My 1st Piece of "Furniture"

[obxdiver]

Been working on a small table that's meant to serve as sort of a mini-bar. It has a couple shelves for bottles and glasses and a butcher block table top. The top and legs are white ash with white oak for the shelves. The wood was leftovers from other projects and was used just because it's what I had. I applied Minwax golden oak stain to add some color. I'm not sure what I'll top coat it with, if anything.

The oak wasn't too bad to deal with, but ash is a major pain. It wants to grab every tool you use on it and tear out left and right. Stainless steel sheet metal doesn't grab a drill bit as bad as this stuff. I gave up on planing it. My irons were sharp enough to shave with and no matter whether I went with the low angle or high angle plane, I couldn't keep it from digging in. I ended up flattening it out with 80 grit and a power sander. It was a learning experience and I think I'll avoid ash in the future.

This is my own design and my first piece that I'll call furniture.

Still need to trim my tenons and dowels plus put a skirt on the top, if that's the proper term. All I've got left is a couple pieces of maple, but I think it will work. Might have to shorten the top a little as my pieces aren't quite long enough. A 4' piece won't quite make 32" x 16". Doh!

 

[bash]

Very nice. I like your design.
Those overhangs and saw kerfs have made me go get another board more than once.

 

[MikeH]

That looks really nice!

 

[obxdiver]

Very nice. I like your design.
Those overhangs and saw kerfs have made me go get another board more than once.

That's what happens when you're freehanding it with a circular saw, can't quite reach the end, and have to readjust your position mid-cut. :eusa_doh:

It's going to be covered, anyway.

 

[jlimey]

Bart,

That looks very nice!

If you don't mind some design advice, I wouldn't put a mitered skirt on a solid wood top. As the wood expands, it will open the miter joint.
If you like the thickness but are just trying to hide the holes, I would laminate another strip on the edges, or plug the holes. If you want a thicker look, your choices are limited. Perhaps a breadboard end that overhangs the skirt on the side. The skirt will start flush with the end of the breadboard, and move in/out a little as the top moves.

 

[LeftyTom]

Looks tight and sturdy. :icon_thum

 

[golfdad]

Looks good Bart. I don’t understand the problems you had with ash though. I have built many a project with ash and have never had those problems. Hickory now that’s a different story

 

[Jim M.]

Nice design, good looking project for your first.