Coffe Table #1: Sketchup Template

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This is part 1 in a 6 part series: Coffe Table

Intro:

I have seen the work of Enrico Konig and l like several of his pieces.

I particularly like this coffee table

I had thought about it a bit. I also asked for help and and gotten some sound ideas in this post:

I originally wanted to proceed like Enrico with a form and bent plywood; but Bentley’s idea was much easier:
A rib cage construction:

Thanks Bently!

The first step was to make a rib template to help cut all the ribs and pattern route them.

I have cut my template and finished the bare rib assembly Already.

Since all the ribs are from 3/4 plywood I am going to need to veneer it. Veneer hammering will be used.
I have not done veneering before starting this project. Paul (Shipwright) is helping me in the learning process. Without his sound advice I would not know where to start.

Thanks Paul!

Today I decided to open sketchup and, with the very little I know about sketchup, draw the template.
The template in the drawing is 18" by 36", good enough to give you the basic idea about the template construction that I will be covering in the next installment of the blog.

As you can see, the template is nothing more than 2 excentric circles cut into a crescent moon with the height of 15".
with a 2.5-3" base the table will have a height of 18".
To get this kid of shape, it is important the 2 circle have their centers on the same line but offset. this will be shown in the next blog.

I will probable make two of them depending on the outcome of the first one :)

The first one will go to my living room. it will have the following dimensions:

width: 28-30"
Length: 48"
Height: 18"

That’s the one I will be blogging about.

The Glass top is a truncated ellipse. I will have to cut a template for the glass shop. I am planing a 1/2 inch thick top.
I have never bought a custom cut glass so I don’t know the process yet.

As for the finish, I will ask for help once we get there:)

Some of you have you noticed that I have been kind of slow in learning veneer hammering. So the project might take a little longer than expected. However, it will be completed one way or another.

Of course, as always, advise and criticism is always welcome.

Abbas, Castro Valley, CA

You go man! I can’t wait to follow along. This is going to teach me a ton I think.

CHRIS, Charlottetown PEI Canada. Anytime you can repurpose, reuse, or recycle, everyone wins!

Thanks Thorreain!

Abbas, Castro Valley, CA

Every journey starts with a single step. It’s moving forward now and that’s a good thing.

Losing fingers since 1969