Introduction: End Table With Open Mortise Joinery

By Can Ken Make It?
About: I attempt to build things. Sometimes I even succeed.

I decided to stretch myself and use some real joinery and make a small table.

I used:

  • Poplar
  • Table saw
  • Router table
  • Edge jointing sled for table saw
  • Planer
  • Face jointing sled for planer
  • Glue
  • Figure eight table top connectors and screws.

Step 1: Create the Legs

The boards I picked were reasonably flat, so I just smoothed one side of each with the planer and glued the two together.

I squared up one end then I used a sled to edge joint one side and the sliced it into four inch and one half with legs.

I cut each leg to its final length.

Step 2: Cut Open Mortises in the Legs

I used and 1/4 inch straight bit and set up the fence on the router table to make open mortises. I clamped a stop block at the length I wanted.

For each leg I took several passes to make the mortise to the depth 1/2 inch.

I one of the legs to set the stop block to the proper distance on the other side of the fence. I did that because I was sure I was totally centered and this would keep the offset consistent.

I cut the other mortises.

Step 3: Cut the Skirts and the Tenons

I cut the two long skirts and two short skirts to length and rip them to width.

After some tests, I cut the mortises by setting the rip fence the length of my tenons. I start at the fence, and the make passes moving away from then fence until I come to the end of the board. I flip the board and repeat the process.

The fit was still too tight so I sanded the tenon until I got the fit I wanted.

Step 4: Trim the Bottom of the Tenons

I determined the amount of tenon that needed cut off on the bottom.

I cut them off with a hand saw and clean it up and rounded the tenon with a chisel.

Step 5: Make the Table Top

Now I rough cut the pieces for the top.

These were twisted, so I made a crude sled so I could joint them with the planer.

I propped up the high spots with shims.

I sketch a pattern on the face so I could tell when the top was jointed.

I flipped the boards over and planed the other side.

Using the sled again, I edge jointed the pieces and glued them together.

Step 6: Assemble the Table Bottom

I sanded the legs and the skirts.

I cut chamfers on the leg bottoms and rounded the edges

I glued the two longer sides together.

I glued the short skirts to one of the log sides.

I glued the other long side to the short skirts.

Step 7: Trim Top and Prepare Bottom

I squared the top and trimmed it to width.

I rounded the edges of the top.

I bored holes for the figure eight connectors in the skirts with the drill press.

Step 8: Finishing

I applied:

  • Wood conditioner
  • Early American stain
  • Spray Lacquer
  • I smoothed the lacquer with #0000 steel wool.

Step 9: Attach the Top

I attached the figure eight connectors to the holes in the skirts with 1/2 inch screws, drilling pilot holes.

I aligned the bottom to the top.

I attached it to the top with 1/2 screws, drilling pilot holes.

Then I applied a coat of wax to the whole table.

Step 10: Conclusion

I thought this went pretty well considering it was my first real woodworking joinery project.

Free plans are available in PDF and Sketch Up format.