# Trying to reproduce expensive side table



## albertpinto (Dec 19, 2010)

Before my wife buys this stupid side table for $800, I am trying to reproduce it:
http://ethanallen.com/product?productId=452863&categoryId=8019

The table design looks straightforward. The only problem is that the table top is 26" x 26" and my local lumberyard don't carry wood in that width, so I am trying to reproduce the top using 2x6's.

My question is: how do I create a top that is strong enough using 2x6's given that there is only one center post that is supporting the entire top? Don't want that top to fall off if a kid sits in the corner of the table given that the table only has one center leg.


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## Gary Beasley (Jan 21, 2009)

Use plywood glued up to the right thickness and then glue up veneer to the top and sides to create the look you want.


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## Gene Howe (Feb 28, 2009)

In two of the pictures, stabilizing sticks can be seen under the slabs. These would not only give the slabs more support but would provide a solid wood piece to screw through into the slab.
Just guessing but, it looks like the columns are hollow and the table tops are probably veneered MDF. The columns could be of the same construction. 
The bottom column could be weighted for added stability.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

albertpinto said:


> Before my wife buys this stupid side table for $800, I am trying to reproduce it:
> http://ethanallen.com/product?productId=452863&categoryId=8019
> 
> The table design looks straightforward. The only problem is that the table top is 26" x 26" and my local lumberyard don't carry wood in that width, so I am trying to reproduce the top using 2x6's.
> ...


*WELCOME TO THE FORUM*

You could take your structural fears to extreme. I would use edged hardwood plywood, not solid wood or glued up wood.
Seems easy enough to make. Properly glued together, the overhang amount would be sufficient to qualify as an end table. Find a small kid.












 









.


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## burkhome (Sep 5, 2010)

Glued up mdf covered with veneer would be an option. The only accessory needed would be a crane to lift it.


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## Gene Howe (Feb 28, 2009)

burkhome said:


> Glued up mdf covered with veneer would be an option. The only accessory needed would be a crane to lift it.


That's a fact!


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## russjohnson (Dec 11, 2010)

I would agree to go with hardwood as I don't think you will get a satisfactory result from pine that will make your wife happy. It looks like the center is pretty large about 1/3 the width and 1/3 the depth. You could add some rigidity to it by using some threaded rods from the top to the bottom and they would only be exposed on the bottom. I do think the hardwood plywood with edging would be the easiest option. Just a thought.


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## Mr Mac (May 31, 2010)

I'm with Cabinetman on using a hardwood plywood and then edge banding it. It will be solid and much more stable than glued up boards. As for the base, it most likely is hollow with mitered sides glued together with either splines or, most likely, biscuits. Either way it does look pretty simple and straight forward in its design. Build a pair and easily save $1,500!

Did anyone watch the video linked on that page? Pretty impressive for a furniture store in these days of expensive MDF furniture! I love the lathe!


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## albertpinto (Dec 19, 2010)

Went to my local Lowes today to check out hardwood plywood and redwood boards (2x6 and 2x12). The hardwood plywood looks better than regular veneer, but nothing like real wood boards. I am also not to confident about being able to use hardwood plywood to create a decent looking table. Seems more difficult and involved to me than using regular wood boards (this is the first table that I would be making).

The 2x6 and 2x12 redwood boards seem to be too heavy for making a table (although I have used them for some deck work earlier). The top would probably fall apart under its own weight or even if I put the whole thing together using 3" nails, it would be too heavy.

But then I saw some 1" Douglas Fir boards - strong, stiff, smooth, great looking, and much better than regular Douglas Fir dimensional lumber. Seems like something that is meant to do some furniture work. So now I am planning on using these to make the table using 1x6 and 1x2 boards. Here is what my table plan looks like:










The image on left is right-side-up. The image on the right is inverted table to show the frame on which the top and post will be attached. The post in the middle is made out of 1x6 boards placed in a square pattern and is hollow. I am planning to drill holes on the side of 2x6 boards and put dowels in them, but besides that I am wondering:1) whether I should be hooking up the entire thing using glue and dowels or if I should be nailing something? and 2) what type of nails should I be using - am thinking copper or brass will add to the look provided they don't react with the wood. Would appreciate any thoughts on this. It would probably not be strong enough to have a small kid sit on it, but I guess if it can take some weight I would be fine.

In total, I am using ~60' of 1x2 boards and ~32' of 1x6 boards - total cost $112.


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## NYwoodworks (Sep 19, 2010)

Personally I am with cabinet man and use the hardwood plywood. They will be a lot closer to the look of the original pieces you are trying to duplicate and be stronger than what you propose. Plus you wont have all those joints waiting to open up on you.

I think of douglas fir as a structural wood not a finish product wood.


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## Mr Mac (May 31, 2010)

albertpinto said:


> Went to my local Lowes today to check out hardwood plywood and redwood boards (2x6 and 2x12). The hardwood plywood looks better than regular veneer, but nothing like real wood boards. I am also not to confident about being able to use hardwood plywood to create a decent looking table. Seems more difficult and involved to me than using regular wood boards (this is the first table that I would be making).


Do yourself a big favor before you buy anything and find a woodworkers wood supplier that sells hardwood plywood. You should notice two things right off, it should be cheaper and the quality should be much greater and it may well change your mind on using the plywood and banding it with hardwood or edge banding.


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## russjohnson (Dec 11, 2010)

I'm with Mr. Mac. About a year ago when I got into woodworking I thought there was no way a smaller local supplier could be cheaper than a volume buyer like HD or Lowes. However when I visited my local dealer I found it much cheaper 15-30% cheaper depending on species. I also found the product was of a much better quality. I've seen nice things done with Douglas Fir but they have all been shop pieces such as workbenches and such. I would also be worried about wood movement on the diagram shown. Depending on how you were going to join it you might cause some issues there. I think you could be ok with dowels and Glue but my preference for joinery that might be seen is screws brass if you like.


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## mikeroq (Dec 21, 2010)

You can do much better then HD or lowes. Getting better quality and a lower board foot / sheet price. I don't know where you are at but here in Oklahoma we have a store called Hughes Lumber thats a small chain and various places to get lumber from in Tulsa and Oklahoma city at good prices. Look around.

I don't know what type of wood you want to go with but I would go with Red Oak as it takes stain pretty good. Or go with maple and clear coat it, if your staining it you might not like the look that comes out.

I would go with some 5/4 lumber and have it straight lined and surfaced, makes it much easier to work with.

When making your tops you want to make sure if your using some wide boards say 6" in width or larger that you cut them in half before gluing up. You also want to make sure to check the grain direction.

Of course it helps to have a planer and a big drum sander to smooth the board out after gluing it up. If you don't have access to this you could take it to a local cabinet shop and they might plane it for a small fee. If you don't have a belt sander you could get them to belt sand it for you too.

Another option is to get thinner lumber, say 4/4 milled to 13/16 which is pretty standard and edge your top with a nosing made to the height you want it to be.

The easiest option would be to use plywood and edge it with hardwood or veneer.

For 26" x 26" one layer of 3/4 ply would be strong enough. Also make sure to get VC plywood (veneer core) when you look at the side its will have multiple layers. You don't want to get one that has around 11 to 13 layers. I know you can get whats called "china birch" which they sell as "maple" that has all those layers. It's going to be heavier and the sheet will more then likely be pretty warpy since it has so many layers and they use some pretty green filler to save money. 

Stay away from MDF core, which is MDF with veneer on it (pretty heavy), and lumber core, which is strips of lumber (soft woods, real light) with veneer on it.

There's tons more information I could give you on wood selection, gluing up your boards, building the cube structure, joining it all together, finishing, etc too much to post here.


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## Tony B (Jul 30, 2008)

Ethan Allen is not cheap. They are not cheap because they have nice stuff. Your wife likes nice stuff and wants to pay for it. If you cant tell the difference between Ethan Allen and construction grade lumber, you and wifey are going to have a long hard talk.


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## bruce55 (Jan 1, 2011)

May be hardwood boards glued and doweled side to side (need pipe clamps and dowel jig), looks like that. But probably Melomine having the same look (plastic like wallpaper on particle board (sometimes mdf), commonly used even in rich people's cabinets. You would have to buy a 4'x8' x 3/4" sheet of it (like from hardwood supplier, seen big variety of that there). Buy the edge tape seprate, put on with a regular clothes iron as the tape has coating of hot glue already on it, just heat it with iron to melt into wood and bond the two, don't overheat. Sometimes those edges don't hold perfect. Can use hot glue gun to fill voids on wood smoothing when hot with putty knife (dries in seconds), then apply edge. Agree with center blocks as hollow, could make square pieces of 3/4' ply that fasten to slabs, top and bottom, then slip hollow box over those, glue and nail (or screw) from outside hollow block into edge of 3/4 wood square. Using plenty of glue, that would be strong. The other way is hardwood, could probably buy enough for $100 to 150 maybe, need wood flat and still will likely have to sand with belt sander then finish sand. A little challenging either way--clear finish look requires care in building.


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