Page 64 - BSAM 2015 Q1

This article takes you through the process of building a simple table from a block of solid, 300 mm x 230 mm oak, 20 mm thick, recycled from an old book case shelf around forty years old. Having selected the wood, I set about deciding upon the cutting plan, paying attention to the grain direction of the pieces.
First, cut three 6 mm slices off the longest edge. These will be used for the side rails. Then cut a 70 mm piece off the end for the legs. This gives you all the pieces needed to build the stand apart from some doweling for the side rails.
The remaining board is to become the table top and as such it must be square. Check each corner with a set square, then measuring across the diagonals to confirm the same dimension for both diagonals will prove its shape. Work as needed to correct any inaccuracies.
The next task is to create the joints for the side rails to fit into the legs. Decide the position where you want them to fit; I milled out 6 mm grooves into the legs to form a strong and clean joint, then shaped the rail ends to form the tongue part of the joint, ensuring a snug fit, this is then repeated for each leg and rail.
62 | BCI | April/May/June 2015