Side table for my TV room

[Crazyraceguy]

I have been playing around with leg shapes/designs in my head for a while now. The idea that struck me during the square taper to octagon seems like it would not work for this one. The legs are too short for it to flow right, something else was needed, so I went for another experiment.  The taper is on the outside of the legs and inverted. This gives a somewhat bell-bottom foot look. At least that's how I imagined it? I wasn't sure how it would look...and took a chance.
The disadvantage of this is that the thinness at the top doesn't leave much room for joinery. I put a couple of 8mm Dominos in the aprons but had to miter them to not interfere with the adjacent side. I resolved the glue contact area issue with some diagonal blocks on the inside. It's probably still not the strongest thing, but it's for my own use, rather short, and the top is only 22" square. For a coffee cup, TV remote and phone charger, it should be fine.
It's all made from more of that same reclaimed wood from before. Red Oak on the legs, this time with lacquer to give some color, and I just don't know about the top? It is very fine grained, soft, light weight, and has some spalting too. I used the same water-based Polycrylic as before, trying to keep from changing the color. Both still need at least one more coat and some buttons to hold the top on, but it's close. Not bad for a few extra minutes each day this week.

 

[luvmytoolz]

Very nice work! Love the timber and grain!

 

[4nthony]

The reverse taper on the legs makes for a good look. It's subtle, but adds a nice visual weight.

 

[woodbutcherbower]

Agreed. The legs look really good, and the grain on the top is spectacular. I love the understated delicacy of it, too. I’d probably have used 4” x 4” for the legs and a 2” thick top  [big grin]

 

[PaulMarcel]

Love the dimensions as well. That top wood is spectacular whatever it is.

I bet it felt strange for you to make something less than 12' long!  [tongue]

 

[Crazyraceguy]

Love the dimensions as well. That top wood is spectacular whatever it is.

I bet it felt strange for you to make something less than 12' long!  [tongue]

The dimensions kind of came from the space where it will live and the wood itself. The legs are a 2 piece glue-up that came out just slightly over 1 3/4" square. The aprons are from the same board, so 7/8". I ran the taper from 1 3/4" to 1", leaving just enough offset, but that puts them at the inner corner. That how I ended up with such short Dominos. I glued them in first and cut them off with the mitersaw.
I have no idea what the wood can be, I'm guessing it's the wood equivalent of the derogatory term "Chineseium", since it came from a shipping crate.
It's light and soft like Poplar, but the grain is far more closed, like Maple. The growth rings are very subtle. It must have been laying around somewhere still green for a while before milling, since there are some spalting lines in it. In its rough form, you can't really see any of that though.
I'll get a close up endgrain shot Monday.

Yes, building something that I don't have to consider doorways, or that I can lift by myself, is a little odd.

Agreed. The legs look really good, and the grain on the top is spectacular. I love the understated delicacy of it, too. I’d probably have used 4” x 4” for the legs and a 2” thick top  [big grin]

Thank you. I have several more pieces of the same stock. I really should make something else for the house, so it matches. I know what you mean, I like thick/chunky too.
The really funny thing is, I can't stand heavy round overs in solid surface (Corian). I do the slightest 45 degree edge break by hand. The "standard" is 1/8" (3mm) but if something is not specifically called out on the drawing, which is usually 1/4" or more, I do it my way. No one has ever complained about it, but the beauty is that it could be done later. It can always be bigger, you can't back up.
All of the Corian tops I made for the break room of the new building are that way and they have been there nearly 4 years now.

The reverse taper on the legs makes for a good look. It's subtle, but adds a nice visual weight.

Thanks, it was purely a gamble that it would look good. It was just a whim, but once you commit to the taper running all the way to the end, the only way to turn them back over to small end down would be to cut some thickness from the top, straightening it back out (or angling the ends of the aprons)
I stood them on the bench ganged together and decided to go for it. First cut on the Dominos though, I knew I would have to do something.  [blink] I could have(and probably should have) moved them out, closer to the outside of the apron, since they are so thick. It wouldn't have gained a lot, but couldn't hurt.
I think the corner blocks are enough and, like I said before, it will get very light use.....besides, I know a guy who can fix it  [big grin]

Very nice work! Love the timber and grain!

Thank you. Now I need to come up with something to do with the rest of it. Maybe a cabinet for the TV itself. The one I have is some store-bought thing that I was given years ago. Red Oak is easy to get and I could make end panels and the top from this stuff.

 

[Rutabagared]

Good work!