Design Considerations

[Scoony]

I saw this picture on Instagram and really liked the overall design. I have some white oak on hand to include QS curly planks, enough for two end tables. 

   

I drew up a sketch of what I wanted to do and and started milling and cutting parts. I am now at the point of cutting the M&T joinery. I am debating the flush apron to leg joint. My plan differs as mine will will have a drawer. Will not have the upper arches, nor the center vertical post. The arches will be at the front and rear as lower stretchers and the sides will have straight stretchers (not cut yet).

In my opinion, both the apron and stretchers should either be flush, or both should have a reveal. In other words, If the stretchers are the same dimensions as the legs, they are flush and so the apron should be flush as well. I am not sure that I like the flush look. If I have a reveal at the aprons, I can resaw a little off the arches and they would have the same revel. I think I could leave the insides of the arches flush with the inside of the legs.

Here are the parts with the legs ready to be mortised. The arches already have a tenon as I had to cut that first before cutting the shape.

   

Here are the boards for the top. I have not done the final edge joints yet. This is enough for two tops, so I will glue as one, then cut to final size for the two tops.  

   

I would love to hear some input on the design considerations on flush parts, or a reveal.

[barryvabeach]

I usually like a reveal, because it gives a shadow line, which can draw interest. Also, the nice part about a reveal is that if you are off a few thousands either way on any of the joints, no one will notice.  If the design calls for flush, you need to hit that right on the nose on every joint, which means that you generally must plan to plane or sand the surfaces after the glue dries to get them flush.

[Philip1231]

2nd vote for reveal.

[Bill Holt]

Reveal looks better to me as well.

[Admiral]

4th in line favoring a reveal.

[Petertaylor]

Yes. Reveal will look better.

[Willyou]

I guess I am the only descenting vote. I like the flush assembly. However, I think the way you have cut the pieces with the same quarter sawn grain matching the legs is better. I think it would look good as the sample design. I'm not sure how I will like the changes you propose. It will be totally different.

[Scoony]

Well I hope you all are right! Just kidding! I was thinking of going with the reveal as i started to mill the parts. The one design feature that was buggme from the get go.

I have the mortises cut on the legs and tenons on the arches cut to fit. Still need to mill the stretchers for the sides and cut the aprons down to size.

[Scoony]

Project is moving along. Of course, I have that front arch installed the wrong way, but this is just a dry fit, as I fit all the joinery. 

   

[mr_skittle]

Looks nice. It's a little late now but I would have voted for a reveal as well. I'm doing a piece right now in which I choose the reveal.m It's such a simple trick to add some visual complexity.