My latest commission - WIP

[Dodge]

Well I have now started on another suite of furniture which will take me a little while to complete so I will carry this thread on as the pieces develop.

There will be an occasional Table, tall bookcases as well as a sideboard with top cupboard for concealing a flat screen TV. The design is quite unusual mixing traditional Arts and Crafts appearance with Contemporary - Let hope it works!

The small occasional Table will have a 600mm wide circular top supported upon 5 upright legs with curved upper rails and a spider at the bottom - the main timber will be European (French) oak but will also have sections in American Black Walnut for contrast.

I made a very rough 1/3rd scale mock up of the table so that the client could see what I was planning:-

The table is to stand at 450mm tall, a bit higher than I wanted but the client had specifically asked for this and as they are paying the bill! Anyway I have now made the spider and uprights, the central pentagon and wedges being made from walnut.

There has been a first for me on this as I have ventured to the "dark side" and used a Domino - Yes you did hear that a Domino but No I havn't gone Festool - I had the pleasure of playing with one over the weekend - kindly loaned by another forum member who has spent a few days in my workshop with me.

Ok it did the job, but (and I know I am going to get shot for saying this) - but it isn't for me - If it was a realistic price I may consider one but at £700 for the unit and £160ish for a box with Dominos and cutters I will keep making my joints the traditional way!

The bookcase will feature the same design as the legs of the occasional table and the uprights have now been constructed - They are narrow again at the customers request

The fixed top, bottom and middle shelves will have through tenons which will be wedged with Walnut and between the fixed shelves there will also be adjustable ones.

I will update this thread as the construction develops.

Rog

 

[mailee]

I do like the look of that Rog. Is the design your own? It is unusual having the open sides on the book case and will look great once done. I will be following this thread with interest.

 

[Dodge]

Is the design your own? It is unusual having the open sides on the book case and will look great once done. I will be following this thread with interest.

The customer had some ideas in her head which we developed - She specifically wanted the open ends to the bookcase but the table is down to me!

 

[goldeneyedmonkey]

Looks very interesting Rog, I'll be following this one as well. Just out of interest, how long did it take you to make the legs and spider? - I only ask as I don't ever make anything like this.

Cheers _Dan

 

[Dodge]

how long did it take you to make the legs and spider?

Cheers _Dan

About 3 hours

 

[devonwoody]

I'm in on this one, the design I like and I hope all goes well.

 

[monkeybiter]

Did you do an alternative leg design [rounded slots] for customer choice? [looking at one of the piccies]

 

[woodbloke]

There has been a first for me on this as I have ventured to the "dark side" and used a Domino - Yes you did hear that a Domino but No I havn't gone Festool - I had the pleasure of playing with one over the weekend - kindly loaned by another forum member who has spent a few days in my workshop with me.


Rog

I can't see the images at the moment, but I'll have a look ce soir when I get in :wink:

The comment about the infamous Dominatrix I find very interesting. I've always maintained that for an amateur (in the best possible sense) and hobbiest 'shop the Dom simply can't be justified...it's a machine which is ultimately designed to save time, which is a professional 'shop (like yours) is at a premium and generally something that hobbiest's don't really have to worry about.
That you've decided Rog, that it's also not for you (as a pro woodworkder) is to me a bit of a revelation...I would have thought that you'd have gone for one immediately. I also feel that if the total price were to come down to something a lot less than an approx grand, it might find more favour (possibly even with me :-" ) - Rob

 

[Chems]

The problem is, now you've used it once you'll keep thinking about it until your taken over to the dark blue green side.

For me the domino replaces a floor standing morticer and is a space as well as time saver. Granted I'm not sure I'd have bought it at full price but for the £425 + £160 for the cutters box it was well worth it.

 

[Dodge]

Did you do an alternative leg design [rounded slots] for customer choice? [looking at one of the piccies]

The sample leg that was made was left rounded having been cut with the router but the intention was always to square the bottoms and I will also be tapering these but this is yet to be dome.

Regarding the Domino - I think the trouble is that I was traditionally trained and still like to use traditional joints - I can see where yes a Dom would save time but would not trust the joint compared to a good M&T on a chair back or similar where there is strain.

The other side is the ongoing cost of a domino - those posh biscuits are a bit pricey!

And before you shout "Tight Git" you havn't got my wife!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:

Rog

 

[mailee]

I have to agree with you on the Domino Rog. It is a good machine and will save a lot of time for most jobs. It is accurate and more useful than a biscuit jointer but and it is a big but...the price is far too high. It would take a couple of good jobs to justify spending that sort of money on the 'biscuits' If it were half the price then it would be a viable option for me too. I certianly would build a set of gates with it that is for sure. :lol:

 

[Charlie Woody]

That table and bookcase looks very interesting. It will be interesting to see all of these pieces come together. Some of the items are on my good lady's "Charlie to do list" so I think you may be providing me with some inspiration for future projects.

How did you cut the angle for the stretchers that fit into the central pentagon and how did you cut the domino slots there too please?

As I don't have a domino, but do have a biscuit jointer, could this be use instead?

Just curious why Mailee says that the domino is more accurate and useful than a biscuit jointer? Being retired and hobby woodworker I don't think I would ever be able to afford a domino, so just curious.

 

[Dodge]

How did you cut the angle for the stretchers that fit into the central pentagon and how did you cut the domino slots there too please?

The angles for the pentagon were worked out - fifth of 360 degrees and then cut on a chop saw before being fine tuned with a sharp block plane.

With the Domino, when the central pentagon was glued up I used the joint line to line up the domino before cutting in on the corner

I then cut the corresponding domino slot into the end of the stretcher to its maximum depth

Then slid the domino home to enable me to mark the corresponding "v" shoulder

With this marked I then roughly cut out the waste on the bandsaw

Before finally trimming the shoulders back with a sharp chisel to form the accurate "V" shoulder required

Then repeated for the other four!

Hope this answers your query ok

 

[Charlie Woody]

That's great Roger - many thanks. Things are always simpler if you know how to do them!

What about using biscuits instead of dominos ?

 

[woodbloke]

What about using biscuits instead of dominos ?

In the 'V' joint shown above, biscuits wouldn't give enough depth, so perhaps the Dom is the best way to do this sort of thing :duno: - Rob

 

[Dodge]

What about using biscuits instead of dominos ?

In the 'V' joint shown above, biscuits wouldn't give enough depth, so perhaps the Dom is the best way to do this sort of thing :duno: - Rob

Spot on Rob!

 

[woodbloke]

What about using biscuits instead of dominos ?

In the 'V' joint shown above, biscuits wouldn't give enough depth, so perhaps the Dom is the best way to do this sort of thing :duno: - Rob

Spot on Rob!

It seems fairly clear that in this particular application, the Dom is the easiest way to make the joint and were a lot of this type of jointing to be done, then the purchase of the machine might be warrented. Apart from a Domino, the other way to make it would have been to use a couple of longish dowels, but unless an accurate jig is used (Joint Genie maybe) there's always going to be alignment problems - Rob

 

[Dodge]

Well got the basic construction of the Oak and walnut occasional table completed today - Carrying on with the bookcases tomorrow.

 

[knappers]

Wow. That's nice.
How did you make the curved apron pieces?

Si

 

[Dodge]

Wow. That's nice.
How did you make the curved apron pieces?

Si

Cut from the solid before being shaped and traditionally M&T jointed (Not Dominoed!) into the upright legs. By cutting like this each curved rail has exactly the same grain characteristics.