Well, I'm blogging again, at least for another project. I have taken the past year or so off from woodworking & blogging due to my lack of employment. My job situation still hasn't changed, but what did change was the contents of my shed.
Last year, I wrote a post on WoodNet decrying my inability to build anything because of my lack of income. Well, the guys on WoodNet, particularly Bones and Gary G, got together & sent me a bunch of stuff, including 70+ board feet of quarter sawn red oak. I can't find the words to properly express my gratitude to these guys for what they've done for me. Let me just say "thanks," and realize that I wish I could say more.
Originally, I was going to use the wood to make a Roubo style workbench, as shown in Chris Schwarz' book, Workbenches: From Design And Theory To Construction And Use. I received the wood in October (it had to be shipped from Florida to New York, and the guys had a job finding some way to get the wood up here without it costing a small fortune. My thanks to Walt for making the trip!) Upon getting all that oak home, I put it in my shed to acclimate. And the cold weather set in.
Well, the boards are impressive. Some of them are more than 10" wide. Many of them are 5/4 thick. And the more I looked at the wood, the more I thought "I don't want to use this wood for a workbench!" I'd rather wait until I have a job & spend a couple hundred bucks for some construction grade doug fir & make a bench from that.
So I've decided to build a coffee table. Back in 2008, my wife asked me to replace the one we have in our family room, which is also made from red oak. She wants the new table to have drawers for storing the various Wii games & accessories that are littering the family room now.
So project coffee table is about to get underway! That is, after I clean out the garage and get a few other things done around the house . . .
Next time: The Design, or You Want Drawers With That?
