Sofa Table/Bookshelf

[Chet]

Submitted on the old forum by Jamie

Started a new project for my aunt and uncle. They wanted a storage area for their grand daughters toys along with a table to sit behind their couch. My aunt is a high school principal and sent me some pictures of some plywood storage shelving units that she was thinking about getting. Asked me to build them one. I decided to change it up completely and make it more of a furniture type piece that will outlast the grand kids toy era. I searched for some ideas and actually found one that she liked and was surprised that it was actually one that came from wood smith shop so I had the plans for it. Well shouldn’t say plans but a idea. Building it a different size than the one they shown, but am taking many ideas from it.

 

drawing up plans is not my strong suit by I decided to give it a go. For some reason I make way more mistakes on paper than I do out in the shop. Really wish it was something I was better at and had more patience for. 

picked up the red oak today after work. It always seems to be raining out when I get lumber. Wrapped it up cardboard and some empty feed sacks for the trip home. Got the lumber from a local lumber yard that doesn’t usually deal in hardwoods. Had them order it in yesterday for me and luckily they were getting a delivery today from their supplier. Wasn’t the cheapest red oak I have ever gotten but for the turn around time I can’t complain. Ordered 60bf at $3.60 a bf. skipped planed to 15/16” and straight edged.

 
Am making a face frame for the front and back of the table. Got them milled up and put together other than the center style. Decided to cut them a half in short. So will mill new ones up tomorrow night along with the end panels/frames. I don’t have mission style shaper cutters for the panels so will be making them on the table saw. 

Did get the plans all figured out at work today, with this virus thing kicking in around here we locked the doors to walk in traffic so had a little free time.  After I got home I got a few of the panels glued up, panel stile and rail parts rough cut along with the face frame part. Did realize that I do need to get more clamps. Currently I have 8 pipe clamps is all. Had my daughters out in the shop playing and have them convinced that daddy needs more clamps. We will have to see how Father’s Day turns out this year. The girls like to stay busy in the shop by taking scrap pieces and gluing them together with the occasional shape for me to cut for them.  This project is going to end up being pretty big. I thought it might be when I was drawing up the plans but didn’t realize how big it was till I glued up the top. I just ball-parked the bf from the plans in wood smith and added a few.  Believe they called for 43 and I got 60. Raided my stock pile of red oak which was only a couple 8’ boards and am still going to be a little short. Am going to be taking the panels to the cabinet shop that I worked at to have them planed down. Don’t like to have to do that mostly because I like to do things myself but in this situation with the panels being 18-24” wide they are a little to big for my 13” planer and I would be at my drum sander for a week straight. It just makes more sense this go around. Am planing on when I get all the parts put together on taking them all back to his shop to run them through his wide belt sander. It is a pretty sweet machine which he didn’t have when I worked for him, but it has been 12 years since I worked there. It’s a 52” wide 3 head sander. I will try to snap some pictures of it when I’m there.  I should mention that those panels were glued up right off the table saw. One side was hit on the jointer and other off the saw.  Got the sofa table parts all completed. 95% of the woodwork is complete, taking the parts to a cabinet shop to be sanded. That sander does such a good job in a short period of time that I can’t go wrong.  Picked up the end panels from them on Friday and spent most of the day Saturday gluing the top and bottom panel along with the shelves. Machined all the stile and rails on the table saw. Went really well, forgot how much fun it is to to them on the saw vs the shaper. Only reason I did them on the saw is because I don’t have mission style cutters for the shaper.   got to try out the panel sled that I made last weekend, quick build that worked like it should’ve.  Had to fill in the bottom on the end panel stiles with a little piece. Found a measuring mistake in the plans that required me to make a new panel for the center piece. Planed it down to thickness before gluing it up. Broke out the bisket cutter to line it all up.   All the parts ready to go  Attachments:   Before work i took the panels and parts to the cabinet shop, forgot how sweet the planer sander and wide belt sander are to use. It’s something taking 1/16 off per pass on a 24”+ panel. Doesn’t bog it down at all and didn’t fill my dust barrel. Only had time to snap one picture of the backside of the sander. Parts were coming quick.   After work I got the dados cut in the side panels and in the face frame that holds the bottom panel. Got the frame dry fitted and couldn’t of been happier with the fit.   That’s when stuff went wrong. Took the measurements right off the case and figured in some space for movement. Got it ripped down and went to cut it to length. Cut it 2 inches short. Idk what my deal has been with this project but it’s the 3rd time I’ve miss cut. Always on the short end. Must be the real life stress getting to me. Did invent a board stretcher tonight tho, took the off cut and glued it back on. Had a really good joint, filled the crack with glue and sanded. Am going to let it sit tonight and clean it up more tomorrow, slap some stain on it to see if it’s still useable. Plan B might be to center it and put filler strips on both ends. Problem with it is wood movement.  Plan C is to go with plywood.  I really hope I can get the joint to blend in without much issue. After that event it took the wind out of my sails for the night.  Well the board stretcher worked well enough that I believe I will get away with my previous mistake. Not sure if I like the stain color of choice, but wasn’t my call on that.   With a little more sanding I think the cut line won’t be noticeable and where it’s located in the bottom corner of the cabinet helps out.  Got the center panel fitted and am happy how well it’s all fitting together. Thinking I will biscuit the center panel to the frame to keep it aligned during glue up. Also going to be putting a cleat to attach the top on both ends and on the center panel. On the back there will be a 1/4 ply back panel put on, will set it in a rabbit. Thinking all I have left is to size the top and shelves, rabbit in the back, shelf pin holes, and make some cleat material.  As it sits now.   Got the table all fit together, just have shelf holes, cut the back to fit, and a lot of sanding to do. Hoping to have it stained by tomorrow afternoon and get it sprayed on Sunday. Also have quite a bit of trim to spray for my neighbor.   was playing around with the stain some and discovered that this stain needs to be stirred up really well. Just shook it by hand without stirring and it’s really red. Gave it a good mix and it’s a color I can live with.   The sofa table all sanded up, shelf holes in and final details worked out .  worked on getting it all stained while I sprayed some trim for my neighbor.   shop was filled to the max. He had quite a bit more than I thought he would. Had to move quite a bit of it around between coats to get it all in the building.  e had one door that I did for him as well. Neat little trick for finishing doors that my buddy thought me with the 2 dowels attached to some scrap,  to flip the door just roll it over. Works super easy and makes the finishing process a lot quicker. Got 3 coats on all his stuff and started spraying the sofa table. Hope to get it all finished tonight.      More pics of the jig.  It’s held to the top and bottom on the door with 3” screws with a washer, just eyeball center and away ya go.  After the long day Saturday in the shop, woke up ready to roll Sunday morning. Took 2 steps out of bed and was like uh oh, tweaked something in my back. Not uncommon for me, just made for a long day of laying on the floor, stretching and using bio freeze. Did finally feel well enough in the afternoon to get the case glued up. My next door neighbor who's trim I finished offered a hand. Boy was I glad he did. Tricky piece to get to all fit together at once. The extend glue sure helped to. I checked the clock when we started and had all the squeeze out cleaned up in 17 min.  After work tonight I got Courtney to help me get the center panel installed. Anther over site on my end was I thought it would be a good idea to put the 1/4 backs in to make the finishing easier. Which it did, just made clamping the center panel in that much harder. Should be able to get the top put on in the next few days and wrap this project up.    Attachments:   Project completed!   Attachments:   Aunt and uncle came and picked up the project today, they were super happy with it! I was bound and determined to only charge them for the materials, they didn’t agree with that and left me a pretty thick envelope. Which was not expected and super nice of them! Turns out I’m happy they did as about the same time they were leaving Courtney came to tell me that there was water all over the basement floor. Turns out the hot water heater sprung a leak. So I shut the water off to it and did only what I knew would help. Took Emmi fishing for a bit. Had amazing time with her sitting on the river bank, sun shining light breeze temp in the mid 50s, and fish biting like crazy! This time of year the red horse and black suckers are running up the rivers to spawn. They area boney fish that is only really good for pickling. We sat there about an hour and a half and had a pail full of fish. Figured we got about 40 of them.   Here is me holding the big one Emmi caught, she will do about everything on her own except put the worm on the hook and refuses to touch a fish. Pretty proud of this kid.  Will be getting the plumber out in the morning.