Bedside Tables in Sycamore & Walnut (Finished)

[MikeG.]

Firstly, as a newcomer I'm not sure whether this should be here in "General Woodworking" or in the "Projects, Workshop Tours & Past Mistakes" department........sorry if I've got it wrong!

Here is my latest project; bedside tables to match the sycamore & walnut blanket box I posted last week.

Firstly, I prepared the tops........spalted sycamore with a walnut banding, and glued up in the normal way.

I really didn't like that, so I cut it up:

I planed the walnut up a bit, then made up some sycamore banding, and had another go:

That looked better, I thought, so I cleaned it up:

The chamfered the underside of the edges (the nearest one is upside down):

A few photos missing, I guess.......but these are simple walnut legs, laminated from 25mm American Walnut, tapered on the bandsaw and finished with the hand plane all round:

And finally for today, a dry fit:

And then, I have to face the big question..........do I like it?
-
Bad time to come to the conclusion "not really". It feels a bit too formal and architectural, and there isn't much fun about it......My wife likes rustic ....hmmmmm

More next week.......like it or not I shall finish it.

Mike

 

[Paul Chapman]

I like the way you have used walnut on the tops, Mike. Sometimes I think you can have too much spalted wood and the walnut breaks it up nicely.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[wizer]

I really like the walnut on the top, but I'm not sure about the legs. I think Maybe it would be better in the sycamore.

 

[hpl]

Again, the top is great, I really like it. Maybe the legs would work if they were thinner at the top, but I like them in the walnut. But then walnut is one of my favourite timbers especially when contrasted with light timbers.

Johnny B

 

[DaveL]

Well I am not going to buck the trend, love the top.

Its the legs that are the problem, I think Johnny has a point that they look heavy at the top, but if you made them thinner you are still not going to get to 'rustic', elegant maybe? You could continue the strip theme by having a sycamore strip in the centre of the leg?

And what is the small wooden creature standing on the bench, I can only see the legs but am just too nosey not ask? :roll:

 

[harryc]

Really like the colour contrast with table top and legs.

Agree with the last couple of posts, the tapered legs need to be thinner (much thinner) to give it more of a shaker look.

Harry

 

[MikeG.]

Thanks guys......

I am certainly thinking about a sycamore banding in the legs.....but I was worried that it might look a bit too fussy. The legs are 45mm wide at the top, and 20 at the bottom.......they looked so skinny when I made the marking-out template, but now they look quite solid. Probably a bit too solid....

The "creature" on the bench is a mock-up of my original proposal, which was to have runner's legs simulated for the tables (my wife is a keen runner). Naturally enough, as soon as she saw this model she exercised her veto! This is the first time I have ever acknowledged the veto, and so Mrs G was still expecting the running table...........so was quite pleased to see something she only vaguely disliked rather than something she loathed with a passion!!!

Mike

 

[joiner_sim]

The table top looks great! I think I'm going to have a go at doing the same thing at some point.

I have just finished a small coffee table with 46x46mm legs. I chamferred all the square edges to make them look smaller. I used the complete size of my 45 degree trend cutter, and it looks okay. Take a look on my website's WIP section if you want.

 

[Waka]

Mike

Nice table, I like the proportion and the style, my only concern is, are they the right style for bedside cabinets? Myself I torn both ways.

 

[MikeG.]

A better view......

The one on the left is the rear view.

Mike

 

[Imperial]

I like furniture with contrasting or multiple types of wood, I think these are very nice. The quality of thew workmanship is the important thing as style is subjective and it would appear to me you've managed both.

 

[Paul Chapman]

From those pictures, Mike, I think the legs look too chunky. If you had the top section of the legs narrower and gone for a shallower taper, keeping the bottom of the legs the same tickness as they are now, it would have looked better.

Even so, they look quite nice

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Racers]

Hi,

How about a lighter coloured inlayed band on the out side faces on the legs, that would break up the solid face and make them appear thinner. You could cut a grove with your router and glue a strip in.


Pete

 

[MikeG.]

Pete,

I'm toying with the inlay idea.....but also wondering whether some pellets of sycamore would achieve the same ends. The danger is this furniture ending up over fussy, or over formal. At the moment it feels too formal. After sorting out the legs, I've then got the handle to worry about.......!!

Mike

 

[woodbloke]

Mike - these tables don't do a lot for me I'm afraid ...personal view. The legs are too thick at the top and the taper is too great. In addition the contrast in timbers is also too much...the sycamore chest was primarily in one timber with the detailing in walnut which was just right. These look crude in comparison. Sorry for this critique, but after that fantastic blanket chest, these are a bit of a let down - Rob

 

[dickm]

Like the general style and the top in particular, very much, but would agree that the legs are about 5mm (or maybe even less) too thick at the top.
Definitely not sure about inlay of any sort. It would probably detract from the top?

 

[MikeG.]

Rob,

I agree with you!

I think the basic problem is that I have spent nearly 30 years making furniture in 1 timber. I have oak, ash, beech, sycamore, elm and pine in my "back-catalogue".......but never mixed. I have always been prepared to take a gamble on design, and they have generally turned out OK.....but if you do gamble, you have to be reconciled to losing occasionally.

These tables are not "me". I will fiddle with them a bit and make them presentable, but they will never be right, and never be something I am proud of.......but they are an important part of the learning process. The main lesson here is that the contrasting timber should be used subtly, but I must also look more closely at the leg proportions in future. I can't take anything off the legs here as the mortices are cut within 3mm of the edge in places.

So, ho hum.......maybe I will try and sell the complete set (blanket box and bedside tables).......then make them again, but nicer!

Thanks for commenting on this..........I always enjoy frank views.

Mike

PS Here is one of my previous "gambles" in ash with Danish oil.....

 

[BradNaylor]

Like everyone else, I love the table tops and am going to steal the idea very soon!

For me, the problem with the legs is that they are in walnut. The tables would look far more stylish if they were 'sycamore tables with a hint of walnut' rather than an almost equal mix of the two woods.

Contrasting timbers look best as a highlight. With sycamore legs these tables would look great - and you'd sell them more easily.

I'd spend a day making new legs. If you can't get the old joints apart saw them and reuse the rails jointing them to the legs with contrasting walnut dowels.

Or screws and walnut plugs!

Cheers
Dan

PS I like the 'Flintstones' dresser.

Not sure I'd want it in the house though...

:lol:

 

[MikeG.]

Sorry Dan, I missed your post.

Thanks for your comments, and I have already done what you had suggested here........with a variation. When all the new legs are done I'll post some pictures.

Mike

PS The dresser was made especially to order for someone (who had already seen a previous one).........but he never paid for it, so it is on permanent loan at a friend's house.

 

[MikeG.]

Right, just to keep everything up to date, here is some of what I have done to these bedside tables:

You will recall that I didn't like the legs like this........

So I cut them off!!

Mike