This little table, "Reta's Oval", turned out to be not so diminutive in terms of construction. It's been a while since I've done any curved work, and it was on a project where time and money were not the objective, still, it's surprising to have to re-learn what you've known.
Here's a couple of photos of some of the jigs and fixtures used to make the table. The X-Y axis oval cutting device didn't work because the difference between the major an minor axis of the oval was too small to allow the blocks to pass each other, I would have had to devise a double layer thingamajig. So, a dose of fresh coffee and some Zen freehand was the way to go, which is what I should have done in the first place, of course. I knew that.
Even regular maple blows up under cutters, and this was to be a thin 1/2 inch rim, so pattern routing the oval was full of wonder and excitement. Before I cut the outside perimeter I decided that the oval ought to vary in width, so, another pattern.
By the time I got to the drawer fronts a measure of predictability had returned. I used the bandsaw, and after studying a cross section of a bird eye under a loupe, which was positively engrossing in a stoned sort of way, I decided to use a carbide "Robo Sander" to sand to the pattern instead of the tall pattern cutting router bit that I used on the regular maple. While regular maple is moderately prone to blowing out, Birdseye is practically guaranteed to blow out under cutters – hand work from there on.
Here's the finished job, Mara did the multi process finish to, well, finish it.
November 11, 2012
Um… that is one good looking table!