Robert Horky
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All woodworkers make mistakes and/or experience booboos. The GREAT ones know how to recover and do so in a way that they only know what happened and if not revealed, no one would ever know. Wonderful recovery.
Michigan Chocolate Table
- Thread starter glenn bradley
- Start date
Jay Caughron
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A friend of mine always said its not how good of a woodworker you are but how good you hide your mistakes
glenn bradley
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I keep some of these Amana miniature router bits around.
The tiny bearings let you get the profile way into the corner which you cannot do with something like a 1/2" bearing on a standard bit.
I run a lot of 1/4" bits in this cordless router that fits my battery platform.
Someone asked about this the other day. The same driver, universal joint and hex drive that I use to raise and lower my router lift also happens to fit these tables. I do not move them much faster than I would by hand but it sure saves my shoulder and elbow for longer days in the shop.
I really like the tables higher for router work.
My first try was with a 1/16" round over. It is always easier to take more off than to try to put some back
. I was not quite satisfied.
I upped the round over to 1/8".
These are not the real legs nor are they at the right height but I wanted to get an idea if I was getting what is in my mind out into the real world.
The tiny bearings let you get the profile way into the corner which you cannot do with something like a 1/2" bearing on a standard bit.
I run a lot of 1/4" bits in this cordless router that fits my battery platform.
Someone asked about this the other day. The same driver, universal joint and hex drive that I use to raise and lower my router lift also happens to fit these tables. I do not move them much faster than I would by hand but it sure saves my shoulder and elbow for longer days in the shop.
I really like the tables higher for router work.
My first try was with a 1/16" round over. It is always easier to take more off than to try to put some back
. I was not quite satisfied.I upped the round over to 1/8".
These are not the real legs nor are they at the right height but I wanted to get an idea if I was getting what is in my mind out into the real world.
glenn bradley
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I have some distractions today so I am kind of posting in baby steps in order to try to keep my focus. I find that when non-shop things are pulling at me, putting on a little Mozart or Celtic music and working through the steps keeps me on track. I have various blocks that I use to elevate things, mostly for clamping but for other things too. When I need a small adjustment, scraps out of the plywood shorts bin come in handy.
This will hold the lower shelf. Not at the actual height but I am just using it to size leg positions and some front-to-back cleats that the slabs pieces will attach to.
I prop the four legs in to confirm my measurements.
I want a bit of a set back for the front-to-back cleats so a couple of credit cards gives me a 1/16" riser.
The cleat length, of course, also has to take this into account. I round the cleat ends at the bandsaw to remove most of the waste. The edge sander really does great for shaping these sorts of things.
I pop the lower cleats into place on their Dominoes to make sure I haven't goofed something up.
Now, on to the uppers.
This will hold the lower shelf. Not at the actual height but I am just using it to size leg positions and some front-to-back cleats that the slabs pieces will attach to.
I prop the four legs in to confirm my measurements.
I want a bit of a set back for the front-to-back cleats so a couple of credit cards gives me a 1/16" riser.
The cleat length, of course, also has to take this into account. I round the cleat ends at the bandsaw to remove most of the waste. The edge sander really does great for shaping these sorts of things.
I pop the lower cleats into place on their Dominoes to make sure I haven't goofed something up.
Now, on to the uppers.
glenn bradley
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Oops! Forgot the leg detail. Not surface prepared yet but you get the idea.
glenn bradley
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The tube sock full of glass beads comes in handy again as a soft-weight.
A typical stopped cut at the router table.
Here's an example of a post-it note to remind me what I had planned to do next when I got interrupted.
I use a dry assembly to let me layout the stopped edge treatments. I mark them with a white pencil when working with walnut.
I increased the round over radius for these parts on the fly.
Here's the general appearance.
These are right off of the machines. I will do my typical hand plane and other hand tool work to prep the surfaces for finish.
A typical stopped cut at the router table.
Here's an example of a post-it note to remind me what I had planned to do next when I got interrupted.
I use a dry assembly to let me layout the stopped edge treatments. I mark them with a white pencil when working with walnut.
I increased the round over radius for these parts on the fly.
Here's the general appearance.
These are right off of the machines. I will do my typical hand plane and other hand tool work to prep the surfaces for finish.
glenn bradley
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Just a little more this morning but an important milestone. I got to the point where I get to hand plane the surfaces of these leg parts 
.
I will take the first one I am working on and wipe it with mineral spirits. I can hold this at an angle to the light and make sure I am getting the surface I am after.
Once I know that I can march through the balance of the surfaces.
Finally I can start gluing things up
.I will take the first one I am working on and wipe it with mineral spirits. I can hold this at an angle to the light and make sure I am getting the surface I am after.
Once I know that I can march through the balance of the surfaces.
Finally I can start gluing things up
glenn bradley
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I use my drill press for a lot of things other than drilling a straight hole. When I wander off I leave a DRO stuck to it to remind me to confirm the table angles. I keep a piece of drill rod in the DP cabinet drawer because it makes it easy to stick the DRO to it for a good reading. I zero at the drill rod.
Then align the table to it, left, right, front, back.
The short front-to-back rails will support the slabs via figure 8 connectors. My normal for these is a Forstner for depth, chisel off the pointy ends for movement and pre-drill the screw holes.
Ta-da!
I've decided to glue the legs to the long cross members first. I tend to do glue-ups in sub-assemblies to make it easier on me.
I don't juggle large parts as well as I used to ;-)
Then align the table to it, left, right, front, back.
The short front-to-back rails will support the slabs via figure 8 connectors. My normal for these is a Forstner for depth, chisel off the pointy ends for movement and pre-drill the screw holes.
Ta-da!
I've decided to glue the legs to the long cross members first. I tend to do glue-ups in sub-assemblies to make it easier on me.
I don't juggle large parts as well as I used to ;-)
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glenn bradley
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Just waltzing through the sub-assembly glue up thing. I got these weird Rockler clamps during a "garage sale" thing that they used to have the next town over before they went out. They are a variation on the Kant-twist welding clamps; they can reach "in" and grab stuff where things like standard face frame clamps (which I have) cannot.
I am often looking for a "third hand" assist now-a-days. I used to just muscle stuff into position but, I am starting to wimp out.
This lets me setup the rather open frame of this base and assure that things are square.
I was trying some rather awkward clamping and cual methods to hold these curved shapes and then I realized I had just what I needed; hand screws.
I will continue to move through the glue up a section at a time to make sure I keep everything square without having to try to square up everything at once.
Ever onward.
I am often looking for a "third hand" assist now-a-days. I used to just muscle stuff into position but, I am starting to wimp out.
This lets me setup the rather open frame of this base and assure that things are square.
I was trying some rather awkward clamping and cual methods to hold these curved shapes and then I realized I had just what I needed; hand screws.
I will continue to move through the glue up a section at a time to make sure I keep everything square without having to try to square up everything at once.
Ever onward.
glenn bradley
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Wow, I am finally getting close
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Looking awesome 
Robert Horky
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really enjoying the journey/tutorial.
glenn bradley
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Not a lot happening this morning but, this afternoon should be more fun. The doo-hickey I made to help me mount wall cabinet doors has come in handy for many other things. Here's another one.
Mortise and tenon joints, when not "housed", are very much like butt joints on the appearance side. I have dressed these things in with scrapers, scratch-stocks, and files. I find that the bits of sandpaper leftover when you switch out your sanding blocks work best for me.
How do you guys do it? Am I missing an opportunity here?
At any rate, the base is now fully glued up. I find that if I leave Titebond for 30 to 60 minutes I can safely (and carefully) handle the assembly. This lets me keep moving forward.
My hope is to dress the aforementioned joinery locations, final prep the slab surfaces,
and get the base color coat on today!!!
Mortise and tenon joints, when not "housed", are very much like butt joints on the appearance side. I have dressed these things in with scrapers, scratch-stocks, and files. I find that the bits of sandpaper leftover when you switch out your sanding blocks work best for me.
How do you guys do it? Am I missing an opportunity here?
At any rate, the base is now fully glued up. I find that if I leave Titebond for 30 to 60 minutes I can safely (and carefully) handle the assembly. This lets me keep moving forward.
My hope is to dress the aforementioned joinery locations, final prep the slab surfaces,
and get the base color coat on today!!!
glenn bradley
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Base color on.
Doing the hand work on the stand.
Doing the hand work on the stand.
Last edited:
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You may need to clear cache, but give pics another try.
glenn bradley
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All better. Thanks!
glenn bradley
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Things start to slow down now as I am just adding finish coats and waiting a day or so in between. I cleared the bench off and laid down the base still reinforced with the false stretcher. This let me work in the profiles at the connecting points.
I put a dimple on the bottom of each leg. This helps the painter's pyramids not wander.
I pick up shower curtains at the clearance bin for a buck. They make good drop cloths.
And here is a first and second coat for the base.
Another nice thing about this wipe-on / wipe-off method is that if you missed a bit of glue or have a spot of lighter wood you can fix it before the next coat and they disappear.
I put a dimple on the bottom of each leg. This helps the painter's pyramids not wander.
I pick up shower curtains at the clearance bin for a buck. They make good drop cloths.
And here is a first and second coat for the base.
Another nice thing about this wipe-on / wipe-off method is that if you missed a bit of glue or have a spot of lighter wood you can fix it before the next coat and they disappear.
glenn bradley
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Just lumping along here. Progress pics don't mean much during this phase. It is just the same pieces being coated and re-coated.
glenn bradley
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Well that was disappointing. I am blaming no one but myself but I have had a lot of interruptions lately. Apparently I forgot to vacuum / blow / tack rag the shelf during an intermediate phase of surface prep. I managed to leave some spoil from the previous finish film in the pores of the wood. I then dutifully ran the next top coat over it. Came back the next day to this.
I tried a little specific area recovery with a card scraper.
But eventually decided to just sand it back and rebuild.
It's not that big of a deal as I am still going through the finishing steps on other parts of the project. It is just a little disappointing to lose all that invested time due to a moments distraction.
I tried a little specific area recovery with a card scraper.
But eventually decided to just sand it back and rebuild.
It's not that big of a deal as I am still going through the finishing steps on other parts of the project. It is just a little disappointing to lose all that invested time due to a moments distraction.
glenn bradley
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Recovery complete. I am back to where I thought I was this morning. I really only lost a few hours and was able to do other work during the "wait" intervals.
