This project is an awesome easy build for anyone new to basic hand tools. It is built from 2 lengths of 3" x 2" CLS and a pallet. The pallet I used was pretty grimey but once sanded most come up really nice and it adds a really unique character to your project.

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Supplies

2 @ 2.4 M x 68mm X 38mm CLS or any timber/lumber that is a planed smooth finish.

1 Pallet that yields 6 slats at 440mm long

Screws 35mm long

PVA glue

40mm oval nails

Step 1: Select Straight Timber and Cut Corner Halving's

Cut all your legs and rails to the correct sizes on the drawing. Mark the best side and edges with a face side and edge mark. If the legs have a slight bow mark them so the bow faces inwards. You can check for bow easily by looking down the edge of the timber. Mark out all the corner halving's and cut. Check out our videos on combination gauges and how to easily set up and how to cut corner halving's

Step 2: Tee Halvings for Lower Rails

Once your corner halving are all cut and cleaned up. Mark out a line 400 mm down for the bottom of the lower rails position. mark out and cut the tee halving's. Check out our tee halving's video on how to get perfect joints

Once all the joints are cleaned up dry assemble to check the fits and that it is square across the diagonals of the square opening at the top.

Step 3: Stretcher Bar

Once your frame is square mark out for the spacer bar set centrally on the two lower rails. This is fitted using a tee halving. Apply glue to the tee halving lower rails and push in to position. Holding the frame firmly in a vice fit the corner halving's and screw together checking for square. Once both outer frames are glued and screwed fit the stretcher bar and glue and screw.

Step 4: Pallet

There are lots of videos on stripping pallets showing different methods. I have always found a brick bolster and a claw hammer works best by shearing the nails between the slats. This reduces the splits by trying to remove the nails. Once broken down cut to 440 mm and place the slats on your table. A 6mm space works best as this will disguise any any slight bows along the length of the board and if being built for outside allow for expansion. Two peices of 6 mm ply work well to set consist ant spacing's. Once spaced out measure the over hang and minus 20 mm. The remaining number is divided by the number of spacings and is what is to be removed from the boards.

Step 5: Sand and Fix Table Top Slats

Using a coarse abrasive paper sand back all faces and edges. The grade of papers used depends upon how you want your final look to be. These slats had P80 as I wanted the light and dark of the grain to show when a finish was applied. The oval nails to stop the slats splitting need the point of the nail to be blunted. This can be easily done by just holding the nail upside down and hitting the pointed end. Position the first slat and nail with the oval head going with the slat grain. Place your two spacers against the inside edge of the slat and position the second slat tight against them. Nail in to place and continue with all subsequent slats.

Step 6: Sand Back Frame and Top

Using a finer grade abrasive
paper remove any pencil marks and timber grading stamps. Hoover down and apply a clear finish. I applied a raw poly oil from Osmo to ensure the grain was not lost in a darker finish.

Step 7: Tweak Your Table

If you have access to either some pre-made hardwood dowel or a small piece of 6 mm steel to make a dowel maker from. You can remove the screws and drill through with a 10mm drill bit to fit a 10mm dowel all the way through. Whilst the grain is supposed to run with the grain I have purposely set at 90 degrees to create a contrast. Once glued in place leave to dry trim with a fine saw and either using a chisel or hand plane finish flush.