Hall Table - Sort of a build-along

[jteneyck]

John,

I remember your mentioning that original Incra jig on an earlier project. I noticed you used it this time to cut box joints for the drawers. Will it cut dovetails also?

Thanks,

Doug

Yes, just as easily, but it takes a couple more steps.  You start by running a rabbett with dovetail bit along the inside edge of the tail boards.  



Then you cut the tails like you would finger joints.



The pins are cut with the workpiece flat on the router table, using a stop block to control the depth, and indexing in the same manner on the Incra Jig.  



The Original Incra Jig comes with templates for various size dovetail and finger joints, even dovetails inside a dovetail, at least it did when I bought it and the book that goes with it.  But you can design your own pretty easily once you understand how it works.  You can cut through or half blind dovetails, too.  





Here are the mating parts.  



But you have to do some handwork both parts to get the joint to go together.  








John

[Tapper]

Yes, I thought the basic jig did dovetails also. I have the Incra fence system for my router table; bought it along with their top at the same time; built the cabinet myself. A couple of years ago I used it to cut dovetails for ~25 drawer boxes I made for the base cabinets in my shop. This is the one that uses the slide-in templates for the various dovetail patterns. There was a learning curve involved, but once it was "dialed in" it went pretty fast. Always adjustments and fine tuning involved with this method, but considering it was the first time I had used the fence system for cutting dovetails, I was pretty pleased.

Incra is a great company to work with IMO. I made more than one call to my contact there with questions, and he was always very helpful and patient. Great products also!

Doug

[Dumb_Polack]

DT and pocket hole screws in the same piece??????

You sir, are being DISHONORABLY DISCHARGED from all future WWing activities!   

Turn in your uniform, collect you last check and get off the base IMMEDIATELY!!!!!


DISMISSED!!!!

[jteneyck]

DT and pocket hole screws in the same piece??????

You sir, are being DISHONORABLY DISCHARGED from all future WWing activities!   

Turn in your uniform, collect you last check and get off the base IMMEDIATELY!!!!!


DISMISSED!!!!

Those dovetails were for the drawers in a different project.  I showed them to answer Doug's question about the Original Incra Jig.  I used finger joints in this project, so I refuse to turn in my uniform or leave the base.  But I am looking forward to collecting the check when I deliver the table.  

John

[Dumb_Polack]

Those dovetails were for the drawers in a different project.  I showed them to answer Doug's question about the Original Incra Jig.  I used finger joints in this project, so I refuse to turn in my uniform or leave the base.  But I am looking forward to collecting the check when I deliver the table.  

John

Ha!   Good one!!!!

[jteneyck]

I finished the table using a custom mixed Minwax waterborne stain.  I causes grain raising so I pre-raised the grain, then carefully sanded it smooth with 320 grit by hand.  Before doing that, I brushed the parts with a stiff plastic bristle brush to open the pores as much as possible because with the opaque stain the only reason to use rift sawn white oak is to show the grain.  

Despite pre-raising the grain the stain still caused grain raising on some parts.  The purely rift sawn parts were not affected nearly as much as those that had some plain sawn grain in them.  I guess that's to be expected.  Solvent based stains are so much less problem to use in this regard.  After the first coat of stain had dried, I sanded it as carefully as I could with 320 grit sandpaper and then applied a second coat to just about fully cover the underlying wood color.  I looked like this afterwards plus a coat of clearcoat.




Here's a photo of my temporary spray booth.  Nothing fancy, just plastic hung from the ceiling, a drop cloth on the floor, and a duct from my DC in the back to suck away the overspray.  My DC vents directly outdoors so I have no worries about blinding bags/filters, etc.  



It takes 5 minutes to set up and disassemble.  It gives me a booth size of about 8 x 8 ft, large enough for nearly any project I've ever done.  



You can see the air line on the left coming from the secondary regulator.  The compressor is in my garage about 30 ft away.  

One more update to show the finished table in its new home.  Going to be another week or so for that though, time for some skiing first.  

John

[Tapper]

John,

On my screen that color looks to be silver in tone - that correct?

Doug

[jteneyck]

John,

On my screen that color looks to be silver in tone - that correct?

Doug

It's gray to my eyes.  Whatever it is, the lady's entrance way and living room is filled with furniture the same color, except for the white couch and chairs. The kitchen next to it is all white.  The only "wood" is the white stained white oak laminate floor.  Very sterile and cold looking place.  As you might guess, the lady is a clean freak.  

John

[Tapper]

It's gray to my eyes.  Whatever it is, the lady's entrance way and living room is filled with furniture the same color, except for the white couch and chairs. The kitchen next to it is all white.  The only "wood" is the white stained white oak laminate floor.  Very sterile and cold looking place.  As you might guess, the lady is a clean freak.  

John

OK, gray works (was looking at it yesterday on my phone). I was surprised to see it that color after all the nice work you did, but now I understand. Don't like that "sterile" look - to each his (her) own I suppose.

Doug