Not fine furniture...

[DaveO]

But finely constructed in my opinion. My wife needed a new printer stand to replace the one I made her last year...she changes printers like socks. She has two printers, one that prints on CDs and now a new all-in-one unit that came with her new lap-top.
I decided to make this mundane project more interesting by incorporating some joinery that I have never tried before.
The top is held in place with blind sliding dovetails, made on the router table (there was a lesson learned...you can't plunge a DT bit :eusa_doh: )
I tried my hand a cutting DTs for the back support piece and ended up with ones that "will work", I could still use some practice.
The side supports are mortise and tenoned together, with the tenons cut on the BS (another first try).
The wood is Balau´ which is a tropical (Vietnam and Malaysia) hardwood, sustainable harvested, and a decent substitution for Teak. It is in the genus Shorea spp. similar to Meranti and Luana. I found it awesome to work, it made my planes and chisels seem like they were sharpened by a pro (not). I got it from my in-law's front porch re-decking project (4" T&G boards 9" long)
The finish is BLO, then a seal coat of spray shellac, finished with gloss spray lacquer, and paste wax.

Here's some pics:

And in use :-D :-D

Thanks for looking :icon_thum

Dave

 

[D L Ames]

Cool...........nice looking printer stand Dave.:icon_thum I like the looks of all your joinery as well as the profile you used for the bottom edge of the top.

D L

 

[walnutjerry]

Very well done!!:eusa_clap

Jerry

 

[NCPete]

nicely done, DaveO!

 

[cskipper]

Nice job, especially the extra touches!

 

[Ray Martin]

Dave,

You've done it again. The table is beautiful. By-the-by... I have a home office and printers, copiers, FAX, etc all sitting on top of the worst of stuff... (just in case you get the urge to make a few more of these :-D)

Where can you get Balau around here? Expensive? You said it is sort of a sub for Teak, but you also said that it machines well. Is this stuff easier on the blades than Teak? Does it have any of the oil that Teak has? The wood looks like it has a really nice grain to it.

Ray

 

[toolferone]

Dave, The stand is perfect. The wood looks really nice. I like how you push yourself to learn new things, no matter what the project is. The only think I say is wrong is your opininon that it is not fine furniture! It has all the right stuff in it, ie: sliding dovetails, hand cut dovetails, M&T joinery, nice cove lip on the top, and custom made with great finish. Sounds like fine furniture to me!

 

[DaveO]

Dave,

You've done it again. The table is beautiful. By-the-by... I have a home office and printers, copiers, FAX, etc all sitting on top of the worst of stuff... (just in case you get the urge to make a few more of these :-D)

Where can you get Balau around here? Expensive? You said it is sort of a sub for Teak, but you also said that it machines well. Is this stuff easier on the blades than Teak? Does it have any of the oil that Teak has? The wood looks like it has a really nice grain to it.

Ray

Ray, my in-laws bought it in Wilmington as T&G exterior decking. I will check with them as to where they purchased it. I have no idea what it costs, but knowing my in-laws, it had to be reasonably priced. I thought it was very easy to work with, never have worked with Teak, I can't compare the two. It didn't feel oily at all, and all my blades seem to be as sharp as before. I think as a substitution for Teak, it is as rot and weather resistant, but I don't think it is as hard.
Dave

 

[Howard Acheson]

Nice job Dave. Just a comment. I assume the sliding dovetail is only glued at the last inch or two?

I make that comment so others who want to do that know that if it is glued full length it is a classic cross grain joint and something may fail as the top expands and contracts.

 

[chris99z71]

That looks awesome Dave!

 

[DavidF]

How long are the DTs Dave? thought of trying tapered ones next? Sliding DTs are becoming a bit of a signature for me - must be mad! they look good when they are perfect, but a pig to get right.

 

[sapwood]

Not fine, but certainly stellar! As others have stated, the attention to detail is striking . . . not only the dovetails but the neat cove cut too :eusa_clap

Roger

 

[DavidF]

What angle DT bit did you use Dave? I designed with 10 deg in mind, but could only get 7 or 12 and went with the 7. I think this was a bit too shallow for my needs as the joint can "slip" apart if there is even the slightest gap around the join. Mine on the bed are designed to be not glued so I needed to be able to get them apart fairly easily and the narrow angle allows gaps to open up even with a very slightly free fit. 12 degs would have given me too narrow a neck. Yours looks more like the angle I had in mind unless it's just the scale of the piece that makes it seem so.

 

[chris99z71]

Is this what you're looking for David?

 

[DaveO]

Nice job Dave. Just a comment. I assume the sliding dovetail is only glued at the last inch or two?

Yes, they are. The whole reasoning behind the sliding DTs was so the top could expand, and I wouldn't need any metal fittings like Z clips & screws.

Dave

 

[DaveO]

What angle DT bit did you use Dave?

DavidF, the DTs are 10 3/4" long. I am not sure of the angle of the DT bit I used. It was the one that came with my Leigh jig for 1/2 blind DTs. I am going to guess 12 deg. based on their numbering system (this bit was #120, and the one for thru DTs is #80, and 8 deg is normal for hardwoods.)
Seeing as this was my first attempt at sliding DTs, I thought I would keep it simple. But I can see the lure of the tapered sliding DT, and will give it a try at the next opportunity.

Dave

 

[DavidF]

Is this what you're looking for David?

That in 1/4" shaft would have been perfect! - too late now though:crybaby2:

 

[stoneskippers]

Very nice piece of fine furniture.:icon_thum

 

[Splinter]

That's the best looking printer stand I have ever seen. :eusa_clap

 

[Dutchman]

Great printer stand Dave. I was wondering did you shape your frame parts and then assemble, or did you shape the inside of your frame after it was built?