creating a template for a kidney shaped table

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Steve_Honeycutt

Chat Administartor
Steve
Tim,

Here is what I would do. You know that the length of the table is 60". I would get some calipers and see what the relationship between the length and the larger end. The larger end appears to be a circle. Then I would do the same with the smaller end. I would play with the shape on a small scale until I got a pleasant shape. I would then scale this up to full scale on a piece of mdf. For me this would take quite a bit of trial and error. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Steve
 

llucas

luke
Senior User
Tim +1 to what Steve says.
Alternatively, get a big piece of paper and rough out with a compass and curve guides making freehand alterations til it looks right to you. Then use spray adhesive to attach the paper pattern to some mdf, cut outside the lines with a bandsaw or jigsaw, smooth to the line with sander (disc or otherwise). when you are happy with the overall shape use the mdf pattern to trim your top glue-up with bandsaw/jigsaw and finish with a router bearing flush trim bit (like this for instance http://www.amazon.com/Dia-Top-Beari...982216&sr=8-1&keywords=router+bit+top+bearing. If you are uncertain about the steps, just make a smaller mock-up and go through it for practice. The practice run will show you just how easy and fun it will be to make the final product. Check out this video for a good explanation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RM5trU1dEYg
 

Jeff

New User
Jeff
The table is made by Studio 1212 in Boise, Idaho. There are 5 better pictures and dimensions. It's 50-60" l x 26" w x 16.75" high. Check out pic #3 for a birds-eye view.

http://www.houzz.com/projects/69964...-boomerang-solid-walnut-cocktail-coffee-table

I have always been fairly square and rectangular in my work, with some angles as accents.

Welcome to a like mind. LOML is more artsy-craftsy and challenges me to try flowing curves, etc. Good advice from Steve and Luke so I've put on my thinking cap too. I'm envisioning 2 or 3 overlapping circles which make it flow along curves resembling a "kidney bean".

Maybe more later via SketchUp.
 

Jeff

New User
Jeff
Also time to think about the legs or support for this gizmo if you decide to make it.

http://www.houzz.com/photos/1754326...l-Coffee-Table-midcentury-coffee-tables-boise

Ok, we want a "kidney bean" profile of sorts and this is not the cat's meow but maybe useful to get our minds moving around like the circles. The red one is 26" diameter to match the overall width of the finished table and the green one is 17" diameter for no particular reason. Move them around on the 26" x 50" template to suit your eye.

kidney_bean:tim.jpg




It may begin to take shape like a "kidney bean".

kidney_bean_2:tim.jpg

 

tri4sale

Daniel
Corporate Member
This is where a CNC comes in handy. Find a kidney shape you like, import into the software, scale / adjust to size you want, then cut on CNC machine. Can either cut an MDF template or cut out of finished wood for final product.

Or instead of importing a shape you like, you can draw it in the software itself.
 

thsb

New User
Tim
I started to think about that today. I have a retired friend with a cnc machine so if i did the glue up and came to him with a panel we could do it. There is a part of me that wants to learn to do it another way so i have to decide which way i go. the two circles process makes sense, i am still working it through.
 
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cyclopentadiene

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If you have a friend with autocad and a large printer, it can be exactly duplicated. The photo from the Internet can be uploaded in autocad and scaled. This is easily transcribed to a set of drawings and they can be printed on a large wide printer. I have no clue how to do this myself but I have sent several photos of pieces I want to build to our draftsman at work. In less than 20 minutes he will send me back a scaled drawing PDF and if I am pleased he will print it. I then use spray adhesive to place it on a piece of mdf and cut out patterns. It has never failed me.
 

tri4sale

Daniel
Corporate Member
Using Jeff's "2 circles drawing" method I pulled together this design in about 5 minutes in my CNC design software.

Kidney Stone Preview.jpg

I'm not 100% happy with the top curve, but Jeff's method was actually faster then importing a picture and cleaning it up. If you go the CNC route I can send you the file for your friend to play with.
 

thsb

New User
Tim
Thanks so much for doing this. going to send this to the CNC guy and we can go from there. I think the CNC makes the whole thing simpler. I am planning on a couple of side tables as well but haven't figured out exactly what i want from them.

Will give an update soon.

thanks again.
tim
 

thsb

New User
Tim
IMG_4704.JPG

ok. i started with Beautiful wood from Jeff in S. Illinois. My friend sent me a .pdf that i got printed at Kinkos for about 10.00.

IMG_4701.JPG

Because it was flimsy, i thought that it made sense to cut out a small piece of scrap plywood in the same shape

IMG_4702.JPG

Next, i used my new bandsaw to re-saw some of the maple. I thought it would easier than it was and instead of having 7/8 or more thickness I ended up with right at 3/4. Was going to use a different board but i love this bookmatch. Not sure if i will cut the kidney shape with a jigsaw (probably) or the new bandsaw (i don't trust myself on it yet). then will start working on the base.
IMG_4703.JPG
 
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