How To: Building an Art Table

Figure A

Steps:

1. Build your inset table. First, miter the ends of your front, back, and sides to 45-degrees. To do this, use a chop saw or miter saw, set the bevel angle at 45 degrees and cut down the sides of your beams.

Figure B

2. Glue the edges of your bottom piece. Place the back piece and the two sides over the bottom edge, securing them with two-inch brads. By joining each 45-degree angle side, your corners should form a complete right angle. Do not add the front face of your table yet.

3. Add the support beam 15.5" from the left side. Glue the bottom of the beam, and set in place. Secure by nailing from underneath the bottom of the table with two-inch brads.

Figure C

4. Trim the drawer hole on the front table face. Use the table saw to make a 14-inch cut starting 3/4 inches from the left side and 2-3/4 inches from the bottom. Next, make a second cut exactly 2-1/4 inches below the first. Then take your jig saw and connect the cuts at both ends, creating an open hole that measures 2-1/4 inches x 14 inches.

5. Build your drawer cover for the table. It is best to build this upside-down. Take the 1 foot, 10.5 inches x 2.25 inches pieces and attach them over the top piece with glue and two-inch brads. Then attach your 1/2-inch drawer guides to the inside. Use a level to make sure they sit even from each other.

Figure D

6. Turn over your drawer cover and place inside the table inset, between the left hand side and the support beam. Glue the bottom of the surround and attach with two-inch brads, nailing from underneath the bottom of the table.

Figure E

7. Time to build your drawer. Cut half-inch maple for your four sides, and 1/4-inch maple for your drawer bottom. Using a table saw with a 1/4-inch Kerf blade, make a 1/4-inch deep cut 1/2-inch from the bottom. Take your pieces and slide it onto the drawer bottom. Again, glue the dado cuts before sliding on, and attach with one-inch brads.

Figure F

8. Attach the sliders to the guide and fully extend them. Hold the drawer in place between the slides and try pushing the drawer into the table. Adjust the position of the drawer until the drawer can easily be pushed in. With a pencil, mark where the drawer slides should attach. Remove the sliders from the guides and screw into the side of the drawer. Now put the drawer in place by again attaching the rollers to the guide.

Figure G

9. Now that the drawer is in place, go ahead and attach your table face by gluing and nailing with two-inch brads.

Figure H

10. Cut out your drawer facing and attach by nailing one-inch brads into the inside of the drawer front. Just make sure that your facing is positioned correctly before attaching.

11. Add a knob of your choice to the drawer.

12. Now it's time to add your legs to the table. Flip over the table. In each corner place a 3/4-inch floor flange, attaching with 3/4-inch screws.

Figure I

13. Attach your 18-inch-long galvanized steel pipes into the floor flanges. Add 3/4-inch couplings and then your galvanized-steel nipples. Next, add your caster wheels. These wheels have been specially made to fit a 3/4-inch coupling. You will have to special order these as they are most likely not found at your local home store.

14. Flip the table back over. Make sure it is level. If need be, adjust the legs by screwing or unscrewing a bit until you get the right level.

Figure J

15. Cut out the tabletop. With a Forstner bit, drill out a 5/8-inch hole one inch from each end and then one directly in the center.

16. Attach the lid to the table by using 5/8-inch overlay concealed hinge. This is also known as a Euro hinge. These are great for hiding your hinges as well as giving your table a clean, modern look. They are also easy to adjust once attached. Screw them into the desk using accompanying screws.

17. To make an open handle for your desk, measure out from the center one inch to the left, then place a 5/8-inch hole using the Forstner bit. Repeat the step for the right. Next, use your jig saw and trim the wood out that remains between the two holes. Sand down to smooth.

18. Paint or stain however you wish. This is an art table, so be as creative as you like.