Thursday, January 19, 2012

Progress: Rustica

I haven't been getting out much lately. That's just fine, it's cold out and I've been getting good work done on this table.
I had to once again rip the larger planks to be the top apart so that I could mill them. It's a drag, but I just don't have big enough machinery to do much else.
Using my new high angle plane on its maiden project. Thus far this little guy is great!
Elm doesn't plane or work particularly well. Under the plane it is pretty dry and dusty. The high angle is working well though. Before applying finish a quick buffing with steel wool should be all I need.

The final top glue-up after a series of edge joints. Looks pretty darn good from the top and bottom, the end grain will give away the joints though. Oh well, it tells a story.

Already had all my components milled over a few days. Time to think about leg joinery.

I wanted to make this build as simple as possible, something I'm not too familiar with ha. Well turns out I just can't get away that easily. Here's the plan for leg joinery over-head view.

Here it is after the fact. The longer tenons belong to the long apron going the length of the table. This is the only piece spanning the length so it gets both of the twin tenons overlapped. The side is not only shorter (less able to create torque) but it gets a stretcher under the apron. This configuration seems to be a bit of a motif of mine.

There, see? Yes.


How does one trim and square off a table top without a panel-saw, or even a cabinet saw? I don't know. Here's how I did it. A circular saw and a well placed "fence".
It certainly doesn't make a clean cut, which is a drag because this end grain is HARD! I forgot how hard Elm's end grain can be.

Next problem was how to get the piece so I could work the end grain.
Yep, bringing my craftsmanship to a new level...

7 comments:

Jeff Branch said...

Once again interesting joinery and nice form in the last photo. :O

Jason Herrick said...

Looking good man. I JUST spent a few hours standing on a step stool routing too. Lol. Quick question for us machine freaks. So you join and plane on machine, then hit it with your sweet new smoothing plane, then some steelwool, then finish? Curious if I got that right or not? Thanks.

Nick Brygidyr said...

a finisher told me never to steel wool bare wood...the little pieces of iron will get into the grain and depending what finish is used, it'll rust!

Nicholas Nelson said...

Ha yep. As Nick pointed out, I don't really like mitered tenons. Krenov also usually did what he could to avoid them heh.

Jason, let me get back to you on that.

Nick, I suppose that does make sense. I've done it a number of times before including my projects from school. I don't really like using sand paper due to the fine dust. I've though of those plastic non-woven things (automotive) before but need something that will buff more than scuff. Any ideas?

Matt Petersen said...

Coming along nicely. FWIW, if you are looking to simply/lightly buff the hand-planed surface, I suggest you try using a wadded handful of your plane shavings and rub - I haven't tried it on flat surfaces but a similar technique works great on turnings. Can't hurt to try.

csd_jr said...

Nicholas, that top looks awesome! Signe and I still want to stop by and check out Rustica, but now I want to wait and see this table in person! Haven't been in the shop lately. There were two more additions made to the brewing family recently and everyone in the family has been helping out taking care of the new set of twins (the second set my sister has had now). The Winter Carnival Beer Dabbler is this weekend, getting geared up for 4 hours of drinking beer in the cold. Anyway, best of luck finishing up the table!

Nicholas Nelson said...

Thanks guys.

Matt, Yeah I've tried the shavings buffing before. As I understand it's a way to burnish your surface. I'm looking for something with a little more abrasive property.
I picked up some non-woven pads that seem to work pretty well.

Carlus, Wow more than one pair of twins!? While the top selection isn't what I would consider ideal, it should be more attractive than the average commercial furniture heh.
Yeah you guys should come out. Pretty sure you will enjoy something that Rustica has to offer.
Good luck at the dabbler!