My wife has been begging me to build her some furniture. I figured a C Table was a great place to start since it could be as a slide-under sofa table or an end table. Turns out it is a GREAT starter project for someone interested in furniture making with welding and woodworking aspirations.

Design
Does this qualifies as an industrial design? Regardless, I chose a metal frame design for good welding practice. I also needed to incorporate a special piece of wood. The wood I used is from a tree that fell at my parents’–used to be my grandparents’ homestead. Lots of good memories there, and now the tree lives on in my living room.

Be sure to check out the video link above or https://makercise.com for extra context and details!

Step 1: Tools and Materials

Although I have some tools at my disposal that make this project easier, by no means do you HAVE to have all the tools I use.

Here is a list of some tools I think are critical for the build. Note: Some of these links are affiliate links which means I may make money if you use them and buy something.

4.5" Angle Grinder : https://amzn.to/2PbpRTe
Welder -- either will work or anything inbetween
- Deluxe : https://amzn.to/2Sp6zfg
- Cheapie : https://www.harborfreight.com/Flux-125-Welder-635...
Table Saw : https://amzn.to/2Q3uV1c
Table Saw Sled - I use one I made myself, but you can buy them
Welding Jig : https://fireballtool.com/monster-square-8/
C-clamp Locking Pliers : https://amzn.to/2Pevno0

Materials:

$2 of scrap steel 1" square tube - a local scrap yard sells it for $0.20/lb
$8 of red oak plywood - I used lumber I milled myself

Step 2: Cut Metal Pieces

Cut 4 horizontal side pieces to 348mm with a 45 degree bevel on one end
Cut 2 back pieces to 298mm with 45 degree bevels on both ends
Cut 2 vertical side pieces to 580mm then on both pieces notch both ends to accept the horizontal side pieces
Cut 4 top brackets from 1/8" flat bar about 1"x1.5"
Cut 5 front brackets from 1/8" flat bar about 1"x1.5" but with one end angled at about 45 degrees
Drill 5mm holes in the brackets for screws

Step 3: Weld Frame

Use a welding table or jig to align pieces at right angles
Ensure sides are co-planar
Tack weld 45 degree mitered seams
Use a welding table or jig to align vertical pieces at right angles
Ensure sides are co-planar
Tack weld notched seams
Complete welding all seams with continuous bead
Grind welds smooth (optional)

Step 4: Weld Brackets to Frame

Use a magnet or clamps to align brackets
Ensure are recessed (based on your wood thickness) from front and top of frame and at right angles to the frame
Tack weld brackets to frame
Grind welds smooth so they do not interfere with the underside of the wood

Step 5: Wood Work

Joint and plane wood if using rough cut lumber
Cut wood to width so it will slide down into the fabricated with over length about 780mm long
Slip the wood into the frame and mark it at the front edge
Use a table saw sled to cut it at 45 degrees. You may be able to do this with a circular saw, but you are likely to have problems with alignment between the top and the front wood pieces.
Glue front stock to top using the welded frame as a jig for clamping
Predrill holes for bracket screws being careful not to drill completely through the wood
Mark location of the brackets on the back of the wood front stock to ensure cut slots do not interfere
After glue dries, remove the wood assembly

Step 6: Finishing Up

Mark cutlines on the back of the front stock as shown. This way the grain is consistent between front pieces
Cut the front stock to form the three separate pieces, note the upper front piece will be glued to the top
TIP: When cutting slots use the offcut from the bottom between your sled and the work piece. Because it has a complementary angle to the slats, it will ensure consistency in cut angle, and it will provide stability during the cut.
Finish as desired. Here is what I did:
- Sand along the grain with 150-220 grit sand paper
- Apply Varathan Red Oak stain liberally
- Remove excess stain after 15 minutes with a cloth
- Apply Varathane Water-based Polyurethane after stain dries
- Sand with 400 grit paper after water-based poly dries
- Apply a finish coat of poly
- Clean frame with acetone
- Prime the frame with primer
- Spray paint with gloss black rust inhibiting enamel
Mount the wood pieces in the metal frame and secure with short screws

Step 7: Enjoy

If you built this project, put a tasty beverage on this handy C Table and enjoy the fruit of your labor. You deserve it!

If you DID NOT build this project, download the free PDF plans and build your own. Then you can enjoy a refreshing beverage. Get your free plans here: https://makercise.com/diy-c-table/