Friday 1 August 2014

Post 162 Bonsai Table construction #2

My universal carpentry tool is a little 8 inch bandsaw. I'd be lost without it, a real workhorse. The downside is that when I need precision every cut has to be finished off in another way and when you are doing mitres precision is first, second and third priority. Number two tool is a table mounted router. It's the finishing and precision tool, wonderfully versatile even if it is a bit scary.


The first job is 'close to final cuts' into manageable pieces to further mark out and cut again.


Here you can see the table top sections and the undercarriage, legs and rails. The four pieces of the table top are cut from wide boards and with mitres this wide there is no room for error. Opposite sides must be exactly the same length and the 45 degree edges must be nothing but 45 and straight and square and flat. I have routed a ledge in the opening in the middle to house another closing piece of timber. I used biscuits to join these pieces and pulled them together with a strap clamp; what a fantastic tool for that job. The legs are going to be a fiddle as I'm laminating them up from a number of board sections. Not sure how this is going to go.


 Here I am getting into assembly. The old shoe laces are really useful, don't laugh.
As I do so I realise I've allowed impatience to triumph again and am going to have to wrestle with those legs all interconnected when it would have been better to finish their construction and sanding individually. Arrrrrhhhhhhh!




This is the joint at the top corner of each leg. The timber is mitred on the front and side and top.


Here are the front and back undercarriage assemblies. Another valuable tool I have is a spindle sander. It cuts material off quickly and neatly when wanted and does a fantastic job on curves.

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