Building a Poppy Table - Part 1.

[Warren46]

I decided to try a skill building project and ordered a set of project plans from this site:

http://www.shopwoodworking.com/product/download-project-stickley-poppy-table/

The finished table should look like this:

As you can see the table does not have any apron. The top is connected to the legs using five strechers connected to a pentagonal hub. The first step is to make the hub in the shape of a pentagon with 2" sides. The plan calls for cutting close to lines with a band saw and then cleaning up with a block plane and shooting board. I like power wheneve possible so I cut close to the lines with a band saw and then cleaned up with a disk sander.

The next step is to make five stretchers that look like this:

Lay out the pins on the each end of the strechers and cut away the waste at the band saw:

Mill a 2x2 block about 10" long to use as a clamp block to mill the pins on each end of the strechers at the router table.

Now lay out the tails on the hub and back to the bandsaw cutting way close to the line:

Clean it up by hand and fit to the strechers numbering the matching parts as you go.

After cutting blanks for the legs it is back to the router table to cut the blind tails in the top of each leg fitting a strecher to each as I sneak up on a good fit.

Six hours of work - well ok play - in the shop and this is what I have.

More to come as I get more done.

Warren

 

[drw]

Very interesting project; I am looking forward to the next installments!

Cheers
ccasion1
Donn

 

[bobby g]

Warren,

LOML and I love the table. I bought the plans tonight. Thanks for posting and I look forward to seeing the rest of your project.

bobby g

 

[Joe Scharle]

Looks like a fun project..Thanks for sharing.

 

[toolferone]

Very nice write up. Looks like a hard/fun days work in the shop. It is looking good. Keep on posting. Is that ambrosia maple?

 

[dlrion]

Wow! Really interesting, I really like the step by step.

Dan

 

[leftoflefty]

Good job so far.:thumbs_up I can't wait to see the next installment. I like the way you cut your dovetails. never thought of doing it that way. I might have to try your method.:gar-Bi

 

[cyclopentadiene]

That is the same plan that I completed not long ago. Photos of my finished piece:
http://www.ncwoodworker.net/forums/showthread.php?t=36630

This was a fun build. I used cherry and for the finish, I first placed theentire piece into a shop made ammoniation tent (PVC pipe covered with plastic and sealed with duct tape with a dish of 28% ammonia (blueprint concentration)) for 48 hours. Allowed the table to air out for a few days and finished with waterlox. This gave the true antique cherry finish. Sorry for the poor quality photos, I forgot to take pictures before I placed it in a gallery. the lighting there is not so good and my photography techniques are worse.

One trick I found that made the jointery look even better was to use system 3 epoxy with some sawdust from the same lumber which made them almost disappear.

What wood are you using?

 

[Warren46]

Very nice write up. Looks like a hard/fun days work in the shop. It is looking good. Keep on posting. Is that ambrosia maple?

Yes, that is ambrosia maple. About five years ago the power company "trimed" a maple for a friend and neighbor that lived across the street at our former home in Gaithersburg, MD. After the power company got done there was not much to do but finish the job. The neighbor was not happy but offered me the logs if I would take down what was left. The lumber has quite a bit of ambrosia streaks in some of the boards and also some boards are nicely spalted. The top and shelf will be from a single board about 19" across.

Now that I am into the project with the maple I am trying to decide how to finish. The original piece was available in either mahogany or oak according to the write up in the plans so it probably should be a dark maple but I am not certain that I want to cover up the character of the wood. I will try a couple of approaches on some scraps and see what I like. I am thinking a sanding sealer followed by a dark stain or perhaps just linseed oil followed by amber shellac. I am open to suggestions here.

If the table turns out looking like something I can be proud of I will give it to the neighbor in Gaithersburg as a reminder of the tree.

 

[Trent Mason]

Excellent work so far. :eusa_clap:eusa_clap:eusa_clap I really like the design and look forward to seeing the next installments. :icon_thum