Daytona Delimma

Just got back from walk in a nuisance snow (more then flurries, but less then a light snow), and I am facing a dilemma, should I watch the Daytona 500 or continue working on the latest project in the shop? Now you may say these are not mutual exclusive, but in this shop they are, as there is no TV in it yet. We don't get broadcast TV up here so a satellite receiver and probably another dish will be needed.


Another project for the post-retirement life.


So, since this is the Superbowl of NASCAR, and since I got further along on the current project then planned yesterday, I am going to watch the 'Tona...at least for a while.

But let me tell you about the latest project. It is a table...again, but it is for the truck camper we got last fall. In the camper there is a wall with a mirror between the sofa and the dinette when the two slides are deployed. So this will need to fit the space and not get in the way when the slides come in. So what fits those requirements?


I found a few folding RV tables on eBay. One in fact was made out of solid cherry and when folded formed a cabinet. Alas, I was out bid, as normal when it is something I actually needed vs. just wanted.


So in searching the Internet found something called a gate leg table, So the search was on for some plans that could be used as a starting point and that is where I found this.


I mentioned that this was going into a camper so some adjustments were needed and that is what the chicken scratching is on the sheet.


This also lead to another project that is on the list, a Fibonacci gauge. I will let you google/wiki that one.


After the head scratching (different from chicken scratching), I came up with the overall dimensions of 26" tall, 18"/6" deep and 24" wide. When the wing is folded down the sofa slide should be able to pass the table, which will be attached to the wall under a window. With all of the interior pics of the camper I don,t have one of this area, but here is the area from the outside http://picasaweb.google.com/PTCaulfield/OkanaganTruckCamper117DBL#5396911027761780034 the table will go under the window between the two slide outs.


I need to pause for a minute here as we are coming up on the boogity, boogity, boogity moment, e.g. start of the race.


Ok, a clean start, so back to the blog. Which lasted right up until I started typing.


As you can tell from the dimensions, the top will not be round and in looking at how to do this I went to a source used on many of these projects Highland Woodworking's website and their tips page http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/free-woodworking-tips.aspx which gave me a formula on how to figure the table radius. I will bring the edge to the line using a belt sander.


This table top because of the ability to fold had an interesting technique between the fixed and folding wing in that one edge has a cove and the other a round over, that caused me some real fine tuning on the router table before I got them to match up. BTW the top is upside down.


Before closing up yesterday dry fitted the legs and aprons. What looks like a spare leg is actually the gate leg. I need to cut a wood hinge in the front secondary apron on which it will be attached.


The legs are tapered from 1 1/8" to 7/8" on the inside faces.

In order to do all of the table saw work I need to build a new zero clearance insert...because I dropped the current one on the floor and broke it. Here again I used a spare cherry drawer front in the cutoff pile.


This also brought back my wounding of the table saw top when I made the zero clearance face for the circular saw that was needed for cutting the office work surfaces. The carbide tipped saw blade cut right into the cast iron top. I filled the wound with epoxy.


I need to go back to the race.