
up a film of finish on the wood, you
won’t be able to tell a difference. W
What can be a little confusing about
end grain is that it isn’t just limited
to the ends of a board. It can show
up on the face of some boards, too.
This is especially true of woods
like pine, cherry, and maple that
tend to have wild, wavy grain.
When the grain turns up toward
the face of a board, you end up with
a small patch of end grain.
When staining, these areas of end
grain can end up as dark blotches,
see the left half of the board above.
But you can avoid this.
One solution I often use is to apply
a wood conditioner (or wash coat)
before staining. This is usually just
a solvent that evaporates slowly
(although it can also be a very thin
finish). Because the conditioner
is applied underneath the stain,
it limits and evens out the stain’s
penetration, see the right half of
the board above.
When staining the cabriole legs,
one way to ensure an even color
is to brush a heavy coat of wood
conditioner on the entire leg. After
letting it set a few minutes, wipe off
any excess and apply the stain.
{ When staining end grain, a regular stain will
soak deep into the pores of the wood, darkening
the ends much more than the face.
{ One solution to evening out the end grain is to
sand it finer than the rest of the board. Here,
I sanded the end grain to 600-grit.
7 www.Woodsmith.com © 2007 August Home Publishing Co. All Rights Reserved.
abriole legs look more like sculp-
ture than woodworking. And while
some d
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