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Build a mission side table
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Enjoy the satisfaction of building your own replica of a classic Mission-style table
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By Michel Roy, photos by Roger Yip, illustration by Len Churchill
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Keep It Simple
You could make a jig to cut the wedges themselves, but since you only need four, I recommend a simpler method. Cut rectangular pieces of wood 2 1/2" long and draw the taper with a pencil so that one end is 5/8" wide. Use a plane to develop the wedge fit. Test each wedge in a different mortise while the base is dry-fitted together and mark which ones correspond. Use a block plane to adjust the fit.
Next, cut the arcs on the bottom of the apron pieces. Create smooth arcs to trace by bending a thin wooden batten so that at its centre point the rails are 2 1/2" wide, then trace pencil lines on the apron pieces. Make the cuts with a bandsaw or jigsaw, cleaning up the cuts with a compass plane, belt sander or file.
Your last step before assembling the base is to cut chamfers with a block plane on the shelf tenons and sand all the surfaces of the base pieces. Quartersawn white oak can be difficult to finish smoothly, especially if there are small, torn-out chips from the preliminary milling stages. I find a cabinet scraper ideal for cleaning up any problem areas.
Assemble the base with wood glue. Bring the end frames together, then join them with the shelf and the long apron pieces. It's not necessary to glue the shelf's through tenons-all you'll need is a dab of glue to ensure the wedges stay in place. Clamp up everything and be sure to check for square as you go.
Top It Off
I stained and finished my table before tiling so that the wooden edges adjacent to the tiles would be somewhat sealed against the moisture in the tile grout.
With the last coat of finish dry, I attached the top to the base with table irons. While this hardware looks contemporary, it is a historically accurate method for attaching tops to carcasses that allows for seasonal movement.
I recommend you secure the tiles to the table using a ready-mixed acrylic tile adhesive applied with a 1/8" x 1/8" notched trowel.
Next, turn your attention to grouting. Non-sanded wall grout is best for this application. Wait until the finish has cured such that you can put some painter's low-tack masking tape on the wood adjacent to the tiles to protect it while grouting. I used a small grout float to spread the grout. An artist's pallet or putty knife is ideal for working the grout into the edges next to the wood.
Give the grout time to set partially, then carefully sponge off the excess. Wring out the sponge well to keep water off your table. Use a grout-sealing product once the grout has cured to thwart stains.
Building a cherished piece of furniture gives greater satisfaction than shelling out a lot of money for an original. In time, it can also become a family heirloom-something to look upon with pride.
Making Plans From Photos
My side table is not an exact copy of the original. However, I did try to follow the design and dimensions from a black-and-white photo of a piece I loved. I was lucky to have some of the important dimensions listed to start, but from there I was in the dark. There are a number of methods for extrapolating dimensions from a photograph or drawing when you want to copy a piece. After buying a digital scanner for my computer, it occurred to me that I might be able to use its capabilities, coupled with the software that came with it, to allow me to copy the table I so dearly wanted.
Put quite simply, I got out my architect's scale and played with the enlargement of the photograph on the scanner, until I came to the point at which the dimensions I knew (overall height, length and width) matched on one of the scales. In this case, when I enlarged the photograph 108 per cent, the dimensions matched the scale. From then on, it was a reasonably easy task to read dimensions directly off the slightly enlarged photograph with my scale.
If you are lucky enough to see a piece you want to reproduce in person, take photos from different angles, but in all shots include something you know the dimensions of (like your shoe or a credit card). When you have the photos in hand, you can scale up the dimensions of the piece using the item you included in the photos.
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