Farmhouse Table

[jms]

Ok guys, I've picked my first woodworking project with the ShopSmith - and it will only be my second woodworking project to date (the first was a Shaker book case via Family Handyman plans that I built about 5 years ago).

This time around its a new table for the breakfast area. With 4 kids plus the 2 parents we need something a little larger with more seating than we have. I've been looking at plans and tables for inspiration for months (years, truthfully) and I believe I'm going to attempt to replicate the table discussed and pictured at the following post ...

http://www.woodcentral.com/woodworking/ ... use-table/

I do intend to use hickory for the top and poplar for the base as it will be painted. I have not decided yet if I will keep the leg profile used here, or adjust it to have more of a shaker taper, which would match the book case that it will be next to.

I believe that I can complete a majority of this project with just my ShopSmith and a handheld router, see the details below - but I wanted to open up the conversation for your opinions on my thoughts and any other things I may have not yet thought about.

1) Jointing / Planing all components - I expect the poplar for the base to be S4S and fairly easy to joint/plane using my SS. However, my local lumber yard carries hickory S2S and I'm concerned about being able to make flat square hickory planks (7/4 planed down to 1.5", and then about 8" wide). If S2S but ends up not actually flat (it is skip surfaced), won't I have to joint the surfaced faces before jointing the edges? How can I joint the 8" face with a 4" jointer? Am I thinking about this incorrectly? Any other thoughts?

2) Tapering the table legs - I was planning on using my SS table saw for this. I assume I'll need some sort of miter jig made to make sure I make each taper consistent? I really don't know the best way to accomplish this but I'm sure an internet search will reveal many options. Band saw also comes to mind. I don't yet have the SS miter gauge but do plan on ordering one from eBay in the next day or two, or would I be better off with the Incra or Kreg miter gauges - they seem to be superior products especially on larger pieces. Thoughts?

3) Edge glueing the table top - I am using bowed 4-way clamping cauls, similar to the shopsmith versions but made using a kit from Amazon (nearly identical to the Rockler kit) and my own lumber, using instructions from the internet for creating the right amount of bow. I was going to use splines as in the original blog post above, but everything I've read says that with the proper edge glue up with bowed 4-way clamping cauls I shouldn't need them even for alignment. Thoughts?

4) Mortise in the table legs - I was going to use the SS with a straight cut router mortising bit to cut a 3/4" x 1-1/2" mortise in the legs for each apron tenon. Then use a chisel to square up the round end of the mortise. I do have a handheld router as well and could make a jig, but as I said I'd like to use my SS for as much as possible, unless it's just unnecessarily painful. Other option could be hollow chisel with mortise hold-down on the SS. Thoughts?

5) Tenon for the table apron - I have the SS tenon master jig, but seems to me these aprons are far too large. 1.5" thick poplar, many feet long, with a 3/4" x 1-1/2" tenon. So, next step was to use my handheld router and a jig to cut the tenons. This seems like the right option, but I'd like to hear your thoughts.

6) Mortise in breadboard ends - again plan to use SS with slot mortise router bit and follow the original post details

7) Tenon on table top ends - again seems handheld router and jig

8) At the original blog link above, the poster uses what appears to be some sort of draw knife to cut the bead in the apron -- what is that tool called? Google search for "beading draw knife" results in no good answers LOL.

9) General SS setup and alignment -- I have ordered the dial gauge from SS to align the table, miter, etc. I did not order the alignment DVD but will watch the saw dust sessions. I have a dewalt 60T table saw blade, and an older SS blade that has lots and lots of teeth, if the table saw is the best way to taper the legs, are either of these a good blade for the task (sorry I'm not yet sure when to use which blade)?

Any other thoughts / recommendations?

Thanks everyone !

[garys]

I love the hickory. I have my entire kitchen done in hickory. If I made the table, I would not paint the legs or any part of the table. To me, the real wood look beats paint any day. I made a kitchen table for my house a few years ago. I made mine from Cherry, the top, legs, and everything. The cherry is finished in a clear urethane to show off the beauty of the wood. I build from plans in my head, so I didn't follow any written or drawn plans. For me, it is easier that way.
Go for it! You get to enjoy building it and then you get to enjoy using it every day after that.

[reible]

"1) Jointing / Planing all components - I expect the poplar for the base to be S4S and fairly easy to joint/plane using my SS. However, my local lumber yard carries hickory S2S and I'm concerned about being able to make flat square hickory planks (7/4 planed down to 1.5", and then about 8" wide). If S2S but ends up not actually flat (it is skip surfaced), won't I have to joint the surfaced faces before jointing the edges? How can I joint the 8" face with a 4" jointer? Am I thinking about this incorrectly? Any other thoughts?"

S2S may not have perfect flats but flat enough to joint the edges or the supplier is not a very good one. Make no mistake you will have to joint the edge then rip to width at a minimum. As for thickness there are several ways to deal with this, a lot of this depends on what tools you have. Since you mentioned owning a router you can make a sled that will both reduce the thickness of the stock but also get it flat. Look up flattening stock with a router for ideas of how this works.

More answers later.

Ed

[reible]

"2) Tapering the table legs - I was planning on using my SS table saw for this. I assume I'll need some sort of miter jig made to make sure I make each taper consistent? I really don't know the best way to accomplish this but I'm sure an internet search will reveal many options. Band saw also comes to mind. I don't yet have the SS miter gauge but do plan on ordering one from eBay in the next day or two, or would I be better off with the Incra or Kreg miter gauges - they seem to be superior products especially on larger pieces. Thoughts?"

Here is a link to a jig that I made to do taper cuts and for multi-taper legs. It also works to get a square edge on stock that you can't run against your fence. It could work but keep in mind the thickness of your material means more then one cut to get to depth. This might not come out as smooth/flat as you would like and be much more difficult to accomplish.

http://shopsmith.com/ss_forum/general-w ... 11262.html

Shopsmith and others make a taper jig which has the advantage of getting a deeper cut but lacks a provision for dual tapers so that would be left up to you to deal with.

So perhaps looking at using a bandsaw is not a bad idea. Those cuts will need cleaning up as well but it would be just one pass. Again if you have dual tapers you will have to deal with that on your own by way of a jig or perhaps taping the cut-off back on?

Ed

[reible]

"3) Edge glueing the table top - I am using bowed 4-way clamping cauls, similar to the shopsmith versions but made using a kit from Amazon (nearly identical to the Rockler kit) and my own lumber, using instructions from the internet for creating the right amount of bow. I was going to use splines as in the original blog post above, but everything I've read says that with the proper edge glue up with bowed 4-way clamping cauls I shouldn't need them even for alignment. Thoughts?"

If it were me I would use the splines or at least biscuits, two by two in this thickness of wood. More glue surface and the alignment have always worked for me.

If you do decide to go with just face glue I'd make sure I had more clamps to pull it all together. Four clamps for 5 feet..... just doesn't sound like enough to me.

Ed

[reible]

"4) Mortise in the table legs - I was going to use the SS with a straight cut router mortising bit to cut a 3/4" x 1-1/2" mortise in the legs for each apron tenon. Then use a chisel to square up the round end of the mortise. I do have a handheld router as well and could make a jig, but as I said I'd like to use my SS for as much as possible, unless it's just unnecessarily painful. Other option could be hollow chisel with mortise hold-down on the SS. Thoughts?"

and

"5) Tenon for the table apron - I have the SS tenon master jig, but seems to me these aprons are far too large. 1.5" thick poplar, many feet long, with a 3/4" x 1-1/2" tenon. So, next step was to use my handheld router and a jig to cut the tenons. This seems like the right option, but I'd like to hear your thoughts."

The shopsmith can be used for the large mortises, you might find it faster to drill most of it out with a Forstner bit of the correct size then finish by hand(chisel) then making all the adjustments for router cutting.......

For the tenon any reason you can't use your table saw function with a dado blade? You can use the rip fence as a stop and miter gauge with backer to do the cuts then if need be clean up with a small shoulder plane. Just make over lapping cuts until you reach the desired length.

Ed

[reible]

"7) Tenon on table top ends - again seems handheld router and jig"

Here the width of the table will make getting a nice clean cut difficult but if you can get most of it cut with the table saw it would be nice. I final edge can then be done with at router and guide edge. It can all be done with a router but make sure you plan it out so you have support for the router as you cut outside to inside. Larger sub-base would help.

Ed

[reible]

"8) At the original blog link above, the poster uses what appears to be some sort of draw knife to cut the bead in the apron -- what is that tool called? Google search for "beading draw knife" results in no good answers LOL."

You can get that same look using a router bit, look up bullnose bits. I think if it were me I rather have a more rounded edge on the bottom, for this I'd go with a edge beading bit.

If you have to go with hand tools I can't tell you where he got that particular one or they even make them anymore. The do have hand planes that have blades like that which would be another option.

Ed

[reible]

"9) General SS setup and alignment -- I have ordered the dial gauge from SS to align the table, miter, etc. I did not order the alignment DVD but will watch the saw dust sessions. I have a dewalt 60T table saw blade, and an older SS blade that has lots and lots of teeth, if the table saw is the best way to taper the legs, are either of these a good blade for the task (sorry I'm not yet sure when to use which blade)?"

I'm not a fan of the dial gauge for doing the alignment but I do use it to check the results. I could live without it. But you are on track wanting to align your shopsmith before getting into the project and then checking it from time to time.

Blade wise, there are blades for cross cuts, which is likely what the 60 tooth blade is that you have. Then there are rip blades, fewer teeth and deeper gullets. Then there are comb blades with can do both functions.

For this project I think you might want to look at some new blades. A thin kerf glue edge rip blade for the ripping of the hickory for sure. If the option is there I would get a crosscut blade or comb blade for the other cuts. I personally like Infinity blades sold at infinitytools.com. Other people have their own favorites.

Ed

[JPG]

A rip blade will make tapering the legs less difficult.

The jointer could be used for tapering, but getting them accurate is a challenge.