DIY Modern Coffee Table | HW|Designs

Why not try Kerf Bending for the first time on some walnut veneered plywood? ...because I'll mess it up and waste a lot of walnut veneered ply. That said, I learned so much about this skillset, and still ended up loving how the table turned out! All in all, the kerf bent storage, and the floating frames brought together a mid century modern coffee table that both fit perfectly in my living room while adding it's own flare of character.

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Music Credits:

Smoke Signal
Dust Follows
https://player.epidemicsound.com/

As If We Were One
Harper Rey
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Mimicking Your Breathing
Harper Rey
https://player.epidemicsound.com/

The Songs We Sang
Colton Walls
https://player.epidemicsound.com/

Playing At the Beach
Isobelle Walton
https://player.epidemicsound.com/

Move From Side to Side
Isobelle Walton
https://player.epidemicsound.com/

**Transcript of Voiceover

How to make or how I made a modern coffee table

Let’s get into it.

I decided to start with the hardest part and work my way down, setting the table saw fence to roughly 16” to cut a leftover piece of walnut veneered plywood for the kerf bent cylindrical chamber.

After that, I set the saw height to an half inch and ripped half inch rabbits down the edges of the long sides.

Using multiple passes to achieve the recesses

Then cleaning the surface up with some chisels

To achieve the kerfs, I used a measuring tape to mark the uncut edge at ever half inch..

Since attempting my first kerf bend, I’ve learned that there is more of a science to this, with online kerf calculators and the like, but unfortunately - trial and error is just how I learn.

I then set the blade height to just below the final layer of ply and veneer, and set about cutting saw blade width kerfs along the underside of my markings.

Satisfied with the wobble, I taped up the form I created to keep the bend from gluing to it

And then applied glue to each recess

Before anchoring it to the form to cure

While I left that there to dry for almost 48 hours, I got to work on the top and bottom pieces of the cylindrical end.

I again cut some of the veneered ply down to 16 and a half inch squares for th top and bottom… one of which would not survive the project.

To meet the bend of the cylinder, and allow room for the piece that would make up the final side of the chamber, I marked a straight edge, as well as used a compass to outline a circular cut line

Then, I cut along my marks

Using the compass again, I marked a ½” off the edge
And ¾” off the straight edge

And used those marks to guide the placement and cut line of the anchoring recess for the kerf bent panel

It took about three passes to reach a depth that would fit the outer rabbits of the kerf panel.

I used a straight edge to complete the traced line

Then, risked the kerf panel removal from its form

As I said, I’ve learned a great deal about improving this step, but, was able to make this bend work!

Skipping over the disastrous 2nd and 3rd attempts through the same process for the top (vestiges of which you’ll see used as marking guides later), I ended up breaking out the hard wood to complete the top of the cylinder.

First ripping it down to about 17” planks

Then squaring them

Before laminating a panel for the top

Once dry, I got to work, cutting the arched shape for the top of the chamber.

I went through the same process to create the anchoring recesses for the kerf panel

Then on both the top and bottom, I cut the recess for the final sided panel, making sure to cut on the outer edge of my ¾” mark to the panel would sit flush against the edges of the top and bottom.

With all the structural cuts on the top and bottom done, it was time to tackle the lid for the chamber.

I agonized over how to do this, especially after the failure of attempts two and three.

I settled on a circular lid.

I used the circle cutting jig and router to cut a ¾” deep recess around the circumference of the circle on the top face

Then flipped the piece over, swapped for a narrower plunge bit, and moved the distance of the router bit from the center of the circle in so that the bottom cuts would sit about a ¼” inside the top cuts

Then cut all the way through to the other side.

This created a lip for the lid to sit in.

Then sanded it down and added a 45 degree bevel.

I’m ALL ears on different ideas on how to have improved this process and potentially how I could have done this in a way that the waste circle could have actually fit as a lid.

Then I turned to sanding down some of the glue squeeze out on the inside of the kerf bend to create a flush surface for the future veneer pieces.