The Trestle Table
… build a big table in a small space, by hand.
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Watch the Trailer below
Having watched all of your videos, this is another take on prepping that is just top notch. Each and every video has given us varied approaches to the work and it teaches us to confront things in a way that is proper to the project at hand. What a great resource! Thanks to you and Helen for putting out such excellent quality with both the woodworking and the filming. I am also taken with the music from your videos. . . totally appropriate. Lots of fun!
– Rob H
About This Series
An Emphasis On Hand Tool Education
This project is built entirely by hand in a small workshop.
We teach the techniques for working by hand as we go through the build.
Step by Step Instruction
We take great pride in breaking things down & explaining the details.
After all, complicated is just a bunch of simple stuff that’s been described too quickly.
PDF Plans
Download the cutting list & plans in either metric or imperial.
We include details for the joinery along with the marking guides used.
Basic Tool Kit
– The usual marking & measuring tools.
– Saws. A hardpoint saw was used for all the cuts throughout.
– Bench Planes. A jack and optionally a jointer & smoother. (Different irons are required for roughing & smoothing).
– Chisels. Strong bevel edge of morticing, plus one sharpened for paring.
– Mallet | Drill (I opted for electric) | Shooting board | Clamps
The Trestle Table
ONE TIME FEE
Only £35.00
Lifetime access to the full series.
10 online Chapters + PDF plans
Excellent. Great to hear the thinking and reasoning behind the work. Hand tool instruction like this is much needed.
– Adam B
The Trestle Table
The Full Details
Watch Online | Stream & Download.
Over 7 hours of detailed education, split in to ten videos.
Chapter One: Starting Out
46 mins.
We’re getting a feel for the build & surfacing the top boards.
This is a large build so an efficient and deliberate approach to hand prepping is essential. We begin with the top, and in this chapter we’re flattening a face on each of the boards. It’s a case of understanding how the surfaces will be referenced when it comes to the glue up, rather than any kind of perfect thicknessing.
Chapter Two: Edge Jointing
46 mins.
Jointing these long thick boards requires a structured approach.
At 2″ thick there’s no flex to pull things in at the glue up, so the joins need to be very accurate to give strength, alignment and prevent gaps. We go through this process in detail to ensure a thorough understanding and cover various circumstances.
Chapter Three: Loose Tenons & Top Glue Up
25 mins.
The top is reinforced with loose tenons.
Adding a physical joint within the glue lines offers strength and peace of mind that the table will last many generations despite any wood movement. We mortice in to the edge joints and make the tenons with just the right fit before getting the whole thing glued up.
Chapter Four: Wooden Nails & Top Flattening
44 mins.
We’re making wooden nails from scratch to maximise strength.
There’s a lot to a wooden nail, but once we get in to a flow of making them it’s simple. They’re used to lock in the loose tenons in the top, and also the end caps which we start making here. We’ll also go through the process of flattening the top in this chapter.
Chapter Five: Completing The Table Top
25 mins.
It’s time to cut the top to length and get it tapered.
Cutting the ends square is simple enough, however we need to true them up very precisely before we can mate them with the end caps. Before the end caps are fixed on we also lighten the look of the top by planing in a really hefty taper on to the underside.
Hi Richard and Helen, just wanted to say I’ve seen all of your previous videos, and I agree with the some of the other commenters that these are your best videos yet. This episode in particular I thought was terrific from an instructional standpoint, and its great to see an episode devoted to edge jointing. Very entertaining to watch. Thank you!
– Ben M (Chapter Two)
Chapter Six: Starting The Base
45 mins.
The trestles are visually simple but incredibly stout.
The base of the table depends upon accurate and strong joinery to offer stability. We make a start by prepping the blanks and working through the first mortices. There are many angles and tapers within the trestles, but we begin the joinery while everything is still square.
Chapter Seven: The Wedged Tenons
43 mins.
The through tenons in the trestles are all wedged to lock them in place.
The tenons are cut very accurately, sneaking up to ensure the perfect fit so they hold good and strong. In addition wedges are used, and these will be locked in to place during the glue up. Making the wedges requires thoughtful marking out to ensure they lock in at the right points along their length.
Chapter Eight: Central Mortices & Trestle Shaping
44 mins.
It’s time to start thinking about the connecting rail.
A central rail connects the two trestles together using a through mortice and tenons. The tapered faces mean that extra steps are required with the joinery. First the mortices are cut in to the columns while they’re square, and then every component of the trestle has its tapers cut in.
Chapter Nine: Tenons With Removable Wedges
1 hr, 7 mins.
The rail joints are knock-down so that the base can come apart.
The protruding rail tenons not only need to look smooth and tidy, because a chuck of them is on show, but they also require a sliding fit that can be taken apart and reassembled. We need precision with the knock in wedges, and go through in detail where tolerance is critical and where it isn’t.
Chapter Ten: Finishing Up
37 mins.
It’s time to clean, assemble and finish up.
Gluing up the trestles is straight forward enough, but we first need to go over and clean, smooth and take off any sharp edges. The top then requires a final smooth over before we put the finish on the whole thing. We’re using a soap finish to compliment the pine and go through the process of making it.
The Trestle Table
Only £35.00
Lifetime access to the full series.
Includes PDF Plans.