Creating a Coffee Table for Steph

[scott_vt]

Mornin Mike,
Thats a very good point and one I didnt fully take into account ! I was so focused oon the table design that I forgot that he rescently milled these boards from logs. Talk about tunnel vision

In any event, with your experience you understand what Im talking about.

Im sure that Mike understands that a moisture meter can be used to find out what the moisture content is any particular board. But this tool isnt something that the average Joe would have in his garage.

Back track to the milled boards. My friend milled up some 2 1/2" thick oak for me a couple of years ago. I let it sit out in my screen house for over a year and last fall I moved the planks into my basement to dry the rest of the way. I also have my wood stove in my basement. I feel that Im finally ready to start rough milling the legs for an oak kitchen extension table that my wife has been after me to make. So as Mike stated, my boards have shrunk durring the drying process.

Im sorry about the tunnel vision guys, and thanks for the heads up Mike ! I was just so focused on the design that I forgot about the rest of the thread !

 

[EddieWalker]

Thanks Scotty and Mike,

Seems I have a few potential issues to worry about. The plywood is glued and screwed, so it's not coming out. LOL Can I just seal the entire bottom, plywood and all?

I'm definiately over my head here in what I'm doing, but since I'm learning, this is a good thing. hahaha

It's raining outside, freezing cold with snow predicted. I don't feel like dealing with it, so I'm thinking about being lazy.

It's days like today that TBN sure is nice to have around.

Eddie

 

[Michael_E_Tx]

Hey Eddie.

I'd definitely just proceed to seal the entire bottom. The most important aspect is to seal the bottom as well as the top gets sealed.

Looking forward to the final product. What are you going to seal over the stain with?

Mike

 

[EddieWalker]

Hey Mike,

I'm using Minwax stain and Minwax Polycrilic finish. I have most of a gallon of it and have had good luck with it in the past. Of course, this is a little unique for me as I've never milled my own wood before. I don't know what that will do to the overall finish.

Thanks,
Eddie

 

[Michael_E_Tx]

Hi Eddie.

If you haven't stained the top yet, you might try this test on a piece of scrap. Just wet the piece, or part of it with water and let it dry. This is called raising the grain. Now sand until uniform and compare to your tabletop. The grain will probably be a little crisper, but more importantly, the surface will not be subject to grain swelling if moisture should ever seep through your finish (such as a water glass sitting too long).

If there is very little difference then you've done a good job sanding and you don't have much hammered-in grain from your planing. If that's the case, just proceed with your finishing.

If the grain you raised is pretty fuzzy, I'd raise the grain on the whole table top and re-sand it. It's a cheap thrill, doesn't take very long and lasts a long while. I think you'll find the table top will take stain much more uniformly and the result will be more visually pleasing.

Mike

 

[EddieWalker]

Hey Mike,

Thanks for the tip. I'll be sure to do that.


One of the goals of this coffee table is for the top to be able to raise and convert into a table to eat off of while sitting on the sofa watching TV. I priced brackets from various online sources and thought they were way too much money.

Being cheap and a do-it-yourselfer, I decided to make my own bracket. My brain always starts out on these things in the most complicated way to accomplish it. There is a process that I have to go through to get to a practical, working design that will work and do the job.

Once I cut out all the extra BS in my deisign, I realized I only needed three pieces for each side. Then I cut some scrap plywood to size that I guessed would workd and started to test my plan.

When I knew how long the metal had to be and where the holes needed to be, it was pretty simple to cut some angle iron to size and drill holes for the bolts.

Eddie

 

[hilld]

Eddie,

in picture 53, it looks like you are going to have some interference. Are you going to notch the wood or cut down the angle iron so the top doesn't touch the moving part of the hinge?

Derek

 

[EddieWalker]

Derek,

Thanks for mentioning that. I thought I took the picture after I cut the ends down and rounded off the edges. I didn't even look at them very closely when I posted them, but now I remember that I didn't take a picture of it after that.

Now the brackets are painted and ready to be put together, but the box and drawers are waiting for Steph to prime and paint them.

Eddie

 

[scott_vt]

Derek,

Thanks for mentioning that. I thought I took the picture after I cut the ends down and rounded off the edges. I didn't even look at them very closely when I posted them, but now I remember that I didn't take a picture of it after that.

Now the brackets are painted and ready to be put together, but the box and drawers are waiting for Steph to prime and paint them.

Eddie

Mornin Eddie,
Your gonna need your brother over your place to lift that thing up into position I mean a big strong guy like your self to move that monster Lookin good !

 

[EddieWalker]

Morning Scotty,

I've been wondering about that. How hard will it be to lift? Two of us will be able to do it easy, but can Steph lift it by herself?

On the ones they sell for $150, the metal is much thinner and they seem sort of flimsy overall, but they have springs on them. I'm wondering if some heavy duty springs might help?

I'm just confused on how to do it right now. I know that it's something I can add at any time, so it's not a rush, but it is something I'm thinking about.

Thanks,
Eddie