Crotch Mahogany Veneered Console Table

Ok ... This was a bit of interesting fussiness. It looks really simple now that it's done, as most elegant things do, but there's a bit more to it than meets the eye. The concept is uncomplicated. Arrange three veneered panels with matching veneers on both side into a mitered upside down "U" and presto ... a console table. Here's the actual deal ... Click photos to enlarge ...


Concept is shown above ... rotate flip, cut to size and match up keeping in mind that the patten has to match both inside and out.

Looks easy, right?

Here's what the stack of flitches of veneer ($50. bills), looked like out of the box. The beautiful crotch mahogany consecutive flitches came from Ben Barrett of Berkshire Veneer Company in Great Barrington, Massachusetts.

What they REALLY looked like, as in WRINKLY LIKE CRAZY !

After spraying with 'flattening solution', (10% alcohol,10% glycerine and 80% water),

changing the paper between the veneers every day for a week, and increasing the weight everyday until the stack is in the veneer bag under pressure for the last day or so, they were ready to press onto the core stock in our veneer bag. You can see more on flattening veneers at this website.

Just miter the 16" wide slabs so they match perfectly, (90 degrees please), figure out how to index and clamp them, and then, glue them up. Piece of cake. Like I said, it will look really simple, (and elegant) when it's done .... next week sometime .....

Bubinga Entry Console

Along with the metal bench below and two other side tables, we are working on a bubinga console table table inspired by an Art Deco design from the 40s, by Pierre Lardin. We have changed the brass details a bit, changed the height and simplified the legs, but mostly, it's pretty similar. It has a really nice feel and will look quite elegant across the room from the bench in the post below. The curved aprons were laminated in three steps using a core of 3 layers of 1/8" bending poplar and two layers of 3/8 'Wacky Wood'. We next applied the 1/16" face veneers inside and out, fitted them up and then applied the 3/16th" bubinga applique. We made the top first, cut it to shape and constructed and fitted the base together while the top was upside down on the bench so we could see the shape we were trying to match. We fitted up the curved aprons using temporary poplar aprons to be sure we had our joinery correct before cutting the real bubinga ones. Worked slick.

The table ready to go ...

The side tables in the photo below

We're awaiting our clients return and final input before starting with the finishing. The brass diamond will be antiqued and lightly highlighted like the other brass on the table. Stacked beneath the console are two bubinga side tables with gold abalone faced pulls.

The table after the meeting today. The domed center detail was rejected in favor
of the brass diamond lying on the table. The fir aprons are mockups to
check the shape. We'll add the real bubinga detail now.

Showing the application of the raised apron detail and the core
construction of the apron described above. We used short tenons
because the real structure is derived from having the front and back
aprons connected with square pieces just inside the front legs. Makes
things a lot simpler ...

The brass feet are made from 3/4" square stock with short
square tenons mortised into the bottom of the legs,
drilled and attached to the tapered legs with long screws.
In the photo above the square proud pieces in the finished
brass details have been replaced by masonite for sanding ..

Fitting up the top brass moldings which are colored
chemically and epoxied into grooves in the legs.

The first clamp up with the poplar aprons