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Thread: Craft table design -- comments/input?

  1. #1
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    Cool Craft table design -- comments/input?

    Hi all,

    The wife is wanting a dedicated craft table for our office with some built-in storage (right now it's a simple foldable table.) I've only built simple furniture, and although I know this isn't exactly challenging, I want to make sure I'm going at it correctly. I drew up the attached design using Sketchup and I'm trying to get some ideas on a few things to make sure I'm not missing something.

    1. Are my joinery techniques too much or is there a better way? I have a Kreg jig which I use all the time to assemble things. While I'm not all opposed to using it on this project, I'm sort of wanting to challenge myself a bit more and try not to use any screws (unless y'all say otherwise of course.)

    2. She's wanting to paint this thing, so I've decided to use all 3/4 baltic birch to save a bit of money and also give it some heft so she can throw whatever she wants on it and I won't have to worry. The face frame will be built after assembly, made of cheap poplar and brad nailed.

    3. Should I dry fit everything to make sure it's all good, disassemble, tape off the joints, and then paint? I'm sure we can finish this after assembly, but wondering if it's better to finish first and then assemble (I have an Earlex HV5500 by the way.)

    4. The wife wants this thing to be as long as possible (no more than 8 feet of course), but I'm worried about the top sagging, but it also needs to be movable in the future. I'm going to have to move the cases in to the office and attach the top in there, but I don't want it to be permanently stuck without destroying it to get it out...does that make sense?

    Man, that's a lot and I apologize for that, but super appreciative of this community . Thanks in advance!

    -- Abe
    craft_table_exploded.pngcraft_table_perspective.pngcraft_table_side.png

  2. #2
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    1. Your joinery looks okay to me. You're essentially building a box, with panels providing good wrack-resistance in all directions.

    2. Baltic birch strikes me as overkill for this cabinet, but if it makes you comfortable, go for it.

    3. I'd have trouble getting a spray gun inside that cabinet. Furthermore, my HVLP gun really doesn't like spraying into closed cabinets. It puts so much air into the cabinet that all the finish blows back in my face. If you assemble the cabinet first and paint it later, you may find a brush is the better way to do the interior.

    4. Carry the two pedestals and the top into the office separately. Attach the top with a few screws up from the pedestals. If you need to remove the whole piece, pull the few screws, and carry it out of there.

  3. #3
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    Jamie pretty well nailed it on what I'd do however I'd suggest torsion box construction for the top. It will give you a lighter and stronger top.
    Wood'N'Scout

  4. #4
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    Instead of baltic birch, would you recommend reguly 3/4 ply from one of the big stores? It's definitely cheaper, which I'm cool with I think I'll got the route of taping off the joints and set up a small spray booth with tarps using my garage door rails to spray in. I hate painting!

    Thanks so much for the feedback!

  5. #5
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    Steve, thanks for the torsion box suggestion! It would definitely add strength and stability across the span and I think I can get by with a single sheet on top. It will be a bit before I actually get to the top, but that's probably the route I'll go.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Abe Music View Post
    Instead of baltic birch, would you recommend reguly 3/4 ply from one of the big stores? It's definitely cheaper, which I'm cool with I think I'll got the route of taping off the joints and set up a small spray booth with tarps using my garage door rails to spray in. I hate painting!

    Thanks so much for the feedback!
    I'm a little cautious about plywood from the big box stores. I buy my plywood from a hardwood dealer. It is more likely to be flat than the stuff at the borgs.
    Where were you planning to buy Baltic Birch? I only see that in real hardwood dealers, not the borgs. So get conventional 3/4 ply there.

  7. #7
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    I get baltic birch from my local Woodcraft. It's pricey and come to think of it, I've never seen a full sheet there anyway...I think the biggest they keep is 30x48. Hmm, I might need to find a good hardwood dealer in the Nashville area and see what they have to offer in terms of ply.

  8. #8
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    As long as you are asking - I'd use prefinished ply for the interior pieces and paint the exterior. Consider using a hollow core door or even a much heavier solid core for for the top. Otherwise I defer to Jamie's post - well said as usual.
    "... for when we become in heart completely poor, we at once are the treasurers & disbursers of enormous riches."
    WQJudge

  9. #9
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    Because you have vertical styles and panels, as well as rails that act as stiffners to the horizontal surfaces, you should be able to lay a small engine on top this.

    I built a little, rolling 2'x4' island for the kitchen last year. It's all drawers. The top has two small drawers, but the bottoms are the full width. The single style in the middle, between the upper two drawers, tied to an upper and lower rails, crank of the strength big time. A piece of plywood connected to the middle of the front, center style [between the two small drawers] and runs to the back rail, adding a lot of support for the 3/4" ply top. The build is more than adequate for the granite tile top. Though it's all poplar and birch ply, it's heavy, so doesn't run off when you're doing something, but it's still not hard to roll around with its Harbor Freight casters.

    Your design will allow you to add full extension drawers, to add metal facing for magnets and do other things you deem fit in the future.

    By the way, the orange box sells a lot of 23/24 birch ply for around $30.00 a sheet. I built my entire kitchen using it and had no problems with warped material, other than a sheet I had stood up and forgotten, so that one was my fault, and it was fine for other uses.

  10. #10
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    Sam, good idea on the door for a top...that would add some heft. I'll run it by the wife to see what she thinks about that.

  11. #11
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    Kelly -- haha, I was thinking I might have over engineered a bit, but at any give time the wife will have a sewing machine, books, crafty thingamajigs, etc...I doubt any engines, but you never know! I didn't include any drawers in the design because she really likes the open concept and to use those wicker-like baskets for storage. You're right though, I should be able to easily retrofit drawers where needed which is a good thing.

  12. #12
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    Using a torsion box for the top is a good idea. While you're building it, try to remember to add some blocking inside where the screws will be.

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