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ChuckV
1538 posts
and
14 followers
in over 10 years
in over 10 years
More from ChuckV
A Wimpy Table
I like to think that this table is "delicate" or "simple" or maybe "understated". But, my six-year-old son insists that it is just "wimpy".
I saw this small trestle table in The American Shakers and Their Furniture by John Shea. It has a photo and a measured drawing. Being fairly new to woodworking, I enjoyed the challenge of building the table from the drawing. I later noticed that there are complete plans for this table available for purchase online. I am glad that I did not notice that earlier - I would have missed out on a good learning experience.
The original table was built in 1840 in a Shaker community in Harvard, MA. The town of Harvard is in central Massachusetts and has nothing to do with Harvard University, which is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. I live just a few miles from the town of Harvard. The original is now at the Fruitlands Museum in Harvard. I plan to go to the museum soon. I believe that the original table is in cherry. Mine is in figured maple.
Cutting the dovetails on such a small drawer was another challenge for me. One of the photos shows the drawer next to an apple (coincidentally, picked in Harvard) for scale. The drawer is simply suspended from the cleats under the table. The last photo shows the small wooden strips that support the drawer via small strips on the top of the drawer sides.
I finished the table with boiled linseed oil and carnauba wax.
Posted elsewhere Sep 18, 2010.
Posted elsewhere Sep 18, 2010.
“Fake quotes will ruin the internet” — Benjamin Franklin
10 Comments
whimpy yes but still serves a purpose chuck. nicely done.
working with my hands is a joy,it gives me a sense of fulfillment,somthing so many seek and so few find.-SAM MALOOF.
Thanks pottz. This table has been through a lot in the past 12 years. I should probably change its name!
“Fake quotes will ruin the internet” — Benjamin Franklin
What's wrong with wimpy? Looks pretty nice.
Ron
That maple is gorgeous and works nicely with the design.
Thanks for the kind comments.
I still feel a little guilty when I see the things that I made with this curly and birdseye maple. I bought it from a man that cut and milled the lumber from his property as a hobby. This was a while ago, and he charged $4/bf for the maple after it was air-dried for two years. He had a separate section with figured maple. That was $2/bf, as if it were inferior. I was honest and told him that he could get a lot more for the figured stuff. He wasn't interested.
I still feel a little guilty when I see the things that I made with this curly and birdseye maple. I bought it from a man that cut and milled the lumber from his property as a hobby. This was a while ago, and he charged $4/bf for the maple after it was air-dried for two years. He had a separate section with figured maple. That was $2/bf, as if it were inferior. I was honest and told him that he could get a lot more for the figured stuff. He wasn't interested.
“Fake quotes will ruin the internet” — Benjamin Franklin
Nice table. I love the Curley / fiddle back Maple.
-- Soli Deo gloria! ( To God alone be the Glory)
That's a good looking table.
Beautiful work; great wood.
I love the figure on that top!
There's a lot in that little table. Nice!!
You don't always get what you go after,but you do get what you wouldn't have got if you didn't go after what you didn't get. Blaze Foley
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