# The neighbor's end tables



## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

This looks like it will be my next big project, to build end tables similar to these she saw in our neighbor's house. Two singles and one double,

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She wants to use this design from Woodsmith,









But with these doors from American Woodworker,









And these feet from Fine Woodworking,









So I have to make up drawings incorporating all these features. My wife seems to have a knack to make things complicated. This will be my first real furniture project, so I am open to suggestions, guidance, coaching, hand holding etc.


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## wood shavings (Mar 20, 2009)

Pat from what I have seen of your work you will do just fine.
A few thoughts to ponder what is the wood source wherever it comes from let it stabilize before working with it one month for me last fall with wood that was still warm from out of the kiln. That was rushing it Different wood for draws than the frame less wear that way and not as heavy part of the wear that I mentioned. Get good hardware.
And most important have fun with it.

Jerry


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

wood shavings said:


> Pat from what I have seen of your work you will do just fine.
> A few thoughts to ponder what is the wood source wherever it comes from let it stabilize before working with it one month for me last fall with wood that was still warm from out of the kiln. That was rushing it Different wood for draws than the frame less wear that way and not as heavy part of the wear that I mentioned. Get good hardware.
> And most important have fun with it.
> 
> Jerry


 I'm planning to use oak from several church pews I bought. It had been in the church some 60 years.


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## johnnie52 (Feb 16, 2009)

Oak is a good choice but Jerry is right when he tells you to use a different wood on the drawer slides unless you are planning to use those metal ones from the box store.


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

johnnie52 said:


> Oak is a good choice but Jerry is right when he tells you to use a different wood on the drawer slides unless you are planning to use those metal ones from the box store.


 I normally use maple for drawer slides. However these won't have drawers, they'll have a shelf and doors.


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## johnnie52 (Feb 16, 2009)

landman said:


> I normally use maple for drawer slides. However these won't have drawers, they'll have a shelf and doors.


Maple is pretty expensive to use as a secondary wood for drawers unless you have a bunch of it laying around. I generally use Poplar since that seems to be what even the high end furniture makers use.

One of your design photos showed drawers, so I guess I figured you were planning to have at least one of then.


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

johnnie52 said:


> Maple is pretty expensive to use as a secondary wood for drawers unless you have a bunch of it laying around. I generally use Poplar since that seems to be what even the high end furniture makers use.
> 
> One of your design photos showed drawers, so I guess I figured you were planning to have at least one of then.


 

Drawer slides don't use much wood, and I do have quite a bit. 
I had bought four of those logs from a man who was doing selective cutting on his woodlot. Needless to say, that old Dodge rode nice on the way home.
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I wasn't clear enough in my explanations. She wants me to use the box in the first photo with the doors and feet of the next two.


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## Masterofnone (Aug 24, 2010)

Try to use quarter or rift sawn material for the door styles and rails. Plain sawn oak has a tenancy to warp and twist.


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## johnnie52 (Feb 16, 2009)

OIC!

Nice find on the logs. :thumbsup:


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

johnnie52 said:


> OIC!
> 
> Nice find on the logs. :thumbsup:


 Johnnie, that is the same guy I got the ash for my old car and the staircase, and some of the walnut from an old tree in his yard that he had to cut. He has a tree "collection" on his property, some 125 species that he planted here and there. Quite nice to see. He owns a sugar bush and the maple logs I got from him are from a woodlot where he cuts the firewood for his sugar shack. He has been doing selective cutting in there for over 25 years and hasn't run out. The big pile you see is logs he sets aside for sawing when he realizes they are too nice for the fire. Very nice and interesting fellow. He is near Cornwall ON/Massena NY area, I suppose not far from where you lived at one time.


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## johnnie52 (Feb 16, 2009)

landman said:


> He is near Cornwall ON/Massena NY area, I suppose not far from where you lived at one time.



Yep. Not over 30 miles from my old stomping grounds around Chazy NY. :laughing:


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

*Finally...*

Finally getting around to working on the end tables. Selected the type of construction I want as well as tops, bottom, feet etc. Couldn't make heads or tails of my wife's sketch and measurements so headed to the neighbor's with tape, camera and sketchpad in hand. Next making a drawing of each piece.


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## Smith Brother (Dec 9, 2012)

landman, couldn't you have found some STRAIGHTER LOGS than those in post # 7? Longer tooooo! hehehe.

Dale in Indy


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

Smith Brother said:


> landman, couldn't you have found some STRAIGHTER LOGS than those in post # 7? Longer tooooo! hehehe.
> 
> Dale in Indy


 Nice eh?


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

*Here we go*

Here's a picture of my plan, a plain box on a base and with an overhanging cover, with moldings above and below.









For lumber, I want to use my oak church pews. They're dry, straight and of high quality. I was thinking of using the backs of the pews for the sides of the boxes. They are 18 x 55 x 3/4. Rather than stripping the varnish, I'd plane them down to 11/16 or 5/8 if I have to.









The seats are 13.5x55 x1 5/8 in the thick areas and 15/16 in the middle. Should I take them to a wide planer and bring them down to 3/4 or should I rip them, square the pieces and re-laminate them? The idea is to avoid waste.


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## captainawesome (Jun 21, 2012)

Pat, if the bottoms of those seats are flat, I would try to find a shop in your area to plane the top to match. Seems like ripping, squaring, and re-laminating would be a whole lot of work. I'm sure there is a shop out there that would be more than willing to do it for a small fee. 

Look for millworks places as well, I just found one up the street from my work, and the guys there couldn't have been nicer. 15" planers, 12" jointers, and they told me I was more than welcome to bring anything in that wouldn't fit on my machines at home.


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

captainawesome said:


> Pat, if the bottoms of those seats are flat, I would try to find a shop in your area to plane the top to match. Seems like ripping, squaring, and re-laminating would be a whole lot of work. I'm sure there is a shop out there that would be more than willing to do it for a small fee.


 They aren't. You'd have to start by planning them first. I decided today tu try one and if it doesn't work I'll find another way.


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

I took one to "The Forge" and used their 16" planer. Looks nice. Salvaged a 13/16 board 13.5 inches wide.


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## wisardd1 (Nov 27, 2013)

I didn't understand the point about different wood on the drawer sides?


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

wisardd1 said:


> I didn't understand the point about different wood on the drawer sides?


 If you are talking about Johnnie in post #4, he was talking about slides not sides. I wasn't so sire about the difference myself. The plans for the two tool chests I have built suggested to use maple. Maybe it is more stable/durable than oak.


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## johnnie52 (Feb 16, 2009)

The reason for different wood in the slides is because over time the pieces will wear against each other. Similar woods will become "sticky" and can get to be impossible to open, whereas different woods will not be as apt to get stuck.

It has to do with the grains becoming worn into little microscopic "locks" every few mm., and differences in expansion rates due to temp and humidity changes in the home.

Someone can probably give thousands of examples of their drawers sliding just fine after years of use and all I'm going to say is, the old timey craftsmen always used different woods in their drawer slides. Their drawers are still sliding just fine. They must have had a good reason.


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## cps (Jun 21, 2013)

landman said:


> I took one to "The Forge" and used their 16" planer. Looks nice. Salvaged a 13/16 board 13.5 inches wide.
> 
> View attachment 91152
> 
> ...


 
That turned out real nice....


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## Wema826 (Jul 22, 2012)

From the pics it looks like the front edge of the seats are quartersawn. I would rip that section of the lam. off and use that for the stiles and rails. then rip off the back edge and use that for the bottom case moldings / feet. then you will be left with the center sections. these might be large enough to use for the sides. 

just a thought.


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## wisardd1 (Nov 27, 2013)

johnnie52 said:


> The reason for different wood in the slides is because over time the pieces will wear against each other. Similar woods will become "sticky" and can get to be impossible to open, whereas different woods will not be as apt to get stuck.
> 
> It has to do with the grains becoming worn into little microscopic "locks" every few mm., and differences in expansion rates due to temp and humidity changes in the home.
> 
> Someone can probably give thousands of examples of their drawers sliding just fine after years of use and all I'm going to say is, the old timey craftsmen always used different woods in their drawer slides. Their drawers are still sliding just fine. They must have had a good reason.


This reminds me of a story: A lille girl was helping her mother prepare dinner. This particular night roast was on the menu. The mother took the roast out of the refrigerator, placed on the counter, cut each end off, and placed it in the pan.. The lille girl in a quizzical manner whr she cut the ends of the roast off. The mother stated that it the roast taste better and went into technical detail about the certain cut beef, thgrain structure, and the fat to beef ratio! The little girls eyes glazed over so her mom said to her that cutting the ends off was taught to her her mother, Grandma! 
The mother decided to call Grandma and ask her why theu cut the ends of a roast before they cooked. As expected went into explaining the reason a similar detailed manner; the type of cut, type of grainn etc. But as grandma thought about she said we should call Great Grandma, because she was the one who taught me how to do.
So the three of them piled into the car and drove over to ask Great Grandma why she cut the ends of the roast off. Once there, the asked, "Great Grandma, why do we cut the ends of a roast off before cooking. Great Grandma looking a little perplexed at first started laughing and said, "You silly girls, the only reason I cut the ends off is because I didn't have a pan large enough for the whole roast.


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

Wema826 said:


> From the pics it looks like the front edge of the seats are quartersawn. I would rip that section of the lam. off and use that for the stiles and rails. then rip off the back edge and use that for the bottom case moldings / feet. then you will be left with the center sections. these might be large enough to use for the sides.
> 
> just a thought.


 I just might do that with some of them. Meanwhile I planed two more seats to use for the tops. 









I'm planning to use the backs fot the sides of the cabinets. They cleaned up at slightly less than 3/4". they are on the right below.


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

*Panels*

Made up some panels using the boards that came out of the pew seats and backs.

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Used an old table top my wife had started but never finished as the bottom .It is plywood with an edging.









Cut sides and bottom to size.


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

Made an inside frame for the top. Used my spline jig for the first time. Cut splines out of a piece of scrap.





















Rabbetted the sides for top, bottom and backing.


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

*Dry assembly*

Put it together to see how it fits. Will be good with a bit of fine tuning.









I need to get a new camera. That black blotch is starting to unnerve me....


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## johnnie52 (Feb 16, 2009)

Here I thought it as a natural flaw in the wood.... :laughing:

Looks like you're making progress though.


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## guglipm63 (Feb 27, 2013)

That looks good. I like your re-use of the oak pews. Gonna be building a couple out of cherry soon. Wife and daughter want one each. I apologize if I missed it but what are the dimensions on yours. Tia


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

guglipm63 said:


> That looks good. I like your re-use of the oak pews. Gonna be building a couple out of cherry soon. Wife and daughter want one each. I apologize if I missed it but what are the dimensions on yours. Tia


 The top is 18x18. The box itself 15.5 x 15.5. They'll be about 25" high.


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

Started making the feet. Ran out of corner clamps so I used the framing jig.















Made the top spacer which will support the molding which will go over the sides and butt up underneath the top.


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Made a loose dry assembly to show the head number one chief sort of what it'll look like. I haven't decided how to mount the boards that go between the feet mortise/tenon, pocket hole or dowels.

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## captainawesome (Jun 21, 2012)

Pat, look into a "loose" or "floating" tenon. I used those on the first cabinet I built (the one in my albums) and they are as easy as they are strong... in a good way


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

captainawesome said:


> Pat, look into a "loose" or "floating" tenon. I used those on the first cabinet I built (the one in my albums) and they are as easy as they are strong... in a good way


 I think I'll try out something I've owned for a long time but never used, mortising chisels. Along with my Delta tenoning jig, which I have used extensively during the restoration of the wood in my old Chevy.






















First attempt isn't so promising. Anyone with experience here? How does one use this. A row of shallow cuts, then deeper and so on. Or right to the bottom as you go?


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## guglipm63 (Feb 27, 2013)

landman said:


> First attempt isn't so promising. Anyone with experience here? How does one use this. A row of shallow cuts, then deeper and so on. Or right to the bottom as you go?


 I don't have the drill press type, mine is the dedicated mortiser but still similar. I usually go in part way, move over and go deeper so as not to get the chisel stuck. I also do it from both faces to make it centered


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

First order of work today was dealing with this, about 1 1/2 Ft. 









Mortises are cut/dug/carved/bored....Tenons made, all it needs it a bit of whittling and they go in.

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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

I'd like to replicate the groove/molding in the stretchers between the feet. It looks like a half round in the bottom of a dado. I don't have a bit to do that. I thought ripping a dowel and placing it in a dado would work except I can't seem to rip one straight. If I put two fences on the bandsaw would that keep the dowel straight or would the blade still wander?


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## guglipm63 (Feb 27, 2013)

Have you considered just glueing a dowel into a daddo?


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## captainawesome (Jun 21, 2012)

landman said:


> I'd like to replicate the groove/molding in the stretchers between the feet. It looks like a half round in the bottom of a dado. I don't have a bit to do that. I thought ripping a dowel and placing it in a dado would work except I can't seem to rip one straight. If I put two fences on the bandsaw would that keep the dowel straight or would the blade still wander?


Take a flat piece of ply or mdf the same length as the Dowell and use it as a sled. Hot glue the dowel to it, then run it through the planer until you've got it to the right thickness.

Tables are looking great so far!


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

I ended up rounding up the edge of a board and ripping the half round. I then put it in a dado. The head approver didn't approve so we went with two concave flutes on each stretcher.

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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

If you look at this picture of the neighbour's table, you can see a face frame on the side. At first I thought they were frame and panel but closer inspection showed that they are just glued to the surface. So I fiddled with a variety of bits to get some semblance of a molding like they have and a way of coping the rails to it. The first attempts used a roundover bit and the convex part of an ogee to cope it.
















It looked too plain. So I ended up cranking the ogee up so the indent would show. Here it is just clamped there along with a sample of the molding which will go under the top board.


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## guglipm63 (Feb 27, 2013)

looking good


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

Completed the side panel frame parts and ran the feet and stretchers over a roundover bit.


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

When I did the edge for the top panel, I realized too late I had routed the wrong side. With nothing to lose I routed the other side too. The head No.1 Boss approved! Go figure....









When I started rounding over the edges of the feet, I made a notch as the bearing went into a mortise. So having to do another one, I glued up enough to make all the feet for the two other tables.


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## captainawesome (Jun 21, 2012)

I like the look of the top Pat. All of your "mistakes" somehow always turn out looking better than the original plan. You shiuld really mess up more often! Also, maybe you should look at the leg from another angle. You may have discovered another new design feature haha


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

All I did today is make some holes for the shelves.


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## captainawesome (Jun 21, 2012)

That is an interesting "shelf pin jig" you've got there. I got the one from Rockler a while back and while I seldom use it, I'm glad I have it when the need arises.


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

captainawesome said:


> That is an interesting "shelf pin jig" you've got there. I got the one from Rockler a while back and while I seldom use it, I'm glad I have it when the need arises.


 It is a leftover from on of these:


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

Thought that the boards that hold the gloves would make nice doorframes. So I ripped them, ran them through the planer to take the varnish off, cut them to length and routed them. Whipped out the calculator and it told me that for 3 doors I need 6 stiles and 6 rails. :yes:


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

Put them together loosely and stood one in front of the table to show the head number one boss.















Started making feet for the other tables.


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## guglipm63 (Feb 27, 2013)

looking great. making nice progress


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

Well, almost a month later, I'm back at it. Cut & trimmed the feet I had made last time.





















Made some stretchers for the bases.







Rigged up the mortising jig & tried a few. There must be something to be said for experience, the mortises are nicer, tighter this time around.


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## guglipm63 (Feb 27, 2013)

nice progress. outdoor spring things are holding me up a bit. glad to see you're back at it


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

3 bases done.


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## Sarge240 (Feb 8, 2013)

Like the curves, wish I had a bandsaw! Like the details too, that's some good router skills


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

Sarge240 said:


> Like the curves, wish I had a bandsaw! Like the details too, that's some good router skills


 Thanks Sarge. The routing is done against a bearing, so no real skill required. Not like some of the freehand stuff one sees here.


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

Worked on the reveal which goes between the bases and the bottoms of the boxes. As in the prototype I used oak cutoffs since I only need about 1" to show. For the inside of the boards,instead of maple, this time I used the door jambs of the back entrance door we replaced last week.







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Rabbetted the bottoms of the sides and mocked the boxes up. These two will have the door header between the sides instead of rabbeted in the front like the prototype.


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

The tops' edges are routed and the sides have their rabbets. Next is routing the face frames that go on the sides and we are ready for a partial assembly. Lord this is taking a long time...


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

The tops' edges are routed and the sides have their rabbets. Next is routing the face frames that go on the sides and we are ready for a partial assembly. Lord this is taking a long time...Sorry about the double post. Couldn't figure out how to delete the first one.


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## captainawesome (Jun 21, 2012)

I think the saying "Rome wasn't built in a day" applies. The tables are coming along nicely and I'm enjoying the updates regardless of time!


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

Well, here's a one picture update. Attached the face frames to the six sides and started sanding the interior surfaces of the boxes. My wife will stain them before assembly. Then it will be sand, sand,and sand again.


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

Wife has stained the insides of the boxes. I will now be able to assemble them.


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## captainawesome (Jun 21, 2012)

So all the parts have been machined and assembly is all that's left?

Sent from my SCH-I535 using woodworkingtalk.com mobile app


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

captainawesome said:


> So all the parts have been machined and assembly is all that's left?
> 
> Sent from my SCH-I535 using woodworkingtalk.com mobile app


 Pretty well Cap'n. When I assemble the boxes, I'll install the hinges then remove them as well as pre drill the holes to mount the bases and tops. Then we'll get at the finishing. Can't wait to be done with these.


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## captainawesome (Jun 21, 2012)

landman said:


> Pretty well Cap'n. When I assemble the boxes, I'll install the hinges then remove them as well as pre drill the holes to mount the bases and tops. Then we'll get at the finishing. Can't wait to be done with these.


I'm sure you're ready to get these finished up, and I'm sure that they will look great! Did you tape off the rabbets and what not to keep the stain off of them? I've always wondered how pre finishing goes when you need to keep glue surfaces raw still.


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

Finally did some assembly on the boxes. 



















My wife is still working on the undersides of the tops and the insides of the doors. As you can tell, we only get at this occasionally.


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

I had posted this the other day but I guess I forgot to finalize. Tables are ready for stain.

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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

With some stain on, waiting for the oil. I have yet to put the leading on the doors' glass.


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## Hubshooter (Jul 26, 2014)

Those turned out great Pat!


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## Al B Thayer (Dec 10, 2011)

landman said:


> With some stain on, waiting for the oil. I have yet to put the leading on the doors' glass.


Looks very nice. Is that lead glass your putting in the doors or lead came around the glass?

Al


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## guglipm63 (Feb 27, 2013)

Looking real nice


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

Al B Thayer said:


> Looks very nice. Is that lead glass your putting in the doors or lead came around the glass?
> 
> Al


 Yes Al. If you look at the first photo in the first posting, you'll see the neighbour's. We are going to use a "leading" kit which consists of adhesive strips.















I thought replicating the neighbour's was bad enough, she wants to use a design based on the back door.


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

My wife elected to stay with the leading pattern of the originals. She was however looking at frosting too.









She decided to leave them clear.


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

There it is x3.


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