# Seeking mission coffee table plans?



## Paul W Gillespie (Jul 7, 2011)

I am looking for some good plans for a mission style coffee table. I would like to build one that has a drawer in the apron. Anyone have a good link to plans either free or paid. Or have you designed your own awesome table and don't mind sharing either pics or plans. I know I should design my own, but I am new to woodworking and still like a set of plans. I may still come up with my own design.

Thanks
Paul


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*close to a table*

http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f13/mission-style-hall-bench-4548/

Nice design there which could be an inspiration for a table. :thumbsup:


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## JMartel (Nov 30, 2011)

Try Woodsmith vol 112. It shows it with a glass top, but it also details a solid wood top in the article as well. I can put the plan into a PDF for you if you'd like. I got rid of all my hard copies of Woodsmith in favor of PDF files instead.


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## Paul W Gillespie (Jul 7, 2011)

Thanks guys. I will check out that one Woodnthings. J, thanks I saw that one on the TV show and downloaded the plans. Not quite what I am looking for but good for ideas.


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## MissionIsMyMission (Apr 3, 2012)

Most of my furniture is Mission style. You can use about any plan you find and modify it to your needs. I really like this one, but my wife HATES coffee tables.
http://www.finewoodworking.com/item/13081/mission-coffee-table


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## Paul W Gillespie (Jul 7, 2011)

Woodnthings, nice bench. How thick is most of that wood? I bought a bunch of rough 4/4 QSWO today. Got a good deal. Hoping it is thick enough for most of my needs. I will either have to glue some together for legs or go with a quadlinier legs. I am hoping that the 4/4 when planed is still thick enough for the table top.


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## Paul W Gillespie (Jul 7, 2011)

MissionIs, that is almost perfect. I will definitely be using some details from that one. Wish there was a plan for it. How thick do you think that top is? How thick do the legs look?


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## MissionIsMyMission (Apr 3, 2012)

I've built a LOT of Mission furniture, and I'd bet all I got, (which ain't much) the legs are 2 1/2". The apron will be 4 1/2" and the drawers 3". The top will be 7/8". Length and width will be up to you. Typical coffee table height will be approx. 18". I'd adhere to the The Golden Ratio when building the table. This will help explain what I mean.
http://www.finewoodworking.com/fwnpdffree/011168048.pdf


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## rajdawg (Dec 27, 2012)

JMartel said:


> Try Woodsmith vol 112. It shows it with a glass top, but it also details a solid wood top in the article as well. I can put the plan into a PDF for you if you'd like. I got rid of all my hard copies of Woodsmith in favor of PDF files instead.


 
would you mind putting those plans in pdf


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## rajdawg (Dec 27, 2012)

MissionIsMyMission said:


> Most of my furniture is Mission style. You can use about any plan you find and modify it to your needs. I really like this one, but my wife HATES coffee tables.
> http://www.finewoodworking.com/item/13081/mission-coffee-table


 
that table is a beauty...pity there is not a plan


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## Paul W Gillespie (Jul 7, 2011)

Raj, go here and you can download them. http://www.woodsmithshop.com/episodes/season4/401/


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## Paul W Gillespie (Jul 7, 2011)

MissionIsMyMission, on the table you link to, do you think there is a full size shelf built under the drawers to support them with dividers between the drawers? Or is the apron just 3/4" thick like it would be without drawers? How would you support the drawers if no shelf? I guess you could frame the drawers and put them on runners?

Thanks


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## MissionIsMyMission (Apr 3, 2012)

Hopefully this will make sense. The Drawer frame Fronts should be cut from the same piece of oak. Once cut and re-assembled the grain will be uniform. The frame consists of 4 pieces 3/4" x 7/8" tall and 4 pieces 3/4" x 3 3/16 x the width of the table legs. (make allowances for the set back on the legs. The "Stick pieces are Pinned and glued to the runners. The pics show the Top view and the front view. You can use bottom slides or side slides. You could even make the drawers Pass Through drawers so they would open from either side.


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## Paul W Gillespie (Jul 7, 2011)

OK, I have found a few mission style coffee tables I really liked. One in particular, but no plans or measurements. Working from a photo, I spent the afternoon trying to work out the dimensions and designing in Sketch-up. I think I came up with something I like and hope my measurements are in the ball park.

Overall size is 46"long x 24" wide x 18-3/8" high. The aprons are 4.5 high. Two outside drawers are 12" wide by 3" high and the middle is 9" wide by 3" high. The legs are 2" square and 17.5" high. The top is 7/8" thick or as thick as I can keep my 4/4 rough oak. The slats are 8.5" high (not counting tenons) x 1.25" wide x 1/2" thick. The bottom stretcher is 2" high.

How does this sound so far?

Main inspiration sample is #4 here http://www.hometone.com/beautiful-oak-coffee-tables.html


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*it sounds fine Paul but...*

It looks a bit uninspired or static. A curved apron or some interesting detail would help. Exposed tenons possibly or the Walnut plugs like I used in the Mission Style headboard....I donno? Just me maybe.


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## Paul W Gillespie (Jul 7, 2011)

Thanks for the advice Woodnthings. I enjoy the more simple A&C style and this is just a get started plan. I am actually pretty happy with it, but it does need some refinement. I have seen them with the curved aprons and I didn't like them that much. I like the drawers for storage. The corbels are not in the sketch-up, since I couldn't draw them with my sketchup skills. I was also thinking about some breadboard ends. I wanted to do a through tenon with the bottom shelf, but though it would get in the way of the slats' mortise holes. Maybe lowering the shelf would give me room. Maybe if I lowered the shelf. This is just a jump off point as far as decorative accents.


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## Paul W Gillespie (Jul 7, 2011)

What is the general rule regarding mortise and tenon length, width and depth? I have never done any mortise and tenoning before. Seen it on TV a million times though. I will be doing these by hand for this project. Hope to get a bench top mortiser someday.


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## MissionIsMyMission (Apr 3, 2012)

It depends on where the mortise is. For Rails and Stiles I usually make my tenons the same length as the width of the material and 1/4 " thinner. i.e. if the rail is 2" wide and 3/4" material the tenon would be 3/4" long and 1/2" thick. For Mission style slats, I usually make my slats 1" x 1" but the tenons are 1/2" x 1/2". I have a mortiser so it makes it quick using a 1/2" mortising bit. If you're doing em by hand use a drill bit thats smaller than the intended finished mortise and then finish it off with a Chisel.


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