Simple Table Build

This was my first serious wood working project.  I had a glass L-shaped desk that I really wasn’t happy about.  I decided to challenge myself and build a simple desk with tapered legs.

I began by creating a panel of Redwood 2×6’s. Redwood is primarily an outdoor wood and tends to be too soft of heavy wear furniture, but I was looking for something inexpensive to try building my first piece of furniture.

Simple Table Build

I then cut some long and short stretchers and laid out some shoulders for some mortise and tenon joinery.  Mortise and tenon wasn’t the easiest for a first time furniture project, but go big or go home right!?

Simple Table Build
Simple Table Build

Using my Plunge Base Mortise with a straight bit I cut the mortises to receive the leg tenons.  These legs were originally milled down from a 4×4.  When routing thinner stock  it is imperative you use and edge guide and the router base is properly supported.  I built my own using a design I saw on Jay Bates site here.

With all the mortises cut it was time to move back over to the table saw.  I used the Rockler Tapering Jig.  For these legs I was going to be cutting a 4-sided taper.  When cutting a 4-sided taper it is important to keep the cut offs in order to use them as wedges and support the piece when making the final cuts.

I then assembled the frame with glue and clamps.  After the table was dry I used a forstner bit and some Figure-8 fasteners to attach the table top.

With the table assembled it was time to add a decorative chamfer to lighten the profile of the table, and apply a few coats of Satin Polyacrylic finish.

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