Tables, chairs and other forms of furniture rely heavily on mortise and tenon joinery, which is at the heart of our Fundamentals of Furniture Making Class. From scaling the joinery to suit your project to producing a perfectly fitting joint, you’ll learn the mortise and tenon joint inside and out, along with other great tips for making rock solid furniture.
Additionally, furniture projects often require solid wood tops, made using edge-to-edge glue ups. Learn the tricks behind jointing perfect edges, getting great color and grain matches in your top, and allowing solid wood tops to expand and contract seasonally.
Our Class video instruction is very detailed, leaving no steps out of the process. In this Class you’ll learn about:
Project design
Edge-to-edge glue ups for strength and beauty
Mortise and tenon joinery
Tapering legs
Adding decorative accents to furniture projects
Your Class instructor, George Vondriska, is a firm believer in the adage that form should follow function, and he’ll show you how to add simple details to furniture that take it from boring to beautiful. For example, a simple router bit makes a significant difference in the look of the table rails. Undercutting the edge of the top gives it a lighter look. A slight taper on the legs reduces their bulk. Fundamentals of Furniture Making provides video instruction that makes each of these details easy to do.
In addition to step-to-step video instruction, this Class provides you with downloadable resources and helpful information, including: A complete printable Class Guide, that is a woodworking plan for the table you’ll build in your own shop while following along with George’s techniques; and source references for any specialized tools used.
NOTE: This Class video instruction is also available for purchase in DVD form. If you prefer to own a physical copy, you can purchase the Class DVD here.
Class Sessions
Session 1: Getting Started
4:45
Meet your instructor, George Vondriska, and learn what tools and techniques are used in this video Class. You’ll also learn the material requirements; how many board feet of material are required for the woodworking project you’ll complete.
Session 2: Prepping Parts
37:18
George’s preference is to start furniture making projects with the most visible piece. That means gluing up the top first. The legs are also made from glued up stock using a book matching technique that makes them seamless.
Session 3: Design and Layout Guidelines
17:52
The strength of mortise and tenon joinery begins with the joint being correctly sized for the project. Learn standard rules for dimensioning this joint that you can apply to this table, and other woodworking projects. Consistency in laying out the joint locations is key to a square and stable project. George provides his time-tested secrets for uniform lay out.
Session 4: Joinery
41:50
Mortises on the router table, and tenons on the table saw. This approach provides a winning combination for cutting the mortise and tenon joint. What if, once cut, the joint is too tight or too loose? No sweat. Everyone runs into an “oops” every once in a while, and George will provide the fix for you.
Session 5: The Top
15:18
Solid wood tops must be allowed to seasonally expand and contract. This can be accomplished by incorporating table top fasteners in your project; a must to prevent splitting later. Learn about correctly installing these versatile fasteners. A great tip for making a thick top appear lighter is undercutting the edge. A shop-made jig provides what you need to make this cut on the table saw.
Session 6: Details
12:50
You’ll be amazed at how a simple router bit can transform the look of the rails on your furniture projects. Easy to set up on the router table, the detail added by this cutter really enhances the overall design of the table.
Session 7: Taper the Legs
10:09
Lighten the look of your furniture by using a tapered, rather than straight, leg. Learn the rules-of-thumb for how to lay out an attractive taper, and how to make a custom table saw jig for safely and accurately cutting the taper.
Session 8: Sand and Assemble
27:16
Many furniture projects are too complex to assemble all at once. Ease of assembly is about staging, and considering which parts to assemble first. George provides the guidance you need to determine a logical assembly sequence. He also provides tips on making sure the project is square.
Session 9: Summary
0:59
George wraps up this Class with a reminder to use the processes and skills you learned in making this project table – to create a wide variety of new furniture pieces that you’ll enjoy for years.
Your Instructor
George Vondriska
George Vondriska is the Editor in Chief here at Woodworkers Guild of America and has been sharing his woodworking expertise since 1986. Apart from conducting classes at his renowned Vondriska Woodworks School, George's passion for teaching has taken him to woodworking shows nationwide and has led him to teach woodworking for prestigious organizations such as Peace Corps/Swaziland, Andersen Window, Northwest Airlines, and the Pentagon. With a wealth of published magazine articles under his belt, encompassing tool reviews and shop improvement projects, George's knowledge and skills continue to inspire woodworkers every day. To discover more about him and his school, visit georgevondriska.com.
Bonus Material
Video: Instructor Insights
Download this short Video to hear your Instructor talk about this Class and some history of his Furniture Making
Printable Class Guide PDF
Download and print this PDF Guide to complement your Class. It’ll be a nice reference for you to keep.
Class Resource List
See this list of tools and suppliers for selected tools used in this Class (if you don’t already have).
Video: Meet Your Instructor
Download this short video to hear how George got started in woodworking and his experience as an instructor.
Project Drawing & Cut List PDF
See this detailed drawing of the Sofa Table you’ll create with this Class, and a complete Cut List for the process.
Bonus Materials available for download after purchase.
FAQs
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