We have a couple chairs sitting in the front patio of our townhouse that need a small table to go with them. I don't know if "bistro table" is the correct name for this, but I'm using it anyway.
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| The location |
She got some ideas from small tables we've seen around.
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| This small table was at a little cafe and we liked the top |
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| This table was at a soccer stadium food area |
I liked the base of the second table and the top of the first table. So I got on Sketchup and worked out some details.
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| Sketchup model |
The table is about 29" tall and the top is 24" diameter. There are 32 top slats, for no particular reason other than that was how many the table above had and it looked proportionally good when drawn up.
The pedestal base will be made from 1" thick, 2" wide material - I first modeled with 1 1/4" thick, 3" wide material and it looked too clunky. The uprights have a concave curve that I think will make it look more elegant.
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| View of pedestal |
You can see there will be a ring supporting the top slats. I'm probably going to make that from 8 pieces, mitered at 22.5° and joined like tongue and groove boards (or maybe more accurately like stub tenon and mortise).
I've been working on the joints of the pedestal. In the model, they are bridle joined, with the uprights being tenoned into the feet (and top supports). But I've been experimenting with a mitered bridle joint, that I think might look better. It's just more tricky to get it to fit right. So I did some tests in some scrap pine.
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| Standard bridle joint |
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| Standard bridle joint, disassembled |
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| Mitered bridle joint |
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| Mitered bridle joint, seen from below |
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| Mitered bridle joint, disassembled |
Here's what they might look like in the model.
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| Standard bridle |
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| Mitered bridle |
I think the mitered bridle looks better. But the added complexity might not be worth the effort. What do you think?
For this project I have the last of some old redwood 2x6 boards that were once a part of a deck.
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Raw material - knotty, weathered, painted, ugly,
but I know there's some beautiful redwood inside |
Next time I'll get to some construction details. Enjoy your Thankgiving - hard to believe the holidays are upon us already.
I think the look of the mitered base is worth it. To my eye it makes looks like it is floating up from bottom.
ReplyDeleteI'm 90% sure that's what I'll be going with. I'm just going to lay out VERY carefully and go slow. I like the look of the mitered bridle joint better - it seems to work with the curved upright much better.
DeleteGo with the challenge, go for the miter bridle. If look nicer too
ReplyDeleteBob, sitting in an auction
Hi Bob. You're right - the challenge is the better way to go. And I think it looks better, too. One thing I could do - the top and bottom of the table base are identical, so I could do standard bridles at the top where they won't be seen and mitered bridles at the bottom. Or do top and bottom mitered bridles and place the better looking one at the bottom where they'll be seen. Stuff to think about.
Delete