| Mahogany Piano Bench -- Aprons and Joinery |
From "Wood Works"
episode WWK-213 |
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In this project, host David Marks makes a mahogany piano bench with tapered legs, ebony accents and a hinged lid. This sturdy bench is made with traditional mortise and tenon joinery. The legs are capped with ebony feet, and the seat is edged with solid mahogany for a decorative touch. Opening the hinged lid reveals an ample storage space for sheet music. This project provides a good opportunity to learn about mortise and integral tenon construction, one of the strongest joints in fine-furniture making. Integral tenons are made from one solid piece of wood from which material is cut away to form the tenon (figure ). The project can be divided into four main elements: the bench lid, apron, legs and stretchers. Materials: Mahogany stock
Mahogany plywood
Table saw
Multi-router
Tenoning jig Clamps
Chalk; carpenter's pencil
Saftety glasses or goggles Note: Cut sizes may vary. For exact measurements, please contact David Marks through his Web site -- information below under Resources. Safety Alert: Always wear safety goggles or safety glasses when working with wood, saws, drills, routers, etc. Steps: - Using solid mahogany, cut the leg stock at the table saw. To begin, the leg stock is milled square (figure A) and cut to length. Later, the legs will be tapered.
- With the leg stock cut, work can begin making the mortises. For this piece, a design decision was made to have the outside of the apron set back 1/8-inch from the leg stock (figure B). The top of the apron will sit flush with the top of the leg. The tenon is 3/8-inch thick, and stepped down from the top of the apron by 1/2-inch (figure C).
- Based on these specifications, pencil marks are laid out on the leg stock for cutting the mortises (figure D).
- Before cutting any mortises, look at the grain of the leg stock, and determine which sides of the legs you want to face out. Note any imperfections, and select the sides with the most attractive grain pattern for the outside.
- Cut the mortises using a multi-router. Because of its versatility, the multi-router is perfect for batch-cutting mortises that are the same size. Use a 3/8-inch bit, and make the cuts 1-1/4 inches deep and 2-1/4 inches wide.
- Square up the corners of the mortises using a sharp chisel (figure E).
- To complete the joinery, begin work cutting tenons on the ends of the apron stock. The stock is 3-inch wide solid mahogany. The pieces are cut long to acommodate the tenons on the end. Begin by marking the ends using a cabinet-maker's scribe, scoring the ends of the stock to mark the positions of the tenon cheeks (figure F).
- Woodworker's Rule-of-Thumb: It's a good idea when making mortise-and-tenon joints to cut the tenon so that it's about 1/16 shy of the depth of the mortise. This allows a bit of room for excess glue during glue-up.
- For this piece, the mortise is about 1-1/4 inches deep, so the tenons are cut to a length of 1-3/16 inches. A 1/2-inch shoulder is left at the top for strength (figure G), and a shoulder is cut at the bottom, leaving the width of the shoulder 2-1/4 inches. The thickness of the tenon is 3/8-inch. Transfer markings onto the apron stock based on these specifications.
- Cut the tenons, using the tenoning jig, at the table saw. First, cut the cheeks on all sides of the apron stock (figure H). Using the tenoning jig enables the stock to be batch cut, thereby saving time since the cuts are all the same.
- Next, use a miter gauge and stop-block to cut the thin shoulders on the bottoms of all the apron stock.
- Re-adjust the stop-block (figure I) to cut the thick shoulders on the top of the stop block (figure J).
- Finally, adjust the table saw blade, lay the stock flat, and cut away the excess wood (figure K) to complete the tenon.
- The last step is to make 45-degree miter cuts in the ends of the tenons at the table saw. These cuts will give the tenons the clearance they need to fit up against each other (figure L) inside the mortises.
- With the joinery for the legs and aprons complete, dry-fit the pieces together (figure M). You may need to use a sharp chisel and a scraper to shave down the tenons to achieve a snug fit.
- With the pieces dry-fit together, measurements can be taken and layout marks made for the rabbet cut that will hold the bottom panel in the apron.
- At the router table, cut a rabbet 1/2-inch wide and 3/16-inch deep on the inside of the apron stock, along the bottom edge (figure N).
- Next, use the multi-router to make the rabbet in the legs. The rabbet cut is made perpendicular to the mortises cut earlier (figure O).
- With the rabbets cut, dry fit all of the pieces together to ensure that the rabbets line up evenly (figure P).
- With the structure dry-fit together, take measurements for the exact dimensions to make the bottom panel (figure Q).
- Using these measurements, cut the bottom panel from 1/2-inch mahogany plywood at the table saw (figure R).
- Using a jig-saw, notch the corners of the bottom panel so that the panel will fit into the rabbet, around the legs of the bench.
- Assemble the base, including the plywood panel, to make sure that all parts fit together properly
In the segment that follows, the decorative ebony feet are added to the legs. Sponsored Resource
> Click here to order your tools and materials for this project from Woodcraft!
RESOURCES :
Fine Woodworking
A magazine devoted to high-quality craftsmanship in woodworking.
The Taunton Press Inc.
Website: www.taunton.com
The Small Wood Shop (The Best of Fine Woodworking)
Author: Helen Albert (Editor)
Publisher: Taunton Press
ISBN: 1561580619
Woodworking Techniques: Best Methods for Building Furniture from Fine Woodworking
Author: Editors of Fine Woodworking magazine
Publisher: Taunton Press
ISBN: 1561583456
Mastering Woodworking Machines (Fine Woodworking Book)
Author: Mark Duginske
Publisher: Taunton Press
ISBN: 0942391985
David Marks Website
David Marks, DIY's Wood Works host, is a master woodworker. For more information on cut sizes and project details, please contact him via his Website at www.djmarks.com
The Complete Woodworker's Companion
Author: Roger Holmes
Publisher: Watson-Guptill
ISBN: 0823008665
Advanced Woodworking
Model: 0783539126
Author: Editors of Time Life Books
1998
Time-Life Books Inc.
Website: www.timelife.com
Popular Woodworking
F & W Publications, Inc.
Website: www.popularwoodworking.com
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