My brother cave me an old stand-up clerk's desk, the type used on top of an existing counter, with drawers for cash and supplies and a sloping top. It was unusable as furniture, and hardly a priceless antique, but had lots of well patinated oak lumber. I decided to convert it into a coffee table and give the now usable item back to my brother (who needs a coffee table, in any case).
Tony_Jack.jpgTony & Jack105 viewsTony Seo and the late Jack Kamishlian at the upstate NY Galoot Gathering, summer of 1999.Tom11
RouboPress.jpgRoubo Presses142 viewsTop half of Plate 280 from Roubo, L'Art du Menuisier Ébéniste, showing the horizontal press, Fig. 1, and the vertical press, Fig. 2.Tom11
AdironChairs.jpgAdirondack Front174 viewsMade from redwood, finished with multiple wipes of diluted BLO, refreshed periodically.Tom11
ClampDone.jpgCam Clamp finished172 viewsFinish is Minwax "golden oak" followed with a wipe of "English chestnut," giving a color similar to the unfinished maple of my work bench made in 1995. Inside dimensions are 6" reach, by 23 3/4" width of clamping capacity.Tom11
ManropeKnot.jpgManrope knot146 viewsThe finished knot securing the rope sling, with leather washer per Charlie Rodgers' suggestionTom11
BkEndsDone.jpgBookends Done272 viewsMade from cherry cutoffs, with iris inserts by Judy the glass crafter. And some books I, um, had layin' around the house.Tom11
SWlamp.JPGSouthwest lamp221 viewsSWMBO Judy made the shade, I cooked up the baseTom11
45boxInside.jpgInside of box for Stanley #45177 viewsShowing the interior arrangement, with a fitted place for the cutter boxes on one side, and room to store the plane with long arms in place.Tom11
Last additions - Tom11's Gallery
TomResaw.jpgTomResawing113 viewsAntique saw found in a shop in central New York state (near Canandaigua) and rebladed with a piece of 1/2"-wide non-hook bandsaw blade. Taken about 1997, before digital cameras, but now scanned for sharing.Tom11Dec 22, 2011
65lbs.jpgI was able to squeeze the bathroom scales to ~65 lbs.160 viewsI don't think this was anything like an accurate measure of maximum clamping pressure, because the cam will only flex the spring arm to a hair short of 3/8" from rest. That went to the 65 lb. mark, but If I could get another purchase I think it would go more-not that you need much more to hold a tight glue joint until it sets.Tom11May 14, 2011
ClampParts.jpgStock for cam clamp187 viewsAll hard maple, bar is 2 1/4" x 28", uprights are 2" wide by 9 1/4" long. All stock is 13/16" thick, making laminated uprights 1 5/8" across when finished.Tom11May 13, 2011
HalfMortise.jpgCutting mortise in upright161 viewsHalf the mortise is cut in each piece before lamination. Router plane is excellent for making sure mortises are correct and snug. 1 1/4" left below bar on both uprights, help keep assembly level and stable when using the clamp. Tom11May 13, 2011
MortiseCut.jpgMortise in fixed upright160 viewsThe upright pieces are twice as thick as the bar, with half the mortise cut in each side before gluing up. This fixed end is made snug and well glued.Tom11May 13, 2011
CamLeverSlot.jpgLever mortise layout150 viewsShowing where the slot will be cut for the cam lever, with business end 1/2" from inside edge, from which the spring face will be cut, to be pushed by cam lever.Tom11May 13, 2011
ClampDone.jpgCam Clamp finished172 viewsFinish is Minwax "golden oak" followed with a wipe of "English chestnut," giving a color similar to the unfinished maple of my work bench made in 1995. Inside dimensions are 6" reach, by 23 3/4" width of clamping capacity.Tom11May 13, 2011
CamClamping.jpgCam Clamp at work160 viewsThe pivot hole in the lever is ~ 3/16" off center, 9 o'clock when at rest. Raising it gives a max of c. 3/8" clamping action.Tom11May 13, 2011
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