Still muddling through on this Cheap Table.    legs need mortises chopped, just so I can get the aprons to attach to them.  Did a little lay out, using THE tenon that will go into the mortise.    Joy of hand cut tenons, no two quite exactly alike, anyway, here we goLay out lines.  Next,  a little prep workOver the years, I got tired of split outs at the top of a leg. So, i just extend them out the top.   I might over cut down at the bottom edge of the mortise, but, apron will cover that.  More prep workI chop a square hole at the end, trying to get to the bottom of the mortise to-be.  NextI split out the waste.  Then pare the mortise until i get close to the lines, checking for depthand then a test fitOnce I like the fit (looks good here?) Irotate the leg and do another side.I keep at it until all legs are done.  Time for a test fit?Front leg assembly was glued up yesterday, and the back leg assembly is sitting in the clamp, waiting on glue to cure.   I do the ends tomorrow, i hope.   I needed to set it up, as i had another job to do on this base.  First, I had to smooth out a piece of scrap wood.  I saved the cutouts when I made the aprons.    Sabresaw was a might rough cutting, soI got rid of the saw marks.  Nice curly thing?   I need this scrap to make corner blocks.  First some miter saw actionYou were expecting something with Delta on it side?   I sawed to a line, make another line andcheck the fit.   later, I add some screws to attach it to the aprons, and drill a slotted hole to attach the top.  You know it is bad when the handsaw sounds like a jet coming in for a landing.    Little panel saw got a work out ( so did I ) and got a tad dull.  Never fear, I do have another sharp saw.  Just happened to be a 26" long one.    Arm got a bit tired.  

Well Cheap Table is getting close to the "Finish  line" .  Not sure yet on a finish.   Daughter hasn't said, yet.  Thanks for looking in...

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Planer? I'm the 'planer', and these are what I use...

Chopping the mortises didn't take all that long.   Biggest slow down was the paring work to get a nice fit.    Now I know the reason I don't throw away cutoffs, I MIGHT need them again. 

 Might finally use my router on the table's top, or maybe not.  haven't decided on an edge treatment, yet.     Could just either bevel or round over the edges with a plane?    I DO have a plane, right?

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Planer? I'm the 'planer', and these are what I use...

I like the idea of doing it with a plane. Then nearly everything on the table will be with a hand tool. Now that will be special. I guess you are going to have to get a brace and bit instead of a drill.

Looks good Steve. I believe you are faster on the mortises with the hand tools than I am with my Mortiser.

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John Moody
Site Administrator


John Moody Woodworks
http://www.johnmoodywoodworks.com

Way to go Steve. 

I agree with John. Beveled edges on the top. Might as well bevel the apron bottoms, too.

Your posts are a true seminar in hand tool work. Certainly more informative than some 30 minute TV shows we see.

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Gene
'The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.' G. K. Chesterton