End Tables

[alex grams]

As a follow-up to my previous end table, I finally completed the final two end tables that the initial one was a prototype for.

The top, inlays, and sides are koa, with maple being the lighter colored wood. The butterfly dovetails are cocobolo, which i discovered really makes my sinus' run. Just cutting those small dovetails made my nose a faucet.

I departed from the original on the dovetails, and i prefer the darker butterfly dovetails of the cocobolo. Also, the top is an 8 piece veneer with koa, whereas the original was a 4 piece crotch mahogany. Maybe the slight bit of practice on the 4 piece made the 8-piece koa easier, but i did a better job on the joints and alignmenet on the koa than the mahogany.

The finish is 3 coats shellac, then3 coats of target EM6000 (USL) which I sanded down with 2000grit, then used an autopolish compound to buff up. It isn't mirror finish, but is very smooth, not bad for all elbow grease and no buffer to use with the polishing compound. My first use of the auto polishing compound, and I am very happy with the finish.

Edit: Forgot to include a picture which shows that they actually have drawers. doh.

[Don L Johnson]

Alex,

Exceptional design, proportion, craftmanship and finish. Your neighbors probably do not understand all of the difficulties within one piece of hand crafted furniture. That will be an heirloom, I'm sure. What part of Houston are you from? My son and his family (son and his wife are A&M grads as well) live in New Cypress.

[Prashun Patel]

Great pieces! So many cool and well executed details. Nice job!

[Jim Becker]

Impressive work, Alex!!

[John Hart]

Great design and great execution. I enjoyed looking at the other threads as well. That must be a gorgeous set in your home. I'd like to see everything together in one picture some day.

[gary Zimmel]

Beautiful end tables Alex. Great job.
Nice design and choice of woods. They work well together.

[Dave MacArthur]

VERY nice! What size boards did you have to start out with to get the sides? Also, did you saw the veneer for the tops? Looks exactly like the sides. I was surprised by the legs tapering together at the base, but it's an intriguing nice touch.

[Dana Nurmela]

Great design. Great wood selection. And, of course, great execution. Obviously!

[John Keeton]

Alex, I am not much on contemporary design, but you have done a wonderful job on these. The combination of woods, and your joinery are first rate. And, the finish turned out extremely well.

Job well done!! With these, you should be proud.

[alex grams]

Thanks for the compliments. We wanted something subtle and simple, but not a cube, so my wife and I worked around on designs to get the slight taper down on the bottom and a design we both liked and something that would be challenging for me.

Dave, The sides are bent lamination veneer. I don't think I could afford enough solid koa to cut the sides out of. The laminate layers were as follows, with 1/2" bending ply with 3/32 sheets of resawn mahogany used to help add substance and strength to the stack:

Inside to outside:
mahogany-mahogany-bending ply-mahogany-mahogany-mahogany-koa

As stated in my previous thread, the wood choices were chosen to match an aquarium stand I had already built in the living room. The prototype was to help see if the design could be executed well enough by myself, and if it would be stable with the tapered legs.

Thanks for all the input.