Looking for plans for a coffee table
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Does anyone know where I can find plans for a coffee table? I prefer Mission style or its like, but this is a present for my son and future daughter-in-law for their wedding and they’re a little vague as to what they want — just that I know they want it to have drawers. Any ideas?
Replies
A,
How about one of these? This is Barnsley Cotswold style A&C (Anglish) made last year using a number of motifs from that style. No proper plans, Im afraid, except the graph paper scrawls:
There was a series of photo essays in the old Knots showing how each stage was done, particularly the carving of the edges. Is this still avaialable in Knots? I don't know.
Lataxe
That coffee table is drop dead gorgeous, but I'm afraid it would be beyond my skill level since I have no experience carving. It would probably look great even without the carving though. Still, I need to work with plans. Thanks for sharing these pix.
Beautiful!! I too would like plans without carving. Let me know if you obtain one. Willing to pay or share $
Chaps,
I made it up as I went along, from that scrawled graph paper thang you see in the last two photos. This is the best plan you'll get, I'm afraid, as I am no good with the CAD or even a tech drawing board. :-)
It's quite simple joinery in fact - through tenons with wedges and/or pins. There's just a lot of them!
Also, that carving (chip-carving to be accurate) was the first carving I'd ever done, apart from about 4 feet of practice with various simple shapes all involving squares along an edge. You'd be surprised how easy it is to make such carving, once you know how. It isn't really skillful and can be done with a small saw (to outline the squares) and a couple of bench chisels.
If I could get at the posts in the old Knots (about 7 or 8 of them) detailing the progress as it was made, I could show you just how easy (albeit time consuming) it was to make. Those posts were photo-rich................
Lataxe
I know you said "plans" but -
I know you said "plans" but - have you considered just using a model (eg some photos) to make your own plan, with dimensions and construction techniques to suit you, rather than following the dictates of someone else's plan? It seems harder to do but in fact gives you more freedom to suit the piece to your own needs and skills; as well as providing a bit more of a learning experience (and a lot of fun, sometimes some frustration, but its nice to surmount the difficulties).
Here are some A&C style pieces of various kinds that I've made over the years. Only the Rodel coffee table used anything like a plan. In fact, I just copied it from some photos and chose my own dimensions, as well as adding a few motifs like square pyramidical caps on dowels and so forth.
With the G&G, just cut the legs short and leave out the bottom rails. Cut orf the legs also of the cherry thang and stretch it in one dimension to make a coffee table. You may find plans for the Rodel table (with the hare) here on the FWW site. It would be easy enough to add drawers.
No plans from moi - but plenty more photos if you like. :-)
Lataxe
I might be able to help
Send me your email. I have some things online that might help - sort of simple in style. [email protected]
This one looked interesting to me.
https://www.finewoodworking.com/PlansAndProjects/PlansAndProjectsPDF.aspx?id=33675
in fine woodworking #215 Limbert-style Coffee Table.
Limbert Coffee
I Agree - The Limbert coffee table is pretty sharp - Maybe I'm a bit biased???
Seriously, the Barnsley table first show is pretty cool! I've been doing more English and Scottish inspired Arts & Crafts as of late, and Barnsley is right up there!
Limbert Coffee table
Thanks for replying. That table is on my list of things to do. My husband's cousin asked me to make her a coffee table. I showed her that one, and she was sold! Very nice design. Thanks for sharing.
I agree with you. That Limbert table is very nice.
This may be the wrong forum to post this but Wood Magazine has plans for a simple mission style coffee table. It goes along with a whole living room of mission style furniture. I built the bow arm chair and ottoman. Just haven't gotten enough time to add to the collection yet. You can purchase the plans for download for a reasonable price. It doesn't have drawers but it would not be hard to add them.
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