Contemporary Coffee Table
Craig Vandall Stevens
Class Preview
2:04
- In-depth Instruction; over 166 mins
- On-demand video access anytime
- Bonus downloadable PDF resources
- Access to class Q&A
Introduction & Planning the Mock-Up
29:16
Meet expert woodworker Craig Vandall Stevens and get started making an elegant handcrafted coffee table! Learn how to create effective preliminary sketches, then discover simple tricks for turning your sketch into a full-sized model. Plus, get expert advice on selecting wood and laying out the parts.
Milling & Joinery
32:20
Once you've laid out the parts, see how to cut your planks into manageable sizes, and learn how to mill straight and square pieces. In addition, you'll get in-depth instruction on laying out and cutting precise mortise and tenon joinery -- an essential part of creating a stable, well-built table.
Shaping the Legs
17:14
Construct the curved legs of the table with Craig's guidance. Learn how to use a custom template to lay out the shape of the legs on each blank, then watch Craig's method of making slow -- and exact -- cuts. You'll also discover how to subtly refine the shape of the legs with hand planes.
Dry-Fitting the Table Base
19:07
It's time to test how well your table fits together. Discover an efficient method for marking the orientation of your pieces before checking the fit of each mortise and tenon joint. Need to adjust the size of a tenon? Craig offers simple techniques for making slight modifications.
Building the Top
25:12
Focus on creating the tabletop! Craig breaks down the entire process into easy-to-manage steps. See how to lay out the top pieces, then practice creating perfectly tight edge joints using a hand plane. In addition, you'll learn effective techniques for edge-gluing and flattening the top.
Assembling the Base
20:58
Build on the skills you've learned as you assemble the base of the table. Learn how to ease the edges of the rails, using a batten and a hand plane to create slightly rounded edges. Craig also demonstrates his process for gluing up the base, ensuring that the joinery is perfectly tight.
Attaching the Top & Finishing
21:34
Put the finishing touches on your coffee table! Discover how to position the tabletop on the base to allow for expansion and contraction of the wood. Then learn Craig's technique for securely anchoring the top to the base. Plus, see how to apply a lovely oil finish to the entire table.
Learn how to build a coffee table of superior quality as you hone your woodworking skills alongside fine furniture-maker Craig Vandall Stevens. You’ll get tips for making a design mock-up, selecting the wood grain you want, laying out the parts for your project and milling flat, square pieces. Next, learn Craig’s straightforward approach for creating mortise and tenon joinery and custom tapered table legs. Move on to testing the fit of your table pieces, and see how to easily adjust joints for a perfect fit. When you’ve finished fitting, Craig will guide you through laying out, edge-joining and flattening your table top. Then, learn to assemble the base, anchor the table top and finish your table beautifully.
Craig Vandall Stevens
Craig Vandall Stevens studied furniture making at the College of the Redwoods Fine Woodworking Program in Northern California. Today, he designs and builds highly crafted, one-of-a-kind furniture for exhibition and commission. Craig has written feature articles for Fine Woodworking magazine, as well as five woodworking and woodcarving books from Schiffer Publishing, including Creating Coffee Tables. He's received numerous awards for his work, such as an Individual Artist Fellowship from the Ohio Arts Council. Craig was also a featured craftsman on the television program Modern Masters.
Bonus materials available after purchase