making tables

[sunnybob]

I've been asked if i want to make this set of tables;

Its way outside my comfort zone but the guy says no time deadline and I am interested to see what you technical people think would be the simplest way to make them.

Exact copy is not important as far as the one piece legs are concerned (I was thinking walnut legs half lapped into the cross piece, hidden from the front ,dowelled and glued) the trays could be 9 mm ply.

But I'm having doubts now as at first i was shown a small pic on a mobile phone and thought they were three identical sets, just like stacking chairs.But now I have a bigger pic i see they are not identical and can only be stacked in that order.
That makes for a lot more measuring and cutting work doesnt it?
I think this may be above my pay grade, especially considering I wont be able to charge much more than 20 or 30 over materials costs.
opinions please.

By the way, wheres custard? havent seen him post for a while.

 

[bushwhaker]

Veneered plywood for legs seems easy way i think.

 

[Dee J]

Given the neutral finish to all the surfaces - including the edges of the legs.... I suspect the original is entirely MDF. Router jig would help with forming the legs. The original design is a bit odd in that the tables look very similar but only stack one way - a bit of a rework to either give some more visible difference or to allow for three identical tables would be an improvement (imho). How do you feel about copying / undercutting someone elses design work though?

 

[Racers]

I guess they are CNC from a sheet of veneered MDF and edged they nest together so you won't have much waste, unless you are only making 3!
Topped with a MDF tray sprayed.

Why copy a table made for easy mass production? you will end up with some thing that looks mass produced not bespoke, and you can't hope to compete on price.

Pete

 

[MikeK]

I might be too naive about this, but those legs seem to be begging to be cut from a single sheet of board. I would make a working sample by laying out the stacked leg design in 1:1 scale on a sheet of MDF and cut both sheets at the same time with a jig saw with the thinnest kerf, or something better suited to the job. This will almost assure you that both sides will be identical and will stack properly.

The grain in a veneered plywood would also aid in determining the order of stacking, and I think it would look better than the tables in the photo.

Edit: Pete types faster than me. :lol:

 

[garethharvey]

But wouldn't you have movement with them being MDF?

Every piece I have in the workshop has bent over a period of time.

 

[MikeK]

But wouldn't you have movement with them being MDF?

Every piece I have in the workshop has bent over a period of time.

I'm sure the MDF would shatter over time. That's why I suggested using it as a sample (proof of concept) before using something a bit more expensive.

 

[sunnybob]

I have no idea where the man got this pic from. I did a quick surf of google images stacking nest tables but found nothing.

The problem with 1:1 scale templates means the cost doubles because this is a one off.
I dont think much of them, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder I suppose.
I have only this pic, and to be honest, I'm going off the idea because this isnt what I want to do.
But I did promise to give him a reasonably well costed price.

This is why I hate paying jobs.

 

[Racers]

Make your price slightly higher then they are in the shop, job done!

Pete

 

[Jacob]

If the design isn't critical there are millions of alternatives out there.

I like these, from recycled wood:

I've got a set of the very common trad design in oak. They slot together so you can lift them as one. Actually very useful around the living room.
This is the design, but not grey shabby chic!:

This is why I hate paying jobs.

Face it - it's not going to pay unless you charge many times the shop price of something similar. To make it pay you'd have to do what they do - make large batches, say 20 at a time etc.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I'd have thought they are identical (k.i.s.s.). MDF would make for very weak legs, I'd put money on their being ply. If made commercially they would probably be lipped, but if a very high quality ply were used the edge when well finished can be quite attractive. If you used birch ply it could be dyed/stained/finished before cutting for contrast with the edges.

 

[Jacob]

I'd have thought they are identical (k.i.s.s.). ...

I think they are too. That's the whole point of the design. It's the photo makes them look slightly different sizes

 

[Racers]

I'd have thought they are identical (k.i.s.s.). MDF would make for very weak legs, I'd put money on their being ply. If made commercially they would probably be lipped, but if a very high quality ply were used the edge when well finished can be quite attractive. If you used birch ply it could be dyed/stained/finished before cutting for contrast with the edges.

I guess they are made to be disposable, they will probably go out of fashion just before they break, I don't think anything is made to last!

Pete

 

[sunnybob]

Jacob, its this design or nothing.

I thought they were identical to start with, but if you look at the outer tips of the lower legs, they are not vertical. I dont think thats an optical illusion.

I have no idea what these sell at, so my pricing is a stab in the dark. He's already scared me in that I said I thought it would reach a 100 euro, and he said "no bother". He is a friend and I dont do stuff for profit, otherwise I would have said 300 and be done with it.
I wouldnt give 25 for them.
I suspect its ply that has been spray painted with bulky paint (dont know the technical term).

I might make some scale paper models and see if i can make them all one size. That wont be so bad.

 

[Racers]

I think they are identical, all you need for them to stack it the tray not to get in the way of the next one, and it looks like they are fixed high enough up to clear the one below.

Pete

 

[novocaine]

I think they are the same too. the thickness of the top piece is 2x the width of the leg which is the distance they fall inside the next one. the fact the legs are the same height suggests they have to be identical. stacked or nested cones basically.

 

[Jacob]

... I dont think thats an optical illusion.....

It's the camera slightly zoomed telephoto.

 

[Racers]

... I dont think thats an optical illusion.....

It's the camera slightly zoomed telephoto.

?

Makes no sense and a its a tautology.

Pete

 

[bugbear]

I used Gimp to remove the perspective distortion (caused by the camera POV not being perpendicular and centred) from the tables.

Cropped down:

It now looks as if they are (as one would have expected for ease of manufacture) identical
in size and shape. It also appears that the top length is the same
as the leg spread.

BugBear

 

[Phil Pascoe]

... I dont think thats an optical illusion.....

It's the camera slightly zoomed telephoto.

?

Makes no sense and a its a tautology.

Pete

or even a pleonasm.