Our new challenge.
We realised that we need a couple of tables to go either side of the chimney breast for lamps or vases. I searched Ebay for something, and found that the only ones we liked were very expensive. You can’t seem to find any real bargains on Ebay any more, just hundreds of shops selling goods and not many private sellers.
Due to the success of our fire surround, and the fact that it seemed to go without any hitches, we decided to tackle another project, or two, or three!
First we will make a pair of tables for either side of the chimney breast. Next we will make one or two small occasional tables in the same style. Then, all going well, we might actually tackle a cabinet for our sky & Tivo etc. We shall see :O)
Some time ago we got a whole lot of wood from ‘Freecycle’ We used some of it for my PC desk but still had lots left. We knew it would come in handy some day!
I set about designing the table and sorting out how to actually make it. We wanted tables that roughly followed the design of the lovely oak table we had made for us. I drew a plan on my Mac (see below) and made sure it would be just the height we wanted.
Mo went down and bought the wood and the screws we needed. We still had the wood glue and varnish left over from our last project. The only thing we lack is proper tools to make the job easier.
Mo set to preparing the wood for me, sanding and drilling holes.
Making the tops was quite easy really.
The difficult bit was fitting the legs. Such a tiny space to get your hands in to put the screws in. Needless to say the automatic screwdriver was a no go! Poor Mo did struggle with those screws. I could never have done it. We decided that screwing one table at a time – eight screws to be screwed in by hand – was enough for one session.
Finally I got to glue the inside legs in. That wasn’t easy as we could have done with eight clamps but we only had two :O( That meant that I had to do one leg and wait until the glue had set before I could do the other one. I also had to improvise and use blocks of wood as wedges in place of clamps. What was it I said about ‘proper tools?’ Without them jobs always take far longer to do.
Finally one table complete. Well at least made up, we have to sand it all down and varnish it but we will wait and do them both together. We may put trim down the legs yet. It might look neater, and the table we had made has it so they would match better.
I will blog about the rest of the project when they are finished.
All Finished!
When I made the tops up and glued the 2×2 around the edges, we were left with about 4mm of top spare. I couldn’t understand why until I measured the 2×2. It wasn’t 2″ x 2″ any more it was about 2mm less both sides. I guess that happened when they went metric. Not being a carpenter I didn’t know that. All of my calculations had been based on the 2×2 so Mo had to use a plane, that Len kindly lent us, to get rid of it. I must say, she did a good job of it :O)
She does have a couple of injuries that she made me photograph for you all to see. She said “I cut the top of my thumb off!” which probably means she has a cut in it, knowing Mo. I’ll let you know when I can see it.
We decided to put the trim around the legs after all. I wanted to do it the same as our coffee table but it would have cost too much to get several lengths of 3″ battening, which would have gone down the sides and across bottom of both legs. We had to make do with a small ‘L’ shaped trim which was twice the work and not quite as posh. I’m sure it will look nice when it’s finished, but you know what it’s like when you can’t do a job the way you want to.
All of the trim had to be rounded off so it was a lot of sanding. I discovered that sanding makes me sneeze and cough continually so I have to wear a face mask, which then makes my face sweat! I hate the sanding down. We do have an electric sander but it’s a cheap thing and, as such, doesn’t work. We had to do all of the sanding by hand.
Mo had to do the clearing up because of my sneezing :O)
She did actually cut the tip off her thumb. Here is a photo of the wounded soldier ;O)
When it came to varnishing the tables Mo had to saw the handle off a brush for me as it wouldn’t fit between the legs for varnishing. I turned them upside down and did 4 or 5 coats on the legs first then I did the tops.
And here are the tables in situ :O) You’ll want to click these and see them larger coz they’re soooooo cool.
Stumble it!
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weechuff | 8 January 2008 at 10:26
How clever! They look really quite modern as well. How tall are they? They look very high.
Sindie | 8 January 2008 at 11:02
Oh my goodness, how clever is that? I can’t wait to see them finished and varnished. What satisfaction you’ll both have. This is how me and Gary work, I design and give him a paper plan, he builds and then I finish the pretty bits like sanding and varnishing. It always works for us too!
granny grimble | 8 January 2008 at 11:52
There appears to be no bounderies to your talents. They’re going to look smashing alongside the matching coffee table. Perhaps you ought to have tools for your birthday! I’ve always wanted to go to DIY lessons, and did look for light weight tools on ebay, but they don’t seem to make them. I can’t control a electric drill with my hands. Carry on the good work, I admire you immensly.
Spider | 8 January 2008 at 19:08
This is fantastic Babs and Mo, I could not believe what I was reading and looking at.
I asked Dave if he would like to look at your blog, I did not get the computer back for at least 15 minutes as he read and re read it, he kept mumbling clever all the time! He thinks the tables are fantastic and you are both very clever, He was trying to see all the screws (or something!) I was getting fidgety for him to finish so I could comment :O)
Cannot wait for more pictures.
Well done to my talented sisters. Tina xx
Anne | 9 January 2008 at 17:43
I think they look simply amazing. Can just picture you both lounging on the sofa – cups of tea on the tables – watching the cinema! Well done.
p.s. Hope I have managed to log on successfully so that I can comment direct to the blog and not by e-mail in future!
granny grimble | 9 January 2008 at 18:08
How exciting Anne to have you joining in. Welcome to our happy band of scribblers
XXXXXX
granny grimble | 13 January 2008 at 1:37
They look lovely. You really are a very creative couple. What’s your next project going to be? If you had a cellar, you could have your computer coming up out of the ground like the old cinema organs!
You must be so pleased with yourself. There is nothing like a job well done is there? Congratulations!
Spider | 13 January 2008 at 1:56
New comment for latest blog!
They are great Babs, Poor Mo and her thumb. It does look very nasty, maybe not the whole tip off Mo but enough :O)
You are both so clever, are they varnished enough to be scratch proof etc like your other table you varnished yonks ago?
You finished them very quickly Babs, are you sure you did not have professional help behind closed doors ;O)
Sindie | 13 January 2008 at 11:11
Cor, what an excellent match to your coffee table! When are you going to do the smaller ones, soon? You must do them now that you’re on a roll.I am jolly impressed with you both and I must tell people that the finish is excellent as I saw them before they were varnished. :0)
Beetle | 13 January 2008 at 16:05
It’s a little more red than the oak but not a bad match considering the top is pine!
weechuff | 13 January 2008 at 16:30
What a smashing job you have made of the tables between you! It must be so satisfying to sit back and think ‘We made that’. I wish I had some sort of talent, but I suppose I haven’t because Lennie has always done things like this, so it never materialised with me. Who knows what hidden talents we might have it our hubbies hadn’t been so clever:0)You have every reason to be proud of yourselves. After all you are not in the first flush of youth exactly, and some of these tools take a lot of handling!
Beetle | 13 January 2008 at 18:08
Ha ha ha! You can say that again! It’s hard work :O)
Anne | 15 January 2008 at 9:03
Just a little comment for latest blog – poor Mo’s finger – is that that new spray on elastoplast? I have bought some but haven’t had to use it yet! And I love the mask effect – very fetching.
Both very creative and clever – I wouldn’t know where to start!
Anne x
Beetle | 15 January 2008 at 17:40
No it’s ‘New Skin’ The same thing I imagine.
GoldAnne | 27 January 2008 at 13:40
wow!!! im impressed you certainly are talented!!! what a bril idea to make your own (and so well)
love anne xxx