Fossil Table

[Woodbloke]

Back in 2008, we had a camping holiday in our Defender down in the South of France and we happened to drop into a local shop selling fossils. SWIMBO has always been fascinated by them and was very taken with an octagonal, fossil top, so much so that it was duly purchased and packed very carefully into the back of the Landy. Over the years, I made two frames for it, both of which were appalling so this is the third and final attempt which looks more or less respectable.

Below shows the finished frame:



The underside of the cross rails were hand planed to a semi-circle to fit the chunky...



.... 'bridle' joints in the leg. These also have an 8mm dowel in there as well. Belt n'braces The centre 'X' is scribed and dowelled with 4 @ 10mm dowels which were very difficult to pull together. I really could have done with a couple of hefty 'T' bar sash cramps to get them together but I managed in the end :eusa-whistle:

The underside looks thus;



...and the fossil top is simply attached in place with a few blobs of 'Taccy Blue'



Turning the table over...



...and in it's location..



..in the lounge - Rob

 

[Mike G]

Love the joinery. Beautifully done.

 

[Nico Adie]

Those half round bridle joints must’ve taken some doing. Looks fantastic.

 

[Malc2098]

Nice.

 

[TrimTheKing]

Very nice mate. I do like the joinery on much of your stuff, beautiful and no small amount of skill required.

 

[Woodbloke]

Thanks chaps. Only my view of course, but I've always thought that oak looks better when it's chunky. I did make a prototype lash up in pine which was offered to SWIMBO for her 'consideration' (or nae as the case may be) :eusa-whistle: which was even chunkier. We both agreed that it could be slimmed down so the finished size on the cross rail is 26mm thick (which conveniently fits a 26mm dia Forstner bit) and the legs measure 60 x 30mm - Rob

 

[Cabinetman]

Very nice Rob, it would’ve been so easy to not have those scollops out the top of the legs, but having the top floating like that really makes it. Ian

 

[Woodbloke]

... so easy to not have those scollops out the top of the legs...

They were roughly cut out on the bandsaw and the waste was removed with a coping saw. Then they were template bearing cut with a very teeny-tiny router bit; just about the smallest one that Ax sell - Rob

 

[sammy.se]

Very nice!

Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk

 

[AndyP]

Indeed. I am left wondering how you aligned the holes for the dowel. Did you make them before you cut the curves?

 

[Woodbloke]

Indeed. I am left wondering how you aligned the holes for the dowel. Did you make them before you cut the curves?

If you're referring to the central 'X' Andy, the the joint is scribed and dowelled. The two smaller bits I dowelled with the wonderbar 'Dowelmax' jig, then drilled with a 26mm dia Forstner bit in the appropriate place(s) to fit the long section wot runs at 90deg. The offending waste on the small pieces was bandsawn off and then chiseled to the line to leave a square end with a curved 'beak' at the top. The four 10mm holes in the long bit were simply drilled with the Dowelmax jig at 90deg to the face edge. - Rob

 

[fiveeyes]

While my joinery skills are still in the 'dark ages' , yours are excellent. I will try harder.

 

[clogs]

I'd be proud to own it....
really nice work......

 

[Phil]

Love the joinery. Beautifully done.

:text-+1:

Definitely! Looks good Rob