The coffee table finally makes it's trip to the house...pics..

[Terry Hatfield]

Howdy folks,

I put a smile on my bride's face tonite. I finally got the coffee table I built to match the entertainment center done and in it's permanent spot. It has been quite a project. You probably remember this is the infamous one weekend = one coffee table from a while back. I did actually do all the woodworking in one weekend. Of course then it took me over a month to get the finish on it. There was a major bump in the road!!! The top warped like crazy. It sat nice and flat for a couple of weeks. It was just sitting on the base minding it's own business and then one day it went nuts. Beats me.

I stickered it and clamped it to my bench for a few days which got it pretty flat. I ended up making some stiffeners for the underside out of some 1 1/2" white oak. The are attached with screws. I counterbored the bottom of the stiffeners with 5/8" holes 1" deep to allow for movement 'cause I guarantee the top is going to move!!! I also counterbored the top holes and plugged them.

Anyway. I finally got the last coat of poly on it yesterday. I assembled it and got it in the house just in time for Cheryl to get home tonite.

Here are some pics.......

<IMG SRC="http://www.terryhatfield.com/ctd3.jpg">

Can you say LOTS of storage???? You can see the hefty stiffeners in this pic. The top is attached with a wrap style piano hinge from Rockler. I used Lee Valley lid supports and mission style hardware to match the EC.

<IMG SRC="http://www.terryhatfield.com/ctd5.jpg">

Here is a shot of the bookmatched top.

<IMG SRC="http://www.terryhatfield.com/ctd4.jpg">

Here is a better shot of the figure in the white oak.

<IMG SRC="http://www.terryhatfield.com/ctd6.jpg">

Thanks for looking!!!! Now I'm headed out to the shop to continue on the matching end tables.

Terry

[Greg Heppeard]

Awesome job Terry. Nice bookmatching on the top

[Mark Angle]

Super job. Love all the storage area.

[Tony Falotico]

Another beautiful job Terry.

[Lars Thomas]

Terry, that's a great looking table. Looking at it complete, you must feel wrestling with the top was worth it! Lars

[Steve Clardy]

Well it's about time there ol buddy. I was thinking about making a trip south to pick it up and bring it home with me. But I guess once it's in da house, no chance of that.
Great looking Table Terry. Will have to check it out at the next barbecue. Steve

[Chris DiCiaccio]

Howdy folks,

I put a smile on my bride's face tonite. I finally got the coffee table I built to match the entertainment center done and in it's permanent spot. It has been quite a project. You probably remember this is the infamous one weekend = one coffee table from a while back. I did actually do all the woodworking in one weekend. Of course then it took me over a month to get the finish on it. There was a major bump in the road!!! The top warped like crazy. It sat nice and flat for a couple of weeks. It was just sitting on the base minding it's own business and then one day it went nuts. Beats me.

I stickered it and clamped it to my bench for a few days which got it pretty flat. I ended up making some stiffeners for the underside out of some 1 1/2" white oak. The are attached with screws. I counterbored the bottom of the stiffeners with 5/8" holes 1" deep to allow for movement 'cause I guarantee the top is going to move!!! I also counterbored the top holes and plugged them.

Anyway. I finally got the last coat of poly on it yesterday. I assembled it and got it in the house just in time for Cheryl to get home tonite.

Here are some pics.......

<IMG SRC="http://www.terryhatfield.com/ctd3.jpg">

Can you say LOTS of storage???? You can see the hefty stiffeners in this pic. The top is attached with a wrap style piano hinge from Rockler. I used Lee Valley lid supports and mission style hardware to match the EC.

<IMG SRC="http://www.terryhatfield.com/ctd5.jpg">

Here is a shot of the bookmatched top.

<IMG SRC="http://www.terryhatfield.com/ctd4.jpg">

Here is a better shot of the figure in the white oak.

<IMG SRC="http://www.terryhatfield.com/ctd6.jpg">

Thanks for looking!!!! Now I'm headed out to the shop to continue on the matching end tables.

Terry

Terry, That is really nice! You did a great job on that piece. Great workmanship!

[Boyd Gathwright]

Nice job Terry, really like the grain in that wood. It stands out.

Well done

Boyd

Howdy folks,

I put a smile on my bride's face tonite. I finally got the coffee table I built to match the entertainment center done and in it's permanent spot. It has been quite a project. You probably remember this is the infamous one weekend = one coffee table from a while back. I did actually do all the woodworking in one weekend. Of course then it took me over a month to get the finish on it. There was a major bump in the road!!! The top warped like crazy. It sat nice and flat for a couple of weeks. It was just sitting on the base minding it's own business and then one day it went nuts. Beats me.

I stickered it and clamped it to my bench for a few days which got it pretty flat. I ended up making some stiffeners for the underside out of some 1 1/2" white oak. The are attached with screws. I counterbored the bottom of the stiffeners with 5/8" holes 1" deep to allow for movement 'cause I guarantee the top is going to move!!! I also counterbored the top holes and plugged them.

Anyway. I finally got the last coat of poly on it yesterday. I assembled it and got it in the house just in time for Cheryl to get home tonite.

Here are some pics.......



Can you say LOTS of storage???? You can see the hefty stiffeners in this pic. The top is attached with a wrap style piano hinge from Rockler. I used Lee Valley lid supports and mission style hardware to match the EC.



Here is a shot of the bookmatched top.



Here is a better shot of the figure in the white oak.



Thanks for looking!!!! Now I'm headed out to the shop to continue on the matching end tables.

Terry

[Jim Becker]

Very nice, Terry. It looks super!

Those stiffeners are a good idea. Remember that you have a relatively wide panel and there is nothing to hold it flat without those cross-pieces like a table top would with the supporting understructure.

[Terry Hatfield]

Thanks everyone, very, very much!!!

This wood has been both a blessing and a curse. It is really beautiful, but it is extremely difficult to work with. It moves like crazy. Sometimes it seems it has a mind of it's own. The figure tears out so bad in the planer that you simply can't plane it. Even the Performax with 150 grit tears it out. The figure is VERY brittle. Hopefully the end result is worth the effort, but it is a real job to get it to look right.

I have 2 more boards from this same tree that will become the top and the fronts of the end tables. After that I will be glad to go back to something a bit easier to work.

Terry

[Larry Browning]

Hey guys, the photos don't do that top justice. I saw it yesterday at Terry's shop. That tiger grain really stands out.

Larry

[Todd Burch]

I bet I know why it moved. Spring is coming and perhaps the humidity did it's thing to the top. It's been pretty muggy here already.

Or, is that cleanroom you call a shop hermetically sealed from outside conditions?!!!

[David Rose]

Terry, it came out great! I really think it would be better to have those stiffeners on there anyway. Who says it won't decide to move at some future date? I am getting to where I figure if it *can* move it will someday.

I wonder why it wouldn't sand? That does surprise me.

David

[Rick Lasita]

Terry, excellent job, looks like a very functional piece, the tables will look nice with it, hurry up and get those done.

Rick

[Dick Parr]

Very nice Terry!