Carving a Coffee Table

I have made a coffee table. The top is made from red alder. The legs are made from maple. I connected the legs to the top with a radial joint similar to the joint I use to put my carvers mallets together. I cut the joint on both the top of the legs and the underside of the table on the CNC machine and then glued the two pieces together. Once everything was set, I carved the legs and the bottom of the table to reveal the joint. This also gives the legs and underside of the table a very curvy organic feel. This form contrasts the very rectilinear top. The legs splay out at a slight angle. I think this gives the table a more dynamic form.
Tools used in this project can be found at
www.frankmakes.com/​
CNC: www.cncrouterparts.com​
Woodturning tools: carterandsontoolworks.com/
To see upcoming projects follow me on social media
Patreon
www.patreon.com/user?u=16151185
Instagram
/ frank.howarth
Twitter
/ frankhowarth
Facebook
/ frankmakes
0:00 (introduction)
1:10 (legs)
4:10 (top)
8:50 (leg turning)
11:05 (underside of top)
14:40 (attaching)
16:07 (carving)
19:34 (finishing)

[@CFDEngCo3]

Nothing better than a fresh cup of coffee and a Frank Howarth video on a Sunday morning.

[@devintrudeau6351]

I have to agree, I was just about to type the same thing

[@amitfix22]

For me in “far far away” its Sunday night after work with tea :)

[@user-lq1to9nz6u]

This table arrived well packaged and on time. kzbin.infoUgkxn94T8Mu1iMnsLCMNOI9srXSsLkI4JXKW Like another reviewer advised, I pulled everything out and made sure everything was included (everything was!). I built it alone and it took me about an hour. The color is great and for the price the lift part works well. As others have mentioned, it’s not the smoothest opening/closing, but it works. The screws do show, but I plan to order white sticker covers if that bothers us too much. Really happy with this table! UPDATE: it’s been over a year since we got this coffee table and we still love it! It gets HEAVY use as our dining table, foot rest, and school desk. Over time, the opening and closing mechanism has gotten smoother. I added a new photo with the white screw cover stickers. They blend in perfectly and make it look a little cleaner. 100% recommend!!!

[@rickcimino5483]

merely hitting the like button seems woefully inadequate. Thank you for making this table and sharing this video Frank.

[@ManOfTrades]

Just got home from skiing and this is the perfect video to wind down to

[@sarasandoval3808]

I love watching Frank’s videos! I also listen to them when I need some calming sounds to fall asleep

[@duaneheadworth6275]

Way to raise the bar again. This was another example of pure art meeting engineering hanging out with nature. What a timeless video (feature). Thanks for putting so much into all of your videos. It is not lost on your audience. We all love it and learn so much.

[@azyfloof]

I LOVED the little sketch animations :D Those were really precious, I kept rewinding to watch again :D I hope you do more like that! Once again you've bought a beautiful visual style to all aspects of your work :)

[@epicdogbattles]

I loooooved those too! so effective and full of personality!

[@frankmakes]

I just figured out how to do that fairly easily in blender, it's good to hear that it's appreciated as I want to do more of it.

[@toolsarecool]

@@frankmakes I mean, seriously… you’re artistry with design and wood is not up for discussion as far as I’m concerned. The editing effort you put in to tell a story is equally unmatched on YT, if not further ahead of the best of them. Hats off, I wouldn’t know where to even start. 👏 👏 👏

[@rebeccak918]

@@frankmakes you have a spam bot on this channel now '@frankhowarth-'

[@nate4553]

Just watching that alder get milled down to useable wood did it for me. That transition is always so fun to watch.

[@colinstu]

18:02 good on her, yeah my thought as well. Reminds me of the hams you'd see in old cartoons.

[@bobweiram6321]

Too much talent for one man to have.

[@thomas-gk9jp]

I liked the pig-paws legs but it's fine as it is too Thank you Franck !

[@anton-pd5qt]

Superb Frank. As always ❤

[@abrenning2499]

Never even considered the easy way. You always make something that no one else can. Excellent 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@idontthinkso666]

I love the cats at the end! Perfecto!

[@DovetailTimberworks]

What a great treat for a Sunday morning, thanks Frank. My wife and the cats and I are watching it right now!

[@DovetailTimberworks]

Very nice, that looked like a lot of work but cool geometry in the joint reveal. One of our cats noticed your cat!

[@daisyfisher8909]

Why

[@VeretenoVids]

Love the spalting on the one leg! Mmmmmmmaple!

[@wpattison]

This channel never gets old - I love the CNC time lapses.

[@glencrandall7051]

Unusual joinery. But interesting. Thank you for sharing. Have a great day and stay safe.🙂🙂

[@bradellison1345]

I would love to see this same concept, but with a live edge and each leg being different size and shape and the top being random thickness, like you found a tree and just peeled most the bark off and finished it. Loved this, as always, thanks for sharing

[@glass1258]

Frank you’re a damn genius

[@anthonyfreeman5858]

Cool table. The joints reveal looks good.

[@t1hawver]

LOVE the point of view cuts! You're such an inspiration

[@rebeccak918]

I love that youtubers, no matter what type of channel they have, know we want to see their pets :)

[@williamellis8993]

Beautiful, Frank. That was a lot of work that most people don't recognize. You're still the master. Bill

[@Shae_Sandybanks]

Looks awesome! So cool seeing the joints

[@AngelLuisTrinidad]

It came out beautiful, I love it.

[@heyscottmarshall]

Beautiful work. The woodwork, the video, everything. Thank you 🙏🏻

[@borjavivanco8600]

Its really helpful to have more than one you at the time. Thank you for sharing

[@bgpappy30]

Another AMAZING JOB. Thank you for sharing your skills with us all.

[@brianknowles7130]

Amazing angle & joint for the legs. Great build. thks

[@stevewright454]

Frank, thanks for all your great content! I really appreciate your integration of the CNC with standard and hand woodworking. It’s great to see your tilting table really shine 👍🏼 🍻

[@43srgrock]

Very cool,and pure flippin awesomeness 👍🏻

[@ryanneumann5165]

This video had a different feel, and I loved it. You’re a fabulous educator. Well done Frank.

[@frankmakes]

I've been trying to talk on camera more. I'm glad it's appreciated

[@bryandowns1704]

@@frankmakes It helped me understand your thought process beter. Its great way highlight important parts of the project. I love all the details you put in sound, animation and humor.

[@devinmartinFLOW]

You're an inspiration @@frankmakes . It warms my heart knowing that you have struggled with stuttering and now you are the voice that so many feel so connected to and comforted by. Love seeing you talk on camera!

[@karenanderson6985]

Love this. This leg detail would be beautiful as a round or oval pedestal table.

[@kenc2257]

What interesting table legs and the attaching joinery. Really appreciate you giving us your thought process on designing them. The table itself is lovely; it looks very organic, but the legs were extremely technical.

[@Voelkerwanderung]

You are very creative, especially that you always record (and it goes up) when you fold up the table on the CNC machine. Thank you for always taking us with you.

[@Sara-pe5in]

Looks amazing

[@alansimpson596]

Perfection as always.

[@artfx9]

Well done!

[@jimc336]

Outstanding!❤

[@Philtoid]

Love your videos dude. Always quality content

[@eduardoelgueta-goycoolea2500]

Superb editing, congrats!

[@MichaelNatrin]

Fantastic project!

[@derekreid1990]

It worked out great. nice project

[@reichhopprivatwatch1406]

nice rug nice table nice seating nice cat - swag

[@robertmeyer8221]

I am sick with a cold. This video made me feel a little better.

[@frankmakes]

Aww. Glad to hear it! Hope you're feeling better

[@sydneymcconnaughhay5947]

Awesome you are such a joy to watch.

[@Thzinou]

Beautiful 👍

Magnífico trabalho...congratulation!

[@micahschott]

Thanks for this amazing video. This would be a great design for a standing desk as well.

[@ZeedijkMike]

The graphics you use in your videos are always great - but the graphics in this video really shows a new level. Brilliant video and result.

[@barryirby8609]

Udderly amazing table.

[@soundkevin]

Always the best day when Frank has a new video up

[@alvinmazariegos6552]

Muy bonito proyecto y muy buen taller felicitaciones

[@donniebeall8152]

Love it

[@steveo1413]

It's literally a relief when I see a frank video.

[@tommcallister5835]

Well done sir

[@5280Woodworking]

Looks great! I too love to fuse CNC with fine furniture.

[@jackdotzman2908]

You do beautiful work and do and excellent job of editing you video’s. Glad I wan’t there when you made all those drawers in the back ground, whew, that was a job in its self. Great video, loved the table, the leg joints are the table. Thank you. From Missouri

[@joesmith2465]

great contrast leg joints makes a person think very nice

[@tomogletree1]

It reminds me of the "leg lamp" from a Christmas story. I Love it!

[@AdamEarl2]

When clamping the legs vertically to the router table, could have just rotated 90 along the axis of the leg, so the entire flat side was clamped to the fence. clamp a stop block at the bottom too so its supported.

[@MCsCreations]

Really beautiful work, Frank! It turned out fantastic! 😃 Stay safe there with your family! Cats included, always! 🖖😊

[@iseriver3982]

I still love the 'bed goes up, bed goes down'.

[@frankmakes]

Hehe

[@Rail_digital]

nice job

[@loofy26]

Propre !

[@GS-wx5pr]

You'll get a comment out of me EVERY time I hear a Homer ... LOVE IT

[@drferry]

I like it a lot! I think your wife was correct that the legs needed to be thinner. Looks much better. The only thing I would have done differently if I were going to put in all that effort would have been to find a fancier board for the table top, like figured walnut or curly maple.

[@saulpenilla778]

always enjoy your videos Frank. I love the way the joints are visible. An idea perhaps is to make the same joints halfway up the legs also to have 2 views of the cool joints

[@BLenz-114]

That's a good idea. I was also kinda wishing he had let the joints protrude thru the top so we'd see that joint up there.

[@jamescole1786]

2/12/23; Wow, round Dental or 🏰 Castle joints on legs to underside of flat top coffee table! Incredible high end wood craft! ...but...how do gusts look, see, appreciate fantastic artistry? They can't! So...somehow these joinery...radial 'thru dovetails?..no..'thru/exposed box joints' become easily visible?...lengthen, upward these short 'stubby' legs from their mid point?..cut off lower ends, drill, insert large OD (1 1/2") dowells into new longer leg lengths? This kinda transforms 'coffee table' into arm-elbow height...ya know, like a (hotel) bar top height. Then we can clearly see the craftsmanship of your joinery! Ah yes, this means another coffee ☕ table for the 'boss', but after all this effort, you are ready for an 'ez' project, aye?👍👍👍👏😊🍷

[@mrfochs]

Frank, I would love to see something very similar to this but plan the top so that above each leg is a knot. Then carve out the top so the legs become almost like a funnel. Since the legs are placed over the location of a knot (branch when it was a tree) the wood grain would be circular there and follow the concave carving from the top. It would then give the legs the appearance of the branches that used to be there when it was a tree still.

[@frankmakes]

I really like this idea. I think I want to do one where the top is more organic as well.

[@MRrwmac]

Frank, I had seen your mallets, so I kindof understood how the legs attached and even guessed the cutting of angle on the legs. BUT I could not figure out how you were going to meld the smooth cone shape from leg to the table. When you said carve, I thought you would be there all year with chisels..haha. I forgot you had the drill cutting and shaping tool. I gotta get me one of those. Thanks for a great design, build teqnique and another great video!. Oh yea, the tree fall was good too!

[@Paul_Lane]

Nice joint reveal.

[@frankmakes]

At least there weren't any explosions. Lol

[@planespeaking]

The eventuality of a white residue or clouding is covered on the Osmo website, basically, light sand, tack cloth, re-apply.

[@robstephens]

That turned out great. These types of joints would work well for a plant stand. A joint at the top and another at the base using contrasting species of wood would really stand out. Or, just use one species of wood and stain only the top and base before glue up.

[@dpmeyer4867]

nice

[@TroyeStonich]

Hey Frank, I was just thinking... you should probably create some Howarth brand merchandise. The black full sleeved shop shirt would be your best seller :)

[@JonasRabbe]

Another amazing video. If you were to do something like this again, perhaps having the joint of one of the legs poke through to the top might look really cool. Or doing an inlay to give some more life to the top to mirror the bottom?

[@frankmakes]

Yes, I thought about this. Very good idea

[@TrevorDennis100]

I actually felt scared on your behalf because of the ambitious nature of this project. I knew you'd have a plan, and would have spent weeks making it in your head before you started making chips and sawdust, but there would have been the inevitable unforeseen issues during the build. I suspect there would have been un-filmed pauses while you thought about the next step. The finished table is sensational. If you ever have visitors with engineering backgrounds, I feel sure they'd be mesmerised by the shape and angles of the leg joints, and try to work out how they could have been made. I know that I would.

[@frankmakes]

Yes, I've been thinking about this one for a while. I think I was under the attitude that I would glue everything together and then carve something out of it. Whatever it was. I'm thrilled that it came out as well as it did.

[@hstravis]

Beautiful work. Might be neat to have the joint go through the table so it's visible on top.

[@gwynnfarrell1856]

Art for cats, love it!

[@Insignifant]

today's voice got strong 3packs a day vibes and I kinda like that.

[@wildimaging60]

Those legs remind me a little of the columns inside the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. Worth a Google if you're not familiar with it.

[@ferdinandhiagbe1366]

You are amazing!. I have been watching your videos all Easter Long and just can't get enough. The thought process, execution and finishing are top class. Where do you put all these works? Do you have a gallery of a sort?

[@Nashvillain10SE]

I agree with your wife! Also, consider some beeswax; it sounded like sandpaper when you ran your hands over the finished table. Great project!!

[@frankmakes]

Thanks. I got the flat finish and it definitely needs some more work.

[@Nashvillain10SE]

@@frankmakes 😀👍

[@MrsBrit1]

"It's really more for the cats." Cat shows up: You're dismissed, peasant.

[@SuperVoodude]

Final reveals are greatly improved when cats obscure half the screen 😸

[@167curly]

Nice desidgn and execution Frank. Perhaps rounding the corners of the top would be a thought to avoid whacking your shins and more matching the rounded legs?

[@chadhilk]

Thank you for sharing your creativity with us! Personal question: Have you found making videos and narrating them has helped with your speaking issues? Just wondering because your presentation in front of the camera is flawless.

[@frankmakes]

Thanks, yes I found when it's just me and the camera I can be pretty fluent. So I found a way to tell my stories.

[@MattTester]

Like your other table, before this was carved it this looked like it was made of LEGO pieces that weren't intended to go together. It's definitely better after the carving but could be an interesting design if it was re-designed to look like LEGO.

[@danaowen9014]

The table looks very nice, how would it look if the corners were rounded to mimic the legs.

[@JayRussellDuramax]

If you'd like to do more sanding with your angle grinder, you should give metalworking flap-wheels a try. The abrasives on those are MUCH more durable, and the lower grits will vaporize wood.

[@frankmakes]

I've tried those and they definitely work well and last longer they also cost quite a bit more.

[@JayRussellDuramax]

@@frankmakes There's always a trade-off, isn't there? Haha! Keep up the great work, Frank! My dad and I really enjoy your work.

[@JonathanExcels]

You go out of your way to make your designs complicated which also makes it interesting. Could the leg joinery flow into the table top?

[@dawnlambe8601]

Love how the cat just came right up to the camera

[@thomashverring9484]

Very interesting build! And cool animations. Also some pro cat behavior! :^)

[@fleurdelune5240]

❤️

[@sape778]

👍👍

[@billysmether6237]

Just screw the pieces down to that pretty cnc table. Way easier and holds much better. Mdf is cheap and you can screw a lot of holes in it.

[@GibClark]

👍👍👍👍

[@nedimbuyukafsar6434]

👍👍👍