First Big Project Help

Jack Reynolds

Member
Messages
8
Hey there everyone,
So I am new to the site, but have browsed around on here before. I have messed around with woodworking for several years, but just decided to do my first substantial project. I am looking to make a table very similar to the Lugano Table from World Market. Here is the link http://www.worldmarket.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3557631 and a picture349832_LuganoTable_DFL.jpg

Here's my plan, I am going to use just standard dimensional lumber, Southern Yellow Pine, it is what my local Lowe's carries and I figured since it is my first project I did not want to spend a lot on the wood. I am going to glue up the pieces that need to be thicker than 1.5" I was planning on using Titebond Translucent Wood Glue.

I am going to stain the wood, and since it is a soft wood I figured I would need to use a Minwax Wood Conditioner. Then I was going to stain each piece with Rust-Oleum Kona stain. I think it would probably take 2-3 coats to get the dark rich color I am looking for. I still haven't decided exactly what I am going to use the Minwax Semi-Gloss Polyurethane to finish off the table.

My questions are very broad, What are your thoughts, concerns about my project? Any recommendations would be GREATLY appreciated. Please keep in mind that the tools I have are a table saw, miter saw, Kreg-Pocket Hole Jig, small Band saw, along with other small tools, (random orbit sander, belt sander) But I DO NOT have a jointer or planer.

Thanks in advance for y'alls help!
 
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with out the jointer or planer your gonna have to think ahead on the glueing up of thicker stock and the making of the top, you need good clean edges to get a good glue bond for a panel like your table top or the leg assemblies that are thicker. maybe you know someone that has those tools that you can use. and before you jump into this you should look at the costs to make it your self at 400 dollars already done ,,your gonna be real close to that in material i would think from the borg's.. just some food for thought..
 
Welcome to the family Jack! Looks like a great project. Understand you have asked an open ended set of questions and you will get real world experience talking back at you. Feel free to reask questions or ask new questions based on what comments/answers you get.

I have been asked if I thought some comments were out of line by my answer to this post. Nope, not in the least. What I meant to say and must not have been clear enough, Jack, we have a ton of committed wood workers here (and a few that maybe need committed!!! grin) and like anything else, ask 10 woodworkers how to do a glueup and you would be lucky to only get 12 different answers. I have seen new members get frustrated because they ask and the answers they get might not agree with their intentions and then they take it personally. That is what I was trying to explain. You have asked very good open ended questions and our group/family here tends to answer directly and honestly utilizing their own real world experiences. So if you get answers you don't agree with don't worry about it. If you get answers you don't completely understand, ask more pointed questions to the group or that person. It is an ambitious project and I wish you well with it and hope to see you continue and become a participating member.
 
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Welcome to the forum, Jack. Although I can see a lot of obstacles in your way with your limited tools and I assume experience, I say go for it and don't let any of us naysayers prevent you from going forward with this build.

I think you are correct to start with an inexpensive wood for your first few projects. I do hope you know that finishing something like southern pine and making it look like the picture you provided will be difficult. We do have someone here, Dave Hawksford, who is a professional finisher that can probably help get the best look possible out of the wood.

Depending on your joints, it is possible to do all the entire project with just the tools you have, but I agree getting straight flat faces for your glue ups of thicker stock will be the biggest problem. Larry has a good idea about borrowing some jointer and planer time.

I look forward to what others have to say. Brent Dowell is our table expert here. :)




I'm bad, I'm bad, I'm really bad.
 
Welcome to the site! I agree with everyone else about the fact that joints are going to be tough without a planer/jointer. The Kreg tool will be invaluable. Also, since you shop at the BORG, take a look at the Radiata wood.....just a little more but it takes stain better and is really easy to work with.

As for not spending a lot on wood.....boy-oh-boy the lumber prices are insane right now. See if you can get a discount with opening a credit card, or something like that.

Good luck to you!
 
hey jack where are you located? maybe we have a member that is close to you that can help you out in this project..that is why you see where we have our locations in our profiles so others can see where we are and can offer more help..just ask tom niemi:) he uses my tools more than me:)
 
with out the jointer or planer your gonna have to think ahead on the glueing up of thicker stock and the making of the top, you need good clean edges to get a good glue bond for a panel like your table top or the leg assemblies that are thicker. maybe you know someone that has those tools that you can use. and before you jump into this you should look at the costs to make it your self at 400 dollars already done ,,your gonna be real close to that in material i would think from the borg's.. just some food for thought..

Giving it a second thought, he could build a straight cut sled for the table saw to make his initial joint cut on his lumber. I think there are ways around to having to use a planer or jointer and use the tools he has. It would require the right design to make use of what he has. I think it would be an interesting challenge help Jack do this project with only the tools he has.
 
Welcome to the Family, Jack! :wave:

You've come to the right place to get answers. There's a great bunch of folks here.

As far as what you're planning with the table, it's possible with the tools you have if you are patient. Been there myself over the years but had to prove to myself by doing more advanced projects that it made sense to invest in more tools. Although there are many processes that a jointer and planer would make easier, there are ways to accomplish what you want to do with out them.

For instance, for the table top, "jointing" the edges of boards before glue-up can be done on the tablesaw. Just be sure the blade is set to 90deg to the table. It'll take a lot of sanding to flatten a surface like that, but your belt sander and ROS can do it - with patience.

Aside from the tools you already have (which are essentially what I had for starters), the handiest thing I added early on was a planer. With a little practice and the use of a sled or two, I could "face joint" on the planer, then get to final thickness. As I said earlier, edge jointing was done on the tablesaw.

The main thing is to have patience and prove you can do it!
 
I think your plan for the finish is fine. Pine can tend to stain blotchy if not sanded/sealed/conditioned correctly. My advice would be to save some good sized pieces of scrap to use for testing your finish first. Do everything you would with the table, sand them down with the same grits to the same smoothness and test it all on those pieces first. Might even have some pieces that have knots to see how those respond.

I'm no expert on finishing by a long shot, but always pass that piece of advice along as it's one of the best tips I've learned (after messing up several great projects with bad finishes).

Welcome to the family! :wave:
 
i never said i wouldnt help this guy out just was stating some other ideas from past experiences.. if he has a dowel jig that would help in keeping the table top on the same level with the next board. which could cut down alot of sanding. and if the right blade is in the table saw you can do a good job of edge facing . like they have mentioned but not all blades will do it well.
 
Hey guys,
I do appreciate all the help so far and I am sure I will need a lot more in the future.
Jonathan, I definitely know that I will get tons of answer to just about any question. If there was one answer to the questions, we really wouldn't need a forum! I look forward to getting more than one option/answer for my questions.
So to face joint, would it be beneficial to get jointer clamps, or is this technique http://familywoodworking.org/forums/showthread.php?6136-Tod-s-Top-Tip! as good or better?
As far as the pieces that would not be edge joined, I was going to make templates, then cut, then glue up, then sand or possibly hand plane. How does that sound?
Also do I have to worry about glue lines? Or what is the best way to minimize the lines?
What about the stain, will the glue show up when I do stain the wood?
Also will pine be too soft to be a table top? What kind of finish should I use? Polyurethane or maybe a epoxy 'glass-like' bar finish? Any other ideas would be great?

I'm sure I will have more but if I get some good answers for these it will get me started!!
Thanks
 
I just read an article from an old magazine I got from Larry. To eliminate glue lines it said to tape the boards together then use a sharp blade to cut the tape at the joint. Glue up the boards and the glue will squeeze onto the tape and remove the tape before the glue hardens.
 
jack i have straight lined alot of lumber with tods method.. it works well.. the blade that you use will affect the cut you get. there are a couple companies out there making what they call a glue line rip blade,, i have the frued version and like it alot.. glue on the surface will show up in the staining process so try to avoid it and scrape off the excess while its still soft it comes of easier,,say a half hour after the initial glue up or when it has skinned over.. as for the top finish i would use a wipe on finish for starters and one that can be used easily. you dont want to get into something difficult to repair on your first try,, sometimes we have miscues and need to redo our work to get it right. as for using hand planes to flatten or joint your edges, if your accustomed to using hand planes then got for itbut if your not then you should hold off till you have a better skill set with them on smaller projects. take your time and do it right..
 
Jonathan Shively said:
I just read an article from an old magazine I got from Larry. To eliminate glue lines it said to tape the boards together then use a sharp blade to cut the tape at the joint. Glue up the boards and the glue will squeeze onto the tape and remove the tape before the glue hardens.

Not sure what you mean here, probably simple and I bet I'm over thinking it!!
 
jack i am not Jonathan but can describe this for you,, take two boards and lay them together, place tap over the joint like you were taping a box shut, then slit he tape and then proceed to glue up your boards. the glue if enough applied will squeeze out onto your tape and after the setup time will peel off with the tape.
 
larry merlau said:
jack i am not Jonathan but can describe this for you,, take two boards and lay them together, place tap over the joint like you were taping a box shut, then slit he tape and then proceed to glue up your boards. the glue if enough applied will squeeze out onto your tape and after the setup time will peel off with the tape.

Ah ha! I kept trying to think how gluing then taping would help! But I need to tape, cut tape, then glue!!
Takes this grasshoppa a few times, but I usually get it!!
 
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