How to Build an Ambrosia Maple Coffee Table

  
Hi, I'm Dej from De Designs and I'm gonna be building an Ambrosia maple coffee table for one of my clients. This table is based off of my phase one collection. It's actually inspired by modern mid-century design.
  
I am here at my client's home and we're gonna figure out what size table works best in this space. To do so, I brought some MDF and cardboard templates. We're gonna lay them down and compare them. Once the size has been decided, I'm gonna go back to my shop and get to work.
  
I'm now back at my workshop ready to build this table at the house. I took some measurements to make a plan, help me figure out what materials I would need. I'm gonna be using Ambrosia Maple to make this coffee table. Right now it's Rough Lumber and I'm gonna join it and plan it. Jointing is creating a reference face and a reference edge. To do so, I'll run each board on its face and on its edge.
  
The planner is almost like a copying machine into which I will feed the boards. It will then replicate the reference face on the other side of the board. With each pass, the planter is removing a thin layer of wood to get the thickness I want. If you don't have access to a joiner or a planter, you can always buy your materials pre-milled.
  
The wood is fully milled and I'm ready to do a glue up for the top and bottom shelf. I'm gonna be using cabinet makers glue and Bessie clamps. There are different types of glue and each one has a different open time. Open time is how long you have to reposition the pieces before the glue starts to set up. I'm gonna be using a decent amount of glue because I don't wanna starve the joint, and I also don't wanna flood it.
  
When I clamp everything together, there should be squeeze out, but I won't be tampering with it until it's reached a rubbery texture. Once it's reached that texture, I'll be using a scraper to remove it. With this specific glue, I'm gonna let everything sit for an hour while the top and the shelf are drying.
  
I'm gonna start working on the six legs for this table. I first designed the shape of my plan, then I used that to create a template out of scrap plywood. Now I'm gonna use it to trace onto the stock. For the six legs, I'm gonna use the caliper to measure the width of the template, then take that measurement and transfer over to the stock legs. Then I'm gonna take it over to the planer and get it down to the exact thickness, checking often. I'm gonna use the table saw to crosscut the legs at the correct length.
  
I'm then gonna use the table saw to taper the side of the legs. I'm also gonna use the same saw to crosscut the aprons. Once the six legs are traced, I'm gonna use a band saw to cut them out.
  
Because I cut them on the band saw they're a little bit rough. I will be using the oscillating sander and the belt sander to smooth it out. I am gonna use the Festool Domino for the joinery. I really like that this mini mortise machine can be used on smaller pieces with precision. I'm gonna be marking the corresponding leg and apron with the same letter so that I can identify them later.
  
Once I've dominoed the legs, it's time to shape them using a hand plane and a scraper. Using a Veritas low angle hand plane, I'll be rounding off the edges. When using a hand plane, make sure you're always going with the grain. Going against the grain will cause tear out.
  
I'll be using a scraper to smooth out everything. Now that these are ready, I'm gonna use the cabinet maker's glue to adhere the legs to the aprons. With everything in place, I'm gonna use the Bessie clamps to keep the legs and the aprons under pressure while they dry.
  
My tabletop and shelf are completely dry. I'm gonna remove the clamps and cut them to size. Using the table saw, I'll use the template that my clients decided on to mark out the size. Once it's cut to size, I'll be changing the angle of the blade to create a decorative detail on the edge of the top and the shelf. When I'm making a ripping cut, I'm always using a ripping fence.
  
Now it's time to sand. Make sure to always protect your lungs by wearing a respirator mask. I'm gonna be using an orbital sander to sand the entire top, the shelf and the base, which are the legs and the aprons. I'm gonna be starting with an 80 grit and I'll be going really slow to make sure that I cover every surface and edge. Once I'm done with the 80 grit, I'll be moving on to the 120, making sure that I cover every surface. After the 120, I'll be finishing with the 180. Freshly cut wood is always sharp. It's very important to round over each edge so that we don't get injured.
  
Once I finish sanding the entire top of the table, I'll be using those same sanding steps for the shelf and the base. To create the base, I took the leg and apron pairings and let them dry under clamps. Once I'm done with the orbital sander, I'll finish hand sanding the legs, making sure to break all the edges.
  
To finish the table, I'll be using Osmo Polyx oil in a satin finish. I'll be starting with the tabletop, applying it with a shop cloth, making sure to get all the surfaces and edges. Once I have an even coat, I'll be using wet dry sandpaper to make sure it penetrates all the pores of the wood. I'm sanding with the grain in short strokes. Once I'm done with the sandpaper, I'll use a dry shop cloth to remove any excess finish. Then it's time to flip it over and finish the other side of the tabletop.
  
I'm gonna repeat the same finishing process for the shelf and the base. I'll be letting all three parts dry for about four hours, then I'll be applying a second coat using the same method. I'll be letting the second coat dry for about eight hours, then I'll start the final assembly.
  
I'm gonna be using some figure eight hardware to attach the top to the base. I'll start by measuring the figure eight hardware against my tool, raising the bit so it's at the perfect level. Then I'll mark out on the base where each figure eight piece will go. Once those markings are in place, I'll use a router to make an indent for each piece. This is where the figure eight hardware will sit. I'll mark the drilling holes, pre-drill, and screw in the figure eight hardware to the base.
  
With all the hardware installed, I'll flip the base over placing it on the bottom side of the tabletop using a combination square. I'll make sure that the base is evenly aligned to the bottom of the tabletop. I'll mark, pre-drill again, and screw in the base to the tabletop. I'll flip the table over and slide in the shelf. I'll secure it using a counter sinking bit and some screws. I'll dust off any remaining sawdust, and that's it. Now it's time to deliver it back to my clients and see how it looks in the living room.