# coffee table plan



## Phone60 (Jan 17, 2010)

Hi,

I am new to woodworking and I've been searching the net for a plan for a rectangular coffee table with drawers underneath for storage. I am not experienced enough to try and draw up plans so I need help. As far as tools I have a bt3100 , bosch 1617 evspk router with benchdog router table and benchtop band saw.

Greg


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## caseysbuilding (Mar 12, 2009)

Just think it through. Make exactly what you want. Take your time and be careful with those tools.


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## Burnt_Blade (Dec 26, 2009)

Phone...what are you working out of? Do you have a shop or a working out of a spot in the basement? Was going to suggest that if you are new to woodworking, the best way to get to learn about the art is to make yourself "shop furniture"..things to organize your shop area etc. While doing this you can practice using various kinds of joints, installing drawers etc. That way you get used to using your tools and get to know what you are capable of and also what your machines are capable of. Also shop stuff can be made of cheaper wood than you would normally use for a normal piece of furniture, so hurts less if you mess something up.

This is how I've been doing it..mind you I am still finding more and more shop related things to make than 'useful' furniture...:laughing:


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## drummer05 (Feb 8, 2010)

Have you tried a google search, there are many free and paid plans online that you could use. 

Josh


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## Phone60 (Jan 17, 2010)

Thanks for your replies. In response to burnt_blade I am working out of 1/2 of a 1 car garage with work bench, don't have room for much more storage except my tools and storage of stuff. I am 60 and retired and enjoying my new hobby, I am currently attending a woodworking school here in Philly and am learning to use all the tools eek: drool) and am completing a bookcase fo my wife. Ive tried google and didn't find anything I really liked, so I have to figure out how to draw out my ideas on paper . Do you know of any free or cheap design programs I could download? What would be the best type of wood to buuild my table??

Thanks Again

Greg


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## Burnt_Blade (Dec 26, 2009)

Hi, Greg, isn't it great eh to have all those great machines at your fingertips!! And space to actually walk around!! I tell ya, if I had a proper sized shop to work out of, I'd probably just stand in the middle and just look around...:smile: 

Once you start making some of the common joints, it helps you in your planning of a project (easier to visualize the construction sequences). 

One of the cheapest (free) designing programs is Google Sketchup, you can just download it and fiddle around with it. There is all kinds of tutorials on youtube for it, as well as a help forum available through the help file of the program itself...also a section on here for sketchup as well. Just don't sit down with it a few days after you download it and want to draw up some idea you have for a project, like I did, for it does take a while to catch on to...but it really is not too hard to learn, but like anything takes a bit.

If you would be interested in a few things for to organize your work space in the garage, send me a pm with what you would like to organize and I'll see if I got anything I could send you. ( I have all kinds of woodworking stuff on my computer that I can share with you in pdf format)


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## Itchy Brother (Aug 22, 2008)

When I started the first thing I made was a crosscut sled for my tablesaw.I have strong survival instincts and wanted to keep my fingers.Then like another said ,Other things for the shop to give me expeirience with the tools.One bit of advice for a beginner is never cut across the grain with the tablesaw fence against the end of the board.It'll bind and fly back at you.As a rule I dont stand directly in the line of fire anyways.Gary/Itchy


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## JEC559 (Jul 1, 2009)

I do alot of my planning with MS Paint. It is only 2D drawings but I can visualize the end results. It is a pain to keep to scale but is doable for what I need it for. I have used PRO-E, Solid Works, VariCAD and AutoCAD but paint is really fast if I don't need a 3D model. I tried sketch up and I didn't care too much for it, but I probably didn't give it enough time and learn it. The good thing about Sketchup is that there is a free version. Varicad was a great CAD software and it is very inexpensive compared to the others out there. 

Take your time and draw your ideas until you are satisfied with your design. Then think how it will go together and draw each piece one at a time. From there it is easy to make a cut list and figure your materials.


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## Texas Sawduster (Apr 27, 2009)

Phone60 said:


> Thanks for your replies. In response to burnt_blade I am working out of 1/2 of a 1 car garage with work bench, don't have room for much more storage except my tools and storage of stuff. I am 60 and retired and enjoying my new hobby, I am currently attending a woodworking school here in Philly and am learning to use all the tools eek: drool) and am completing a bookcase fo my wife. Ive tried google and didn't find anything I really liked, so I have to figure out how to draw out my ideas on paper . Do you know of any free or cheap design programs I could download? What would be the best type of wood to buuild my table??
> 
> Thanks Again
> 
> Greg


Get a subscription to Shop Notes and WoodSmith. They both have excellant how to plans for shop stuff and furniture. I like these mags because they have no commercials. They are all about the projects.


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## toddmacf (Mar 2, 2010)

I'm not trying to push anything in particular but if you click my signature link and go through my website, it will take you to a library of woodworking plans that I know for a fact has several coffee table plans you can choose from. I personally haven't used them so just take that advice with a grain of salt.


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