# Starting my first coffee table build



## stephen45710 (Aug 15, 2021)

Today I started to process the lumber for my first table project. It will be 48 x 23 coffee table with hairpin legs. I have this really nice curly maple and there will be two walnut strips. I work slow and I’ll post pictures and questions as I progress. Shot a short video to show the nice curly figure. 

https://youtube.com/shorts/miMi9nR2h0k?feature=share

Reactions: Like 4 | EyeCandy! 3


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## woodtickgreg (Aug 15, 2021)

yup, that's some nice maple. Maple and walnut together have always been pleasing to my eye. Do you have plans to use dye or stain to get the figure to pop?

Reactions: Agree 1


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## stephen45710 (Aug 15, 2021)

woodtickgreg said:


> yup, that's some nice maple. Maple and walnut together have always been pleasing to my eye. Do you have plans to use dye or stain to get the figure to pop?


Yes. I’m hoping that the same technique that I use when finishing banjo necks will work. Dark alcohol based dye, sanded back a couple of times and then as final color.

Reactions: EyeCandy! 4 | Way Cool 1


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## Nature Man (Aug 15, 2021)

That's going to be really nice! Can't wait to see the progress & final pics! Chuck

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## trc65 (Aug 15, 2021)

In for the duration, you've got some real nice lumber for it.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## woodtickgreg (Aug 15, 2021)

Those necks look amazing!

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## T. Ben (Aug 15, 2021)




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## Wildthings (Aug 15, 2021)




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## stephen45710 (Aug 22, 2021)

Sadly no progress to report. As I was trimming boards on my table saw (a second hand Ryobi BT3000) my fence broke and that shut me down. I’ve been saving for a new cabinet saw and tomorrow I pick up a new SawStop. Once I get it assembled I’ll get back to the coffee table build.

Reactions: Way Cool 3


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## woodtickgreg (Aug 22, 2021)

Very cool about getting a new tool. Be sure to post pics of the saw in the tool forum, take lots of pics and do a review of what you think of the whole experience of the purchase all the way through the set up and use. Others here will benefit from your review both now and in the future. Congrats on stepping up to a cabinet saw! Your gonna love it.

Reactions: Agree 2


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## stephen45710 (Sep 26, 2021)

I finally returned to this project. I’m not going to lie that I struggled with jointing these boards. First, my small bench top jointer kept tearing out the curl. I used a spiral cut router bit on my router table to solve the tear out. However, I still struggled to joint these 60” boards. I’d love to hear tips to joint long boards with either bench top jointer or router table. I think the challenge is that the outfeed table is only 8-12”. Or I’m not doing/thinking about things correctly.

Next up is the gluing. Maybe next weekend.

Reactions: Like 1


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## woodtickgreg (Sep 26, 2021)

Seeing how you got a new more gooder saw, try a Freud glue line rip blade to tame the tearout.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 3


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## pixeltim (Sep 26, 2021)

woodtickgreg said:


> Seeing how you got a new more gooder saw, try a Freud glue line rip blade to tame the tearout.


My Forrest WWII does a perfect glue rip every time.

Reactions: Like 2


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## stephen45710 (Sep 27, 2021)

woodtickgreg said:


> Seeing how you got a new more gooder saw, try a Freud glue line rip blade to tame the tearout.


Once I had a straight edge to index against the saw fence, the saw cut was fine. My struggle was to go from rough sawn lumber to the first straight edge. In the past, my table top jointer did this job for me with shorted length boards. But it was causing tear out. The router table jointing method solved that but wasn’t leaving a dead flat edge along the 60”. I eventually figured it out. I’m going to build a jig for the table saw for future long figured boards.

Reactions: Like 3


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## 2feathers Creative Making (Sep 30, 2021)

Saw sled. Piece of plywood with drawer liner to hold your board still and.a.1x2 edge on it. Make several in varying widths and you won't have to keep adjusting your width on the sled. Also a.little paste wax on the underside of your sled would make stuff sliiiide right on through.

Reactions: Like 1


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## JerseyHighlander (Sep 30, 2021)

Suggestions above are right in line with what I was going to say except to add using a good razor sharp hand plane to finish the edge after the saw. Set it to just take a wisp of a cut and run it at an angle to the face of the board, shouldn't have issues with tear out.

Reactions: Like 1


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## pixeltim (Sep 30, 2021)

I would suggest just upgrading to a really nice 8" helical head jointer like I just did, but I see you have a SawStop and thus are flat broke! Cheers!

Reactions: Funny 1


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## stephen45710 (Sep 30, 2021)

pixeltim said:


> I would suggest just upgrading to a really nice 8" helical head jointer like I just did, but I see you have a SawStop and thus are flat broke! Cheers!


Correct! Out of curiosity, what is the price range for those?


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## pixeltim (Sep 30, 2021)

stephen45710 said:


> Correct! Out of curiosity, what is the price range for those?


Mine is the Powermatic 60. It's about 3k new, but none are in stock, I picked up mine used for $1600.
I lucked out because I was the third caller and the guys in front of me were picking around on price. I called the guy and told him I'd give him his asking price if he held it till after work the next day. When he told the other guy, he was pissed off and offered $200 more than asking price! Luckily the seller had some ethics and kept it for me :)

Reactions: Like 1 | Way Cool 1


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## woodtickgreg (Sep 30, 2021)

I just upgraded the head on my 8" Grizzly to a Byrd shellix head, wow......what a difference.
If you can find a decent used jointer with a straight knife head and it's cheap, it's worth the $400 for the helical head upgrade.

Reactions: Like 1


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## pixeltim (Sep 30, 2021)

woodtickgreg said:


> I just upgraded the head on my 8" Grizzly to a Byrd shellix head, wow......what a difference.
> If you can find a decent used jointer with a straight knife head and it's cheap, it's worth the $400 for the helical head upgrade.


I thought about doing that to my 6” Jet, but it didn’t stay in adjustment very well and I really needed the extra 2”. When I saw the deal on my new one, I jumped on it!

Reactions: Agree 1


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## stephen45710 (Oct 3, 2021)

Glued up each side first. Then glued the two half’s together. Pretty satisfied with a pretty flat table top. The cauls really helped. Happy for my first large panel glue up.

Reactions: Like 3 | Way Cool 6


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## stephen45710 (Oct 11, 2021)

I’m going to reuse the glass top from our current coffee table. Today I cut my panel to match the size of the glass.

I had used a scrap of wood to work out the staining I wanted. I’m using the same process I use for staining curly maple banjo necks. I’m not saying it is correct or the best or will even work for a large panel, but that is the plan.
I started with mixing medium brown dye with pure grain alcohol. I applied 2 coats at the same time to get the first step. Then I let it dry for 30 minutes and put another coat of the same brown. Wait another 30 minutes and then sand.
Unfortunately, at this point it became obvious that I had not sanded well enough prior to stain because belt sanding marks jumped off the wood with the brown dye. I was planning on sanding it back with 220 and leaving some brown in the curl. However, I sanded it back with 80, 120, and 150 and then hit it with brown again.

Reactions: Like 1 | Way Cool 3


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## stephen45710 (Oct 14, 2021)

I sanded a 3rd brown coat with 220 and then added one coat of “vintage Amber” which I don’t plan on sanding. Once I add many coats of wipe-on poly the depth will be enhanced and the curl will change in presentation depending on the angle and light. (I hope! That is how small pieces react to this preparation). When the dye is wet it briefly looks similar to the final product but these pictures with the dye dry makes it look dull.

Reactions: Like 2 | Way Cool 5


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## stephen45710 (Oct 17, 2021)

6 coats of wipe-on poly so far. At least 6 more to go…very light sanding 600 or 800 between each coat. Doing both sides for humidity impact consistency. Disposal brushes make counting coats easy .

Reactions: Like 2 | EyeCandy! 1 | Way Cool 5


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## trc65 (Oct 17, 2021)

Beautiful!

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 2


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## stephen45710 (Oct 23, 2021)

After letting 12 coats of wipe-on poly dry on both sides, I attached the pin legs and called it finished. Placed the glass top over it and my first table build is done!

Reactions: Like 1 | EyeCandy! 3 | Way Cool 3


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## Ray D (Oct 23, 2021)

That came out very nice. You had me wondering when you applied the stain but it all came together. Well done

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Nature Man (Oct 23, 2021)

Absolutely terrific! Definitely worth the time invested! Chuck

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## T. Ben (Oct 24, 2021)

Wow,that looks great. Nice job.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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