Back to Building Furniture

Critique and Modification

I received many valuable comments when I posted pictures of the coopered end table, one of which I have definitely decided to impliment, and the others I am in the process of testing out.

The main criticisms were that the top looked a little thick, that the front rail was a different colour to the drawer (it came from the same board as the side rails, but turned out lighter than expected), and that the drawer was too small for the design.

The first modification was to increase the bevel to the sides of the top. There was no point in altering the front and rear bevels as there was not enough area to make a difference (and in any event it probably would not show when looking down).

A sharp A2 blade in a scrub plane works amazingly well ...

The second modification aimed to kill two birds with one stone. I would add a false panel to the front of the table. This would cover the rail and drawer. Instead of a drawer pull, the drawer would open from the underside, thus leaving a clean front to the table. In addition, I decided to create a curved front panel. This would be a subtle curve, but should add a softness that I felt was lacking in the original front panel.

Note that the following is a work-in-process and, therefore, I am looking for comments - a good idea or not, and why?

The curved front panel was roughed out on the bandsaw and then shaped with a skew block plane (across the grain) ...

The front panel is attached with hot glue, so this area can be reversed.

So, smoothed and oiled, this is the result of reshaping.

A couple of full size pics:

In the first, the panel is sawn for the drawer front ...

In the next one you can see the subtle curve to the front.

And a last one of the top and curved front ..

Now, does the drawer need a pull, as in the original, or a recess for a grip?

Regards from Perth

Derek

January 2011