# Trend Competition Entry - completed coffee table



## Alf (5 Jan 2005)

Well I admire the diplomatic restraint, folks, I really do. No-one's asked if I made the deadline! Well I did - just. And here's the completed article:






Wrapped, natch...





Oh, okay, some pics of the finished item, and I wish I was better at taking them... This isn't the room where it was designed for, btw; not had enough sun to take a decent shot in there unfortunately. Dimensions: 850mm long, 587mm wide and 480mm tall. 





You might be able to make out that I relieved the botoms of the legs a little with a few swipes of the spokeshave.










No-one's going to see it from this angle usually, but what the heck.






Anyway, it was well-received and my nephew earned himself huge numbers of Auntie points by saying "That's one piece isn't it? You can't see the join" about the top.



Clever boy... But the acid test - Kitty (the cleaner my mum inherited) likes it. Without her approval it would have been dusty firewood by Easter...



Damn near killed me 'cos they didn't open it 'til gone 7pm on Crimbo day; I was a nervous wreck wondering if they'd like it.





Cheers, Alf

WIP pics here

P.S. If someone can tell me how to lose the serrated edge effect on a couple of the pics, I'd be obliged.


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## Chris Knight (5 Jan 2005)

Alf,

Very well done, it looks super! 

You are a proper woodworker after all :wink: 

Must be good for many many workshop brownie points (Dad I need a new... "Why of course my Darling Daughter, whatever you want..")


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## Anonymous (5 Jan 2005)

A lovely piece of furniture Alf. I really do like it a lot  

The jagged edges are artefacts of the resolution and compression on images - higher resolution on camera or less comrpession will reduce them but I would expect to see some jaggedness on computer monitors as they pixelate an angled edge


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## Chris Knight (5 Jan 2005)

Alf, Serrated edge effects are usually a consequence of the size or resolution or compression level that is chosen in making the picture web ready. You can usually get rid of them by altering these parametrs a bit.

If possible when reducing size, do it in exact 50% steps that usually preserves the quality best.


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## Alf (5 Jan 2005)

Mmm, figured as much. I'll have a bit of a fiddle and see if I can improve it, if I remember to. 

"Proper woodworker after all"...?!



Buggrit, I tole 'em, I tole 'em...





Thanks, chaps.





Cheers, Alf


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## Guest (5 Jan 2005)

Nice table Alf. Makes me glad I was too busy making a chess set for my daughter to compete.


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## Bean (5 Jan 2005)

Wow nice piece Alf  


Bean


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## frank (5 Jan 2005)

nice one alf will you be makeing a matching one for the other side of the couch 8) 

ps what do you want a tailed demon for :wink: :wink:


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## Midnight (6 Jan 2005)

nice Job Alfer.... yea..... I like that...

sooooooo...... what's next on the cards...?????


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## Signal (6 Jan 2005)

V V Nice Alf, good job 

have been about but only just realise that i wasnt logged in, wondered why I wasnt seeing the new post icons  

Signal


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## trevtheturner (6 Jan 2005)

Interesting design and construction, and nice choice of woods, coupled with consumate skills has given a superb result for someone who doesn't often make things, so she says................... :roll: :wink: 

Smashin', Alf. 8) 

Cheers,

Trev.


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## Philly (6 Jan 2005)

Super table,Alf
Well done, see what happens when you get the power tools out? :roll: 
You'll be inquiring about dado's next.......
Seriously-good job! What's next???
regards
Philly


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## Newbie_Neil (6 Jan 2005)

Well done Alf, it looks really good.

The recipients must have been very pleased.

Cheers
Neil


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## Adam (6 Jan 2005)

Very nice. It came together well. Good use of the woodrat too!

Adam


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## dedee (6 Jan 2005)

Alf, very nice. 
You really should level off the floorboards as they make the bottom of the legs look uneven :wink: :wink: . 

Andy


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## Vormulac (6 Jan 2005)

Beautiful work Alf, that's one gorgeous table!

V.


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## Neil (6 Jan 2005)

Very nice, Alf - I fear I may now have motivational difficulties getting my router table entry finished by the end of Jan!

Neil


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## DaveL (6 Jan 2005)

What they all said  

Whats the punishment for getting a cup ring on it? :shock:


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## Alf (6 Jan 2005)

dedee":2n6nuut2 said:


> You really should level off the floorboards as they make the bottom of the legs look uneven :wink: :wink: .


Hah! Blasted builder's merchant sponge boards; been in there about 8? 9? years now, and all have cupped without exception. The original ones were gorgeous, and so thick! Alas the dreaded worm had got 'em and they had to go. I rescued what I could though, so they live on. But you probably meant that in jest, so "cheeky" is the response you deserve.







DaveL":2n6nuut2 said:


> Whats the punishment for getting a cup ring on it? :shock:


Let's just say death would be preferred...



I did manage to hold my tongue when someone pulled a bowl of crisps across it over Christmas; pretty good to resist a "pick the ruddy thing up, you lazy so-and-so" rant so early I thought. But I'm resigned really; after all, it's just patina in its early stages...





Thanks for the kind words, peeps; much appreciated. I seem to have given myself a hardish act to follow - the obvious solution is not to risk the inevitable failure of a follow-up project, right?



Alas, already there've been mutterings about side tables and such, and with a major wedding anniversary cropping up later this year it seems a "pair" might be in order. Just wish I knew how I could condense my customary 2 year planning habit into something nearer 2 months.



I don't even want to think about trying to make two things the same...

Cheers, Alf

Edit: Found the original UKWW post asking for design critique - February 2003!


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## Pete W (6 Jan 2005)

I am - as is often the case - late to the thread, but thought I'd just add my own 'well done' to the clamour .


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## DemiFrog (6 Jan 2005)

Well done Alf, it looks really nice.

Demifrog


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## thomaskennedy (6 Jan 2005)

I wish i'd seen this before i started making the present one  

Ta, Tom


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