I haven't posted a build along project in some time. Thought you might enjoy seeing another project come together. A lady I've built quite a few pieces for asked me to build her a hallway table for her front entrance. Simple, clean lines, two drawers in the front. Shaker immediately came to mind, but most all her furniture is pretty modern, and gray, so classic Shaker wasn't exactly right. This is what I drew up.
![[Image: AM-JKLU4xQkbmaXYJALp5UwolZITvFRJoN4LNVsz...authuser=1]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AM-JKLU4xQkbmaXYJALp5UwolZITvFRJoN4LNVszBYGo4W8_Z6knH6Tx9ZRLeCVd78fVsvmAY0ZQxfLkCYZ_nyi7vS7gWycpVcFCxl7kb3AmsxHTsuDojrqXfSuVEisllAc-QiOBfFqlcmdLwgVf6yL3nP3LHA=w1470-h609-no?authuser=1)
Legs tapered on two sides, the top beveled underneath to lighten the look, and the drawers running completely across the front with no visible frame. Not shown, but very much part of the build, was to incorporate leveling feet because the contractor who did about a million $'s in renovations to her house didn't get the floors level, anywhere. I'm talking more than a little, like an inch over 6 feet in some places. But I digress. Just leave it say leveling feet are needed. She has a grandkid that's a terror beating up her furniture, so we decided on rift sawn white oak. I told her Rubio Monocoat might be a good choice for the finish since it's so easy to repair. She wanted the same gray color as the rest of the furniture, and RM comes in lots of colors, so I said I'd make a sample for her approval. I'm not wild, even mildly, about coloring white oak gray, but it's her furniture and she is paying me, so give the lady what she wants.
I found what I thought would be just enough rift sawn white oak in my shed that I had milled with a chainsaw about 10 years ago. I used the three nicest boards to glue up the top and set it aside.
Next I started on the legs by getting them squared. I had hoped to make them 1-1/2" at the top, but the board I had ended up giving me 1-3/8, so that's what they are. Beautiful rift sawn wood, though. I laid out the sides that needed to be tapered, so I wouldn't hose it up cutting them. They will be just over 3/4" at the bottom.
![[Image: AM-JKLUj216a4pmAFpB4vIwuv9Dh06ZHh_2CRwas...authuser=1]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AM-JKLUj216a4pmAFpB4vIwuv9Dh06ZHh_2CRwas8u2PjSMT5PBvuMNBnJHveilh_XsUCemCEZhAoDO5ThVdmuM3zPsWIA_DsDYGhuo-Sh6GXAIgarHahQs1ZsPhe6FwQtglVq3B3jIHNLCLnXpNkHupoiNpKA=w1470-h828-no?authuser=1)
The simplest and stupid proof taper jig I've ever seen is this one.
![[Image: AM-JKLU1Pkem9gj1mDiluIrweHvMq6XipKUEnc-8...authuser=1]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AM-JKLU1Pkem9gj1mDiluIrweHvMq6XipKUEnc-89kjmEbIxQFMwNMtE25AdPxoAyACxqErgHgA3_Qp7qTolz-D25OaHnuMYvQBN2zGCnFWzZUB1-Ra0Ah-r-UU8DUCI4aZ6f80vIXqXN3aCVVBY7aDmu-cM9Q=w503-h893-no?authuser=1)
It's nothing more than a piece of scrap plywood with parallel edges. You screw a stop on the end and then tack or glue a spacer in the corner that is equal to the taper you need. You put the workpiece against the stop and side of the plywood and set the rip fence so the blade hits the workpiece where you want the taper to start, or a little shy of that to allow for cleanup. Then just run it through the saw. The forces naturally push the workpiece against the stop so there's no fighting to hold it in place. After one face was cut, I just rotated the leg to cut the other face.
![[Image: AM-JKLUnrCIJazblpe6zHAh6kLTSr88wSy6RTCkB...authuser=1]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AM-JKLUnrCIJazblpe6zHAh6kLTSr88wSy6RTCkBAkAm5P2BWvN8oOBkgxgCl5H1IsYpcZqQ-SU-7bedLvThfcCX7qmzIRRcBRiLHzyCc0Sg9yU0mfO_3rEkNt6BL4Aua1eUopcaYat2VTFNSdCJtBzNxv1VsQ=w503-h893-no?authuser=1)
After all the tapers were cut I cleaned them up with a single pass on the jointer.
![[Image: AM-JKLU82qSuAFZtcxTbx6_pY_zYqGwQsm951k3l...authuser=1]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AM-JKLU82qSuAFZtcxTbx6_pY_zYqGwQsm951k3lfhZ0WqILamc-XJlY4c8_66CmHNnhjdI_B4LiBuuV9mN6lznKu4lEeyAvE0DfpJ4D_qw0HnExzYwIRrxitN5eUzdprbLbLWr98vkb4hvBef-eW-43S0bl-A=w1470-h828-no?authuser=1)
With the tapers done I laid out and cut the mortises for the stretchers on the sides and back, and cut them with my horizontal router mortiser.
![[Image: AM-JKLV3-75QwKFIH6XyvFZmsd0aqCekp43H0bFB...authuser=1]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AM-JKLV3-75QwKFIH6XyvFZmsd0aqCekp43H0bFB7m5Wn9st5Y9mXT-i8E0-bHj7CqP18xgO1_BGyQuwCN6Yat6BAxPzBDLqru03xnUepEqFOM7vcB0w0lNFQg3dUjcp2sm5Us_0Y3D15LX-xtN1MxlAB_Y_6A=w1470-h828-no?authuser=1)
Fast, simple, accurate. Unless you have a Domino, or really like drilling and chopping by hand, you should have one of these.
![[Image: AM-JKLVcO_u-fKvZsTvuM8ZDCT2DJ0Qdf6ELFwJf...authuser=1]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AM-JKLVcO_u-fKvZsTvuM8ZDCT2DJ0Qdf6ELFwJf2pQe5Lhq9Z9A0qAh1xj6na-ipjyGQCNxphCAzjRiP1tAfMriGH1BDhRj1gFTmv_i7DNYdK_xCH0amvM0NRcdAFuxLbFd7yUXKfT2KYLkm86PkO_T3vdi9Q=w1470-h828-no?authuser=1)
Next I sized the stretchers on my faithful old Dewalt RAS.
![[Image: AM-JKLXOi7WcvJ4bAcqCc4E-fEyIRzUVwdaodFGh...authuser=1]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AM-JKLXOi7WcvJ4bAcqCc4E-fEyIRzUVwdaodFGhobrxcmiNG-Jj3vstbutwXQdIzwAVjWnEU8uMpSlBRgSTwFYgXWfDOfOBzcLj8alBWUsi_BT8t-Jh36eD1LbgTOpNO8It_D3G3kEkb-Z5ENh-PT-rbAiV7g=w1470-h828-no?authuser=1)
Then I cut the mating mortises in the ends of those parts. Sometimes, a little support is needed on long parts, so I just add a roller stand.
![[Image: AM-JKLWpHwyRS7cgkK4z6PwhQFSHyiBLxNf11Lc-...authuser=1]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AM-JKLWpHwyRS7cgkK4z6PwhQFSHyiBLxNf11Lc-W7vK7jnHUIeB8TZpwjjsz7S2US1EKVo1IzhC6cJE_VthPOPm5UZYdZdRXiNf0XD3Q26o6Fmx45D24IoMPAKrzauu5XvBWqCOYX3bUmSlM3VxKsEKXhGq2Q=w1470-h828-no?authuser=1)
With all the mortises cut I made some loose tenons.
![[Image: AM-JKLUHPf5-CxGF5AELPojNClvdI19sDIjYkGNP...authuser=1]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AM-JKLUHPf5-CxGF5AELPojNClvdI19sDIjYkGNPv-F7yLF3Nm8iqtEKQN2QAwnwI4U2eTzZo2ogmAbob1fL-KIUQBvO79vb4Zr2PpvBS3r-tAROFRgYzktQDkI6gDrqqHyLPDysV6Db8fHecp8uNEk3EP2EKg=w1470-h828-no?authuser=1)
After cutting them to length I adjusted the fit, as needed, for a nice smooth fit in the mortises.
![[Image: AM-JKLVQ9Kje3flsp6FnFacywBwlSxvVXYsbC45C...authuser=1]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AM-JKLVQ9Kje3flsp6FnFacywBwlSxvVXYsbC45CXZrlhMAey8v6O5ueSAnhEbzU2D1EDFxrRt6n3IFuMCTkRzKq4Y6UxzvMIQDjqO0QWlZB5pcRnxgzKoCNDv3eKiHXcWTuk2kBJVD-Cky_K7_A3V-MS2mQUA=w1470-h828-no?authuser=1)
I glued up the legs and end stretchers, but not the back stretcher just yet. Before doing that I made the two web frames that will house the drawers. Here are all the parts for one of them, ready to glue up. The front stretcher is white oak; the other parts are ash.
![[Image: AM-JKLXw2WNgXbupf7UXWxq2sRmFypYjd_f-iKDL...authuser=1]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AM-JKLXw2WNgXbupf7UXWxq2sRmFypYjd_f-iKDL480aqVz1i55Sp6g7VGb_cFm2LExdornMXbMpKHi24qRWGbSY6gL086NZB_P07QCo3S5xMsigkXtjmWaOz4RMALzWOzbIiOtNnuwJMRrIgvEtXs2p-8WCfQ=w1470-h828-no?authuser=1)
After they were made, I glued the back stretcher of the table in place using the frames to keep things square.
![[Image: AM-JKLU39Jta3cDIfqOoGTH-oI5WtCS8GSlyltFE...authuser=1]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AM-JKLU39Jta3cDIfqOoGTH-oI5WtCS8GSlyltFE3o2LUVzgAvvymhJ1E0xPSozgIue7lZtYb0dOdeDgr7FZPpJcZvcTNYYv7JiSqImxgvHVwN_TXvQTgVn5D5m8ULwaHzv3ScKFEfRKB6B0Xvu4IRlst4tRTA=w1470-h828-no?authuser=1)
Then I made the short stretchers between the two web frames, again using mortises and loose tenons.
![[Image: AM-JKLXR_-BbaO3L7c5WY4lgP47SLLxJqJ_JQn94...authuser=1]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AM-JKLXR_-BbaO3L7c5WY4lgP47SLLxJqJ_JQn94pTyfBQA-_GWP1qRFH_7wf_1WIItO6RHR-zTNA2ivhO5Cmattsl6aFx7Qith973MGXDJn_lzTGPDrn-424MW7UncDO_QlLEt_LB8OChzHbvU9V6xErcFLOw=w1470-h828-no?authuser=1)
The cross rails will be where the drawer slides get screwed to. They are attached to the stiles with loose tenons, glued only in the front, the rear ones are left unglued just in case there is any movement. For the same reason, the web frames are cut with room for expansion front to back.
![[Image: AM-JKLUTMH5mHoLUp9JFoX7XjTOVnVzvb8zN9y3M...authuser=1]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AM-JKLUTMH5mHoLUp9JFoX7XjTOVnVzvb8zN9y3MI6agYQvC1GdVLEFmyQVoouqLjH_hjJxUKQ7_9gpIwyQsWr5wIBPa-0iRlcN8bgJPLXo70TGeJf3_3CaNL-EyLfOdcBlafcuB2VUoCWIowIE967jo30mkSA=w1470-h828-no?authuser=1)
All glued up.
![[Image: AM-JKLVkJvdN04PvTNs8Wg_GTkopC4tz7rWd7kv-...authuser=1]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AM-JKLVkJvdN04PvTNs8Wg_GTkopC4tz7rWd7kv-SieayQNmplb86Y_xfGcQ_uNRcvb6n_Br8ksrd2b7t8RjAu7cfKvi_-hlFEJWRIyZOTckr771D_rij7vcCuh722PDS_8Twy4O_BPmnf-aaOpQOEPGDxogzQ=w1470-h828-no?authuser=1)
More to follow.
John
Legs tapered on two sides, the top beveled underneath to lighten the look, and the drawers running completely across the front with no visible frame. Not shown, but very much part of the build, was to incorporate leveling feet because the contractor who did about a million $'s in renovations to her house didn't get the floors level, anywhere. I'm talking more than a little, like an inch over 6 feet in some places. But I digress. Just leave it say leveling feet are needed. She has a grandkid that's a terror beating up her furniture, so we decided on rift sawn white oak. I told her Rubio Monocoat might be a good choice for the finish since it's so easy to repair. She wanted the same gray color as the rest of the furniture, and RM comes in lots of colors, so I said I'd make a sample for her approval. I'm not wild, even mildly, about coloring white oak gray, but it's her furniture and she is paying me, so give the lady what she wants.
I found what I thought would be just enough rift sawn white oak in my shed that I had milled with a chainsaw about 10 years ago. I used the three nicest boards to glue up the top and set it aside.
Next I started on the legs by getting them squared. I had hoped to make them 1-1/2" at the top, but the board I had ended up giving me 1-3/8, so that's what they are. Beautiful rift sawn wood, though. I laid out the sides that needed to be tapered, so I wouldn't hose it up cutting them. They will be just over 3/4" at the bottom.
The simplest and stupid proof taper jig I've ever seen is this one.
It's nothing more than a piece of scrap plywood with parallel edges. You screw a stop on the end and then tack or glue a spacer in the corner that is equal to the taper you need. You put the workpiece against the stop and side of the plywood and set the rip fence so the blade hits the workpiece where you want the taper to start, or a little shy of that to allow for cleanup. Then just run it through the saw. The forces naturally push the workpiece against the stop so there's no fighting to hold it in place. After one face was cut, I just rotated the leg to cut the other face.
After all the tapers were cut I cleaned them up with a single pass on the jointer.
With the tapers done I laid out and cut the mortises for the stretchers on the sides and back, and cut them with my horizontal router mortiser.
Fast, simple, accurate. Unless you have a Domino, or really like drilling and chopping by hand, you should have one of these.
Next I sized the stretchers on my faithful old Dewalt RAS.
Then I cut the mating mortises in the ends of those parts. Sometimes, a little support is needed on long parts, so I just add a roller stand.
With all the mortises cut I made some loose tenons.
After cutting them to length I adjusted the fit, as needed, for a nice smooth fit in the mortises.
I glued up the legs and end stretchers, but not the back stretcher just yet. Before doing that I made the two web frames that will house the drawers. Here are all the parts for one of them, ready to glue up. The front stretcher is white oak; the other parts are ash.
After they were made, I glued the back stretcher of the table in place using the frames to keep things square.
Then I made the short stretchers between the two web frames, again using mortises and loose tenons.
The cross rails will be where the drawer slides get screwed to. They are attached to the stiles with loose tenons, glued only in the front, the rear ones are left unglued just in case there is any movement. For the same reason, the web frames are cut with room for expansion front to back.
All glued up.
More to follow.
John