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Mission-style table set
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There's a reason Arts and Crafts furniture never goes out of style
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By Jerry Weber, photos by Donna Griffith, illlustration by Len Churchill
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Jigs for the legs and aprons will make the end table duet easier to build. Dovetail joints add authentic Mission character
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Since end tables are usually built in pairs, it's worth considering a few production strategies before you start measuring and sawing. You could simply build two tables at once, but you'd be missing an opportunity if you did. By creating some jigs and a permanent cutting list first, you'll speed up your work and improve the overall quality. And that sets the stage for a nice little commercial sideline making limited production runs of tables like these.
Professional woodworkers often do three things that you don't see in home shops: they regulate operations with jigs and fixtures; they speed up cutting with orderly, permanent parts lists; and they adopt an all-at-once approach to building.
Even though there aren't many curves on these tables, consider making a pattern routing template out of Baltic birch plywood to help with the curved rails.
A pattern like this is an exact replica of the curved rail part. It guides the travel of a bearing-equipped flush-trimming bit to reproduce the part in the wood. (See page 43 of the April 2002 issue for details.) This may seem like a redundant idea but it saves a lot of error-prone sanding time. You should also consider a jig to hold the legs and regulate the biscuit slot-cutting operation. The leg piece should fit between strips of wood nailed to a plywood base, while the biscuit joiner nestles between an opening in the strips to cut the slots. Drop the leg in place, put your joiner into position, then plunge away, with no need for marking or measuring.
Label all your jigs in bold print using a permanent marker, and prepare a workshop cutting list on a piece of scrap 1/4" ply. Work through the list from beginning to end. This process also guarantees that you'll have enough material.
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