End Tables

My newest project is a pair of matching, cherry end tables. This is a simple design, in keeping with the client's other furniture. To add a bit of interest, without disrupting the simplicity, the top and shelf will be assembled with pie-cut pattern rather than just by laying boards parallel to each other. The underside of the top will be chamfered to give it a lighter appeance.


Since this is a furniture piece, it will be built primarily with sold wood. This requires some different techniques from cabinet construction. When cutting large boards into smaller pieces, the internal stresses in a piece of wood change. This can lead to bowing, warping and twisting as these stresses work themselves out of the piece. To prevent such changes from ruining the finished piece, they must be accounted for during construction.

A couple days ago I picked up the lumber for this project. It had been stored in warehouse without climate control, so it is plenty dry and ready to work. I let it rest in my shop for couple days to allow for any minor changes in environment, which might effect the wood (but since it came from in town, as opposed to across the country, longer isn't necessary.)

Today I will cut out blanks for each part. A blank is the starting point for each part. Blanks are cut slightly larger, in all three dimensions, than the finished part. Then the blanks are stacked and allowed to sit for awhile, between several days and a couple weeks. This allows those internal stresses to work themselves out before the parts are shaped and assembled.

While the blanks are resting I'll be making jigs, templates and forms to aid the construction. Then I'll make the bent lamination for the curved skirt pieces. If you read my blog series about bent lamination for a range hood from last fall, you'll know that this process is time consuming, regardless of the size of the piece. For this project, I'll need eight identical pieces, so that will take time.

This will be a fun project!