Why Use Woodworking Plans For Tables?

Why do I need woodworking plans for tables? That's an excellent question and in case you are a skilled woodworker you would know why.

Basically for constructing something you need to have a plan, no matter whether or not you draw and design it yourself or purchase readily available plans. When it comes to building your table a proven design could make it easier to make a table that will be sturdy, look good when it is completed and be wobble free.

I assume we've all viewed the old films in which somebody attempts to level a wobbly table and ends up cutting the legs too short by the time they've finished.

Woodworking plans for tables might help you avoid the errors which might be all too common and result in problems like wobbly or uneven legs.

Actually for a beginner in woodworking, the easiest table to build is a circular table with three legs. Why 3 legs? I hear you ask, well do you know it is virtually not possible to get a wobble on a 3 legged table.

To build a table that's safe and can stand the test of time it is advisable to have three things:-

1. A Proven Woodworking Table Plan

"Cannot anyone construct a table? after all its just a table top and four legs, job done right?"

Well it's not quite that straightforward however it doesn't have to be very difficult either, it's important to know what size timbers to use, how to join the legs to the the table top, the best way to successfully join the timbers to make a stable table top.

There are a lot of different kinds of tables, some are more advanced to construct than others. If a skilled woodworker has gone to the effort of working out how to make a selected type of table, making the best use of the timber needed to make the table, then doesn't it make sense to benefit from that.

"Do I have to construct the table exactly as the plans?" Well you don't have to, you may modify the dimensions of the table if you know what you are doing, after all building a table to an existing plan is usually safer and you are more likely to get a better result.

2. The Best Wood For Your Table

"What sort of wood ought I get for my table?" The answer to this question is - it depends. What sort of finish do you want to your table? In which location is it going to be used? How often is it going to be used? What purpose is it going to be used for.

For a decorative look you should use a hardwood, there are a lot of hardwoods with completely different grain patterns, for example mahogany, walnut, and teak. You can also use a softwood similar to pine or cedar with a stain and clear coat, or primer and paint.

There are most likely more different kinds of finish than there are kinds of table.

Which ever timber you select be certain it has the right strength properties for the type of table you're building. A very good plan will provide you with a choice of woods and a materials cutting list.

3. The Right Woodworking Tools

You'll either need a saw or you can get your materials pre-cut for you at your local lumber yard, normally there is a cost for cutting. When you plan on doing woodwork in the long run not just for this one project it is sensible to invest in a affordable table saw and or a sliding mitre cut-off saw.

You'll need clamps, in actual fact an entire variety of clamps as you build different projects. For a table you'll most definitely want pipe clamps to clamp the boards together for the table top and smaller clamps for when you're securing the legs and other components of the table.

You will need a very good set of chisels and a mallet, a drill and a set of drill bits. A general purpose wood plane may also be handy.

For fancy edges you should use a router and various bits. You would use a wood plane for a bevelled edge or just a sanding block in the event you don't possess a router.

If you are a beginner at woodworking, add to your toolkit over time, you don't need to have each tool there is to get started.

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