I started this side table as a detour to another, larger project I was working on with a friend. We wanted to build a queen size bed frame together using mortise and tenon joints. It was their first time cutting such joints, so we started this table together to give them a bit of practice with the technique.
The table is made completely from reclaimed hardwood. The top came from a set of oak steps, the legs are maple and came from discarded Canada Post storage boxes, and the apron is laminated pieces of an unknown species of (very) hardwood that came from an old dresser.
I enjoy the challenge of using reclaimed lumber to make new projects. There’s a lot of thought that needs to go into choosing pieces that will work, how to make them work, or how to adjust the design to make them work. It’s a kind of puzzle I particularly enjoy.
We used mortise and tenon joints to attach the apron to the table legs. (I forgot to take a photo of the cut tenons) That’s a favourite joint of mine because of it’s strength and it’s relative simplicity. Though I have to admit that a dowel joint would be just as strong and probably quicker to make. The top is held down with a set of fingers gripping blocks glued onto the front/back aprons. This friction hold allows the top to expand and contract without fear of popping mortise and tenon joints apart, or splitting the top.
Overall I’m very pleased with how this table turned out.
