Ongoing Shop Stuff: Mission Hall Table

[Swingman]

Always interested in playing around with available, preferably free, technology, and attempting to gauge how it fits in with woodworking projects and the building and sharing of same with those of like mind, here's a current, "spare time" shop project, with no political content.

This one's a hall table, being built as a wedding gift for some friends. The table, in the Arts & Crafts style, is one these folks had expressed a previous liking for after seeing the original that I designed and built some seven years or so ago:

Technology in this instance is Google Sketchup, to model the new version; and Google's Picasa Web, to follow along with the fabrication as it progresses:

those interested in downloading the actual SU file, it is available in the Google 3D Warehouse at:

[Larry Jaques]

Ruby gets my guess. 2011 model has a better balance. Kudos.

It's quite tall. I'm curious why you went with 33".

Nicely figured QSWO.

Danke mucho, monsieur.

-- The more passions and desires one has, the more ways one has of being happy. -- Charlotte-Catherine

[SonomaProducts.com]

Very nice and right up my alley.

In lieu of the cleat under the shelf I would have considered biscuits or a spline or M&T into the lower spreaders. I have a few similar pieces where I use a through tenon on the shelf.

The other possibility is hiding the cleat in a blind rabbet or even pocket screws.

If you do use the cleat consider chamfering it or some other treatment to make it more "designed" than simply structural.

[Leon]

[Leon]

I saw the dwawing a couple if weeks ago, I thought the same thing but then realized the the cleat is about 10" above the floor and will probably never be seen.

[Larry Jaques]

I think I'd better leave that particular straight line alone.

-- The more passions and desires one has, the more ways one has of being happy. -- Charlotte-Catherine

[SonomaProducts.com]

Yes, but he will know it's there 50 years from now.

[Swingman]

Actually, I don't mind, in the least, a hidden cleat holding a shelf in place in that particular situation. (and, in this particular piece, "hidden" it is, as it cannot be seen unless one was to lie down on the floor and look up)

It is a traditional, time honored method that is simple, effective and, with slotted screw holes, has been used for hundreds of years as a method of support that also mitigates any cross grain movement in all types of furniture from desks to footstools to tables to magazine racks, ad infinitum .... and yes, even by the masters themselves. :>)

[Swingman]

Painted by my wife's nephew, who uses art as a weapon. :)

Although I had no intention of ever making that particular table again, I do like to tweak things a bit just to keep from getting bored. ;)

That said, this is just a simple hall table, not some high artistic endeavor. I was flattered that they have mentioned it repeatedly as something they would like to have in their new home ... so now they will. And yes, it is a surprise.

It's actually 1" shorter than the original, and not by design. (you don't want to know).

Hall tables, which were often used in the old days to hold visitor's calling cards on a tray, are generally taller.

Victorian's apparently did not like to bend over?

Red oak ... simply to insure the chance of a better match to some of their other furniture (red oak) after being stained.

[Robatoy]

Only in British boarding schools. (Somebody had to say that)

I quite like the taller look of a hallway table and the mission/ metropolitan/arts&crafts style suits it well. Unfortunately at our house, the beauty of the thing would be buried quickly under a mountain of hats, gloves, keys, etc. That would trigger an unhappy Angela, and none of us really want that.

[Larry Jaques]

Simple is in keeping with the A&C tradition. It's one of the reasons I like that style.

BTDT.

I thought that Victorians were shorter than us back then.

That's damned nice figure for red ook. Please tell me that you fumed it and left the grain open. Pretty please?

-- The more passions and desires one has, the more ways one has of being happy. -- Charlotte-Catherine

[Larry Jaques]

Oops, missed replying to that: I see. Put a veil over it and tell him "_Now_ it's art."

-- The more passions and desires one has, the more ways one has of being happy. -- Charlotte-Catherine

[Larry Jaques]

Get Angela a book on pine needle basketmaking. Cover it with a few of those to nice effect. Here ya go:

better yet, take it up yourself. It takes less time (and pisses off fewer people) than arguing with trolls.

-- The more passions and desires one has, the more ways one has of being happy. -- Charlotte-Catherine

[Lobby Dosser]

Koko's?

[Lobby Dosser]

They kept their cards in suit coat breast pocket.

[Lobby Dosser]

[Robatoy]

Collateral damage. Shit happens.

[Swingman]

>

>

Finally got some shop time in this afternoon ... tomorrow this puppy oughta be standing on it's front and hind legs.

[Upscale]

Nice looking little table. You know, it's funny how with the changing of a few lengths and a few widths there, one can come up with a whole different type of table. I'd say this table is a distant relative of the trestle garden table design I transmorgified from your dining room table.

[Swingman]

Thanks! Four legs, some aprons, and a top and you got your instant transmorgification. :)