Hall Display Table Design

[Caleb Gallentine]

So a friend of mine recently gave to me a nice sized piece of bubinga. It is not intensely figured but it has some nice contrast that I think will really pop when its got some finish on it. I have included a picture of that board below. I would like to keep the piece as intact as possible to display the wood as best as possible (i.e. not cutting it up and making a few small things out of it). So my fiance mentioned that we could probably use a hall/display table. So I headed to the library on the engineering campus to use solidworks to design this table. I have attached a few options below (the difference is really just the number of drawers). I am wondering what you guys think would be the best route to go with this?

Also, if you have any general design change ideas, feel free to let me know (It isn't too hard to change the model and see what I think). I have in my head now that it will be entirely maple except the drawer pulls and the panel in the top so if you have any other ideas about wood choice, let me know that too. The only real restriction is that I want the bubinga to be displayed and I don't want to spend a year's wages building the thing (I am a college student after all, so no teak or bloodwood or other outlandishly priced wood).

And lastly, if you have any tips on construction, please let me know. I have a few projects under my belt but I am still very much a beginner with this. If you cant tell, the design now is to do the bubinga framed in maple on the top with breadboard styled ends, just because I think it looks a little better than miter joints on the corners. Also, the top is a floating top (which I have never done before) so if you have any tips on that, let me know.

IMAG0301.jpgIMAG0445.jpgIMAG0446.jpgIMAG0447.jpg

If you want pics of the model without the top, or from a different angle, just let me know.

Thanks ahead of time!
Caleb

[Jamie Buxton]

Overall, I like the design. Good contrast and balance between the bubinga and the maple.
I prefer it without the drawers. Or if you must put drawers in there, make them flush, not overlay. Overlay looks too much like kitchen cabinets, not fine furniture.
I also like the arch in the no-drawer version. It gives the table a bit of grace.

[Phil Mueller]

Hi Caleb, and welcome to the creek. I like the curved rail/no drawer version myself...especially with a floating top. To give you an idea of one way to do a floating top, google "curved leg hall table" and look for the PDF from Fine Woodworking. It's what I used to help me with a floating top hall table.

Regarding the top you have designed, I don't think you can "frame" a solid piece of wood...the seasonal expansion of the bubinga will likely cause gaps in the maple frame joints. Now, I don't know if that applies to a sort of breadboard end and then side pieces. Hopefully, someone with more experience with wood expansion will come along and give you some advice.

Beautiful piece of wood, by the way. Have fun with the project.

[Caleb Gallentine]

...Regarding the top you have designed, I don't think you can "frame" a solid piece of wood...the seasonal expansion of the bubinga will likely cause gaps in the maple frame joints. Now, I don't know if that applies to a sort of breadboard end and then side pieces...

Ah yes I knew there was a reason I used the breadboard end. If you only glue the front edge of the breadboard end then it allows the wood to expand and contract in the back. You'll never see the shift but it keeps the expansion from popping the joint. Also, a good 2/3 of the wood is effectively quartersawn so the expansion/contraction won't be too bad.

[Caleb Gallentine]

Does anybody have an opinion on the size of the base relative to the size of the top? The base seems wide but then again I don't know what the typical proportion would be.

Also, do I need to have additional supports for the floating top towards the center? The supports seem to be spaced kinda far but I don't know if it is too far apart or if it will be fine.

[Caleb Gallentine]

Hi Caleb, and welcome to the creek. I like the curved rail/no drawer version myself...especially with a floating top. To give you an idea of one way to do a floating top, google "curved leg hall table" and look for the PDF from Fine Woodworking. It's what I used to help me with a floating top hall table.

I love that design they used. I think I will change my design a bit to be closer to that. I love the entirely dark top and curly maple base. Thanks for the tip.

[Wayne Lomman]

Caleb, the top supports should be fine as drawn. It's a hall table, not a bridge.

The proportions as drawn look good. I assume that you used some form of measurements to draw it so go with that. If not, just scale it off a print out.

I agree that the curved rail version looks great. Can you still incorporate a drawer in this? It could be flush and use the cut out as the drawer front so the grain matches. Cheers

[Caleb Gallentine]

Thank you guys for all the feedback! I am gonna spend some of my free time over the next couple days to build a model with all of the wonderful suggestions incorporated. I will make two versions I think. Both will have the curved rail and on one I'll put a flush drawer. I'll build the whole drawer and do all of my joints the way they will be on the actual project (right now its just a visual representation). Once I get done with that, I'll post updated details and maybe I'll have a few specific construction questions.

If anybody else has anything to add, just let me know!

Thanks again guys!
Caleb