The Gustav Greene tables - Complete!

Rennie Heuer

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Just getting started on the next project, a set of three living room tables for a customer in Indiana. He likes Craftsman styles, but wanted the tables to match a clock I built for him last year in mahogany that had a Greene & Greene finish.
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Additionally, he wanted the lines to be a bit softer than what might be seen on a Stickley piece. So, I came up with this design and they loved it. The tables feature through (some faux) tenons and spindles in the Stickley style, and tops with breadboard ends and (probably) ebony accents more in the Greene style. All three tables have drawers that will move on wood slides and sport blind dovetails.
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Just beginning the milling process now, but will work on this in between making drawer fronts and laying on varnish on the dressers in the bedroom suite.
 
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Sweet! I hadn't really noticed your marketing plan before, but you do seem to bring in several larger jobs from your smaller products you've made/sold. Of course the quality of your work and attention to detail completely deserve to be sought after. ;)
 
Yeah, the Rough Cut and Classic Woodworking series are more of the typical fast-moving, fully produced variety. These sessions are live and just run their course with live chat available at the time of shooting. This means live questions and comments can get things side tracked and wander a bit. He and his wife do a good job of keeping things on script. The real time format does still draw things out a bit. I liked the "housed through tenon with another housed tenon going through that" at the leg corners. I'm playing with something like that (in my SketchUp virtual shop) for a sideboard right now.

I like your table designs a lot. SWMBO will go for a lot of the elevations and nooks & crannies of my G&G inspired stuff but, draws the line at the mission style, dust magnet, repeating spindles :D. You might play with spinning the top on the side table 90 degrees to echo the orientation of the top-to-drawer elements on the coffee table. Just a thought, easy for me to say, I'm not doing anything :mad:. Those guys are going to really sing in your mahogany finish. As usual lately, I can't wait to ride along.
 
You might play with spinning the top on the side table 90 degrees to echo the orientation of the top-to-drawer elements on the coffee table. Just a thought, easy for me to say, I'm not doing anything :mad:.
That was put forward in an earlier version of the design and rejected by the customer. ;) So, we have what we have.

Oh, and in his 30 min introduction and background on A&C furniture I was disappointed that he never mentioned Charles 'Rennie' Macintosh. :rofl:
 
I was disappointed that he never mentioned Charles 'Rennie' Macintosh. :rofl:

Yeah, what's up with that!?! I was looking through one of Judith Miller's book on A&C for some inspiration. She has a whole section on C. Rennie-Mac. Uh-oh, I think I just came up with anew nick name for you Rennie-Mac :D
 
Getting started on this project. Most of the coffee table parts are finished and assembly will come this week. However, I’m running into a problem with the top. I used hide glue and the glue lines, and a couple of runs 🙁, must have gotten into the pores and now, when the dye is applied, they sparkle like a Christmas tree. I’ve tried sanding them back and reapplying the dye but the problem persists. There were similar issues on the underside but I paid little attention to them since they were, well, on the underside. I did apply a couple of coats of varnish to the underside and the glue was still visible. I was much more careful with the topside but I fear the glue will show up under the varnish. At this point I think I will just put a coat of varnish on and see what happens.... unless someone has a better idea. :D

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Resawing is not an option at this point as the breadboard ends are already attached. I’ll sharpen up the scraper and give that a try tomorrow. (y)
 
Being hide glue can you hit it with a heat gun and use a stiff brush to try to get the bulk of it out of the pores? Worst case scenario, artist's brush and dye can do wonders on blending blemishes under a top coat.
 
Oh Well.

I scrapped the entire top down to bare wood and I swear I could not see any of the sparkles when I was done. I reapplied the dye, and there they were, just as sparkly as ever. :bang::bang:

So, tomorrow I will lay on a coat of rock hard satin and see if the sparkles are still there. If so, I think I might be making a new top. :thud:
 
What kind of hide glue was that? I want to be sure to try some right away . . . :stick:. . . Too soon?

Seriously, if your next attempt fails. make a new one. I have a pretty short fuse on my "make a new one" flash point. I'm never happy about the extra work but, I am happy with the end result and that lasts a long time.
 
What kind of hide glue was that? I want to be sure to try some right away . . . :stick:. . . Too soon?

Seriously, if your next attempt fails. make a new one. I have a pretty short fuse on my "make a new one" flash point. I'm never happy about the extra work but, I am happy with the end result and that lasts a long time.
Titebond

Not too soon. :D
 
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