Unusual Modern Custom Coffee Table
Built for a coworker and client who wanted something special to match a new carpet and who came up with this design concept (see license below). This table consists of 17 hardwood plywood boxes, each a unique length, width and height, covered on 5 sides with veneer sawn from solid wood in our shop. The client selected 6 kinds of wood to be used, from light birds-eye maple to dark Western walnut. Each box is trimmed on all 12 edges with solid wood from the same block of wood used for the veneer. The trim hides the edges of the veneer and prevents the veneer from catching and loosening. The finish is 5 coats of oil and polyurethane that has been rubbed out to a smooth polish. This table won second place in the Advanced Division of the 2010 Guild of Oregon Woodworkers annual craft contest.
Showing the finished table in the client's home.
Very close image showing the solid wood edging on a bubinga box.
|
Closeup showing bubinga, western walnut and red oak boxes.
Closeup showing (left-to-right) figured anagree, padauk and red oak boxes, with bubinga behind.
|
**My coworker and client, Brian Griffin, developed the concept of this table, and the sizes and configuration of the boxes, and selected the particular veneers to be used. Brian has released his rights to his design via the following Creative Commons license:
Live-Edge Walnut Slab Double Computer Desk
The following computer desk was built for a client who purchased a live-edge walnut slab and wanted it made into a computer desk for two people, with the left side wheel chair accessible. Vince flattened the slab, filled large cracks with epoxy, and finished the top with a very durable 2-part conversion varnish, and rubbed it out to a semi-gloss sheen. He also designed and built the legs and a 3-drawer chest using matching solid walnut (See gallery cabinets section).
Elliptical Coffee Table with Solid Cherry Rim
For this coffee table, the client wanted an oval table with space underneath for books and TV remotes, and an elliptical piece of glass in the center to cover a photograph. The top is thick shop made cherry veneer on a quality hardwood plywood substrate, with solid cherry wood edging. Note how the solid wood edging fits perfectly on the elliptical core. The cherry was stained to match other furniture in the room.
End Table with Maple Burl Core
This end table was designed in SketchUp (see the Design and Programming Page) and the parts were cut on the Maverick CNC. Note how perfectly the rim pieces fit the core and fit together. The pedestal pieces were cut on the CNC as well. The Maple Burl veneer was made in our shop, and laid down in a four-way book-match pattern.
Sofa Table in matching Style to the End Tables
Coffee Table and matching End Tables
These tables were made from solid sapele mahogany with walnut accents for the drawer fronts and the coffee table shelf.
Round Table Tops
We built nine 24" diameter round table tops for a coffee shop and wine bar in the Portland Pearl district. Since the shop has a nautical theme, the owner wanted tables with a nautical flavor. We proposed this design which vaguely resembles a ship's wheel. It has "spokes" made of heavy teak veneer and heavy western walnut veneer that we made, with a splash of quilted maple in the center. The rim is solid wenge.
The table is finished with catalyzed conversion varnish to withstand heat, moisture and alcohol.
The table is finished with catalyzed conversion varnish to withstand heat, moisture and alcohol.
Rectangular Teak and Wenge Table Tops
We also built four rectangular table tops for the coffee shop. These rectangular tables are about 12" by 54", made with heavy curly teak veneer that We cut from a large teak slab. The 1 1/2" rim is solid wenge, with a 1/16" wide strip of white aspen accenting the teak core.
Maple Burl Coffee Table
The client had kept a burl slab for 25 years thinking that someday he would make it into a coffee table. We cleaned up the burl edges, flattened and finished it and designed and built a base that would match the color and grain of existing furniture in the client's living room.
Computer Desk
This computer desk is made from sapele hardwood plywood, with a solid wood edging, with a matching 2-drawer file cabinet. What makes this nice to use is the rounded hardwood edge, and the lower height. It is stained with a dark red brown mahogany stain and finished with a very durable catalyzed lacquer.
Demilune Table (half ellipse)
Vince built this table in a one-on-one class with the excellent instructor Don DeDobelleer of Etna CA. It is in the Federal Style, with delicate six-sided tapered legs, a half elliptical top, with a veneer fan divided by narrow stringing. The legs also show a stringing effect, cleverly gotten by gluing on a layer of light veneer, followed by a layer of dark veneer, and cutting through the veneers in appropriate places.
The legs and rim are wenge, the fan material is cherry, the curved apron is covered with redwood burl, and the stringing is aspen. The finish is sprayed catalyzed lacquer, which is a very hard durable finish. Vince finished it in his own shop.
(Don owns the rights to this particular design, but I have the knowhow to do similar kinds of furniture.)
