Dan Shapiro's Blog

So you saw my ugly blueprints in Part I–how do you make a table from it? Here’s how I went about doing it.

Here it is… the plans from my first major furniture project, our living room coffee table.

And now, a question from the audience. Kate in Toronto wrote in to ask: So, it’s 8am Wednesday and I’m trying to find out why the planer, in the shop I use, keeps taking 1 inch square chunks from the corner (face) of my perfectly jointed boards…

I’ve got one, and you should too.

I picked up a new-to-me bandsaw this week. I get to use it to build the Japanese-styled table I’ve been thinking about.

More ecab! So here’s a summary of current challenges. This is a “bad news” post; read the other entries under Software for more perspective.

A bandsaw would be a pretty decent way to trim a spline, no? Sure enough, I ran the only-slightly-bloodied edge of that old picture frame along the junky bandsaw blade, and it was a match made in heaven. The darn thing sheared off perfectly.

I’ve been thinking about splines lately. Not the curve, but the slice o’contrasting beauty you stick in the corner of something to strengthen it.

Right now the one big problem I have with it is a stupid question: what the heck do you do with all the exposed plywood edges?

Part 1: What tools do you need? Part 2: Which Brand to Buy Part 3: Getting a deal