I'm working on a coffee table and need some ideas. The table is 18H x 21 x 52. It is being made out of maple which I am planning to stain/dye a light cherry.

I did my dry fit and SWMBO said "It needs something". The table is very plain with no drawers or lower shelf. It looks something like this:
http://www.ikea.com/webapp/wcs/store...ts=10105*10311
except it has tapered legs.
The top has been rounded over top 3/8 and bottom 1/4, the apron is 3 3/8 and set back from the outside edge of the legs about 1/8.

I'm thinking of maybe a bead routed along the bottom of the apron or a thin piece tacked to the bottom of the apron with a 1/8 bullnose.

She also suggested a 'V' cut into the top around the perimeter like they do on the furniture in the stores to hide the sloppy joints. I would dread cutting into the top, one slip and back for more lumber.

Any suggestion/ideas would be appreciated.

--
Too much is not enough!
Ray
rvojtashNOTTHIS@comcastDOTnet

Here's a couple more ideas:

-Do a simple inlay strip of about an 1/8" around all 4 sides of the
table top. Say about 1" - 3" in from the edge (whatever looks good to
you). Do it in a nice contrasting wood.

-Add some mock through tenon pieces on the legs opposite the aprons.
???

I'm too afraid to cut into this top to try something like the inlay, maybe
on another project. What about expansion and contraction on a wood top with
an inlay running perpindicular?

"toolguy" wrote in message
oups.com...
Here's a couple more ideas:

-Do a simple inlay strip of about an 1/8" around all 4 sides of the
table top. Say about 1" - 3" in from the edge (whatever looks good to
you). Do it in a nice contrasting wood.

-Add some mock through tenon pieces on the legs opposite the aprons.
???

On Mon, 17 Jan 2005 20:12:25 -0700, toolguy wrote
(in article .com):

Here's a couple more ideas:

-Do a simple inlay strip of about an 1/8" around all 4 sides of the
table top. Say about 1" - 3" in from the edge (whatever looks good to
you). Do it in a nice contrasting wood.

-Add some mock through tenon pieces on the legs opposite the aprons.
???


I think given the general "blocky" design on the IKEA page, using a roundover
on the top is counter to the basic shape. Perhaps a 45 degree chamfer on the
underside of the top?

-Bruce

I would suggest not staining or dyeing it. You've made a table out of
maple; don't try to make it something it's not. If you want a cherry
table, make it out of cherry. I don't understand people trying to pass
off one wood, especially as one as noble as maple, as another.

My $0.02 worth,
Ian

Ray wrote:
I'm working on a coffee table and need some ideas. The table is 18H
x 21 x 52. It is being made out of maple which I am planning to
stain/dye a light cherry.


Any suggestion/ideas would be appreciated.

--
Too much is not enough!
Ray
rvojtashNOTTHIS@comcastDOTnet

I agree. I don't think maple takes stain very well anyway...


wrote:
I would suggest not staining or dyeing it. You've made a table out of
maple; don't try to make it something it's not. If you want a cherry
table, make it out of cherry. I don't understand people trying to pass
off one wood, especially as one as noble as maple, as another.

My $0.02 worth,
Ian

Ray wrote:

I'm working on a coffee table and need some ideas. The table is 18H

x 21 x 52. It is being made out of maple which I am planning to
stain/dye a light cherry.



Any suggestion/ideas would be appreciated.

--
Too much is not enough!
Ray
rvojtashNOTTHIS@comcastDOTnet

I need to do something to even out the color. I matched the boards as best
I could but there are still some variations. Will maple turn orange like
pine does when poly is applied? I have plenty of scrap to experiment
with...

--
Too much is not enough!
Ray
rvojtashNOTTHIS@comcastDOTnet

"Trevor" wrote in message
...
I agree. I don't think maple takes stain very well anyway...


wrote:
I would suggest not staining or dyeing it. You've made a table out of
maple; don't try to make it something it's not. If you want a cherry
table, make it out of cherry. I don't understand people trying to pass
off one wood, especially as one as noble as maple, as another.

My $0.02 worth,
Ian

Variations in wood can be a negative or a positive. Try approaching it
from another point of view. The wood doesn't turn orange, the finish
does. Oil based poly has a yellow colour to it and will darken over
time. Water based poly is clear and stays clear. My personal opinion
would be don't use oil based. IMO, it does not improve the look of
maple.

On Tue, 18 Jan 2005 04:40:39 -0700, Ray wrote
(in article ):

I need to do something to even out the color. I matched the boards as best
I could but there are still some variations. Will maple turn orange like
pine does when poly is applied? I have plenty of scrap to experiment
with...



You really need a dye versus a pigment stain for Maple to avoid blotchs and
get a good even (and deep) color.
check out the samples at http://www.homesteadfinishing.com

-Bruce

In article ,
Trevor wrote:

I agree. I don't think maple takes stain very well anyway...


And when it does take stain... blotch city.

"Ray" wrote in
:

I'm working on a coffee table and need some ideas. The table is 18H x
21 x 52. It is being made out of maple which I am planning to
stain/dye a light cherry.

I did my dry fit and SWMBO said "It needs something". The table is
very plain with no drawers or lower shelf. It looks something like
this:
http://www.ikea.com/webapp/wcs/store...lay?catalogId=
10101&storeId=12&productId=13559&langId=-1&parentCats=10105*10311
except it has tapered legs. The top has been rounded over top 3/8 and
bottom 1/4, the apron is 3 3/8 and set back from the outside edge of
the legs about 1/8.

With the tapered legs, it might also look good with a slight curve along
the bottom of the apron. Just an idea ...

She also suggested a 'V' cut into the top around the perimeter like
they do on the furniture in the stores to hide the sloppy joints. I
would dread cutting into the top, one slip and back for more lumber.

I'm not sure what 'V' cut you mean, but I am wondering if you might be able
to do it by the scratch stock method.

"Nate Perkins" wrote in message
. 125.201...

With the tapered legs, it might also look good with a slight curve along
the bottom of the apron. Just an idea ...
The curve sounds like a good option. I guess I'll have to mock one up for
her or find a sample.

She also suggested a 'V' cut into the top around the perimeter like
they do on the furniture in the stores to hide the sloppy joints.

I'm not sure what 'V' cut you mean, but I am wondering if you might be
able
to do it by the scratch stock method.
I'm not familiar with the scratch stock method. Explain please...
--
Too much is not enough!
Ray
rvojtashNOTTHIS@comcastDOTnet

"Ray" wrote in
:

"Nate Perkins" wrote in message
. 125.201...

With the tapered legs, it might also look good with a slight curve
along the bottom of the apron. Just an idea ...
The curve sounds like a good option. I guess I'll have to mock one up
for her or find a sample.

She also suggested a 'V' cut into the top around the perimeter like
they do on the furniture in the stores to hide the sloppy joints.

I'm not sure what 'V' cut you mean, but I am wondering if you might
be able
to do it by the scratch stock method.
I'm not familiar with the scratch stock method. Explain please...

It's a small homemade scraping tool usually used for making relatively
shallow grooves or beads along the edge of a project. See
http://www.geocities.com/plybench/scratch.html for example.