Inhabitants of early California missions developed southwestern furniture.
Southwestern style furniture has not changed much in the past 400 years, since its introduction into the Spanish missions of California. This furniture is solid, heavy and expensive-looking while having straight lines and a clean look. It was originally built when nails were in short supply in the west so the use of mortise-and-tenon joints is essential to the craft. Today's Southwestern furniture is made from pine, oak, poplar, cedar, whole logs and willows, often paired up with marble, tile, leather and copper. Once you master the techniques of mortise and tenon joints, you can easily move on to larger projects. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
Coffee Table or Writing Desk Base
1. Select four logs for each table leg, about four to six inches in circumference. If you want to build a coffee table, these logs should be approximately 14 inches in height. For a desk, they should be around 31 inches in height.
2. Select four more logs, each about three inches in circumference and about 19 inches in length. Select 10 more logs, each about 1-1/2 to 2 inches in circumference and either 10 or 25 inches in height, depending on whether you're building a table or a desk.
3. Cut the ends of the four logs that are three inches in circumference with a hatchet, to form a pencil point about 1-1/2 to 2 inches in circumference. This is a tenon. Cut each end of the smaller logs in the same fashion.
4. Drill holes in the three-inch thick logs, to match up with the tenon ends that you've created on the smaller logs. Space five small logs evenly. Placing a three-inch log at the top and bottom, place 5 smaller logs into the mortise holes and glue together. This is one side rail of the table or desk. Build a duplicate for the other side.
5. Cut holes into the large logs that are the table legs, and slip the tenon ends of the side panels through the mortise holes.
6. Create tenon ends on logs to fit the length of the table or desk. Drill holes at the top of the legs and insert these logs into the mortise holes.
Build The Top
7. Cut lengths of pine, cedar or oak to length. Hand plane the top of each plank to create interesting texture.
8. Chisel holes in the sides of each plank, about 12 inches apart. Insert the carpenter's biscuit joints, using carpenter's glue to hold them in place. Run a bead of glue along each side of the plank and fit the biscuits into their corresponding holes. Clamp the planks together until they are dry.
9. Dry-fit the top to the legs and line it up so the top is centered. Mark the position on the underneath side of the table top. Place carpenter's glue at the top of each table leg and along each of the top rails. Place the top onto the glue, position it in place and weight it down until the glue dries.
10. Stain or varnish the table to finish.
Tags: inches circumference, about inches, inches height, logs each, mortise holes, smaller logs
