Make this End Table - Watch Ken Use "Real" Woodworking Joinery

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Watch in awe (or amusement) as I try to make a table using real woodworking joinery. What I end up with is a reasonably nice small end table.

I picked out some poplar to make the legs.

The were reasonably flat, so I just smoothed one side of each with the planer and glued the two together.

I squared up one end then I used a sled to edge joint one side and the sliced it into four inch and one half with legs.

I cut each leg to its final length.

I used and 1/4 inch straight bit and set up the fence on the router table to make open mortises. I clamped a stop block at the length I wanted.

For each leg I took several passes to make the mortise to the depth 1/2 inch.

I one of the legs to set the stop block to the proper distance on the other side of the fence.

I cut the other mortises.

I cut the two long skirts and two short skirts to length and rip them to width.

After some tests, I cut the mortises by setting the rip fence the length of my tenons. I start at the fence, and the make passes moving away from then fence until I come to the end of the board. I flip the board and repeat the process.

The fit was still too tight so I sanded the tenon until I got the fit I wanted.

I determined the amount of tenon that needed cut off on the bottom. I cut them off with a hand saw and clean it up and rounded the tenon with a chisel.

Now I rough cut the pieces for the top. These were twisted, so I made a crude sled so I could joint them with the planer. Using the sled again, I edge jointed the pieces and glued them together.

I sanded the pieces before assembly.

The legs had their bottoms chamferred and the edges rounded over.

I glued and assembled the long sides.

Then I glued the the short sides to one of the long sides, and glued the other long side assembly.

More sanding on the top now.

I square and trim the top to size.

Then final sanding on the top and rounding the edges.

Using the drill press, I create holes for the figure eight connectors on the skirts.

Some wood conditioner, stain, and spray lacquer.

I fasten the figure eight connectors to the skirts, lined up the top and fastened the top.

Finally a coat of wax.

Free plans are available in PDF and Sketch Up format.