CAF - the Coffee Table That Moves With You

by xbremer in Workshop > Furniture

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CAF - the Coffee Table That Moves With You

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CAF is the coffee table that moves with you, converting quickly from a coffee table to a three-drawer box 4.5" tall to store and move all the little books, papers, and pencils that don't have a box of their own.

The table can be made entirely out of one 4ft x 8ft piece of plywood 1/2" thick, with common woodworking hand and power tools.

See more at http://XanderBremer.com/CAF

CAF - DIY Overview and Plans

The attached PDF contains the necessary dimensions and other information to complete CAF along with this Instructable.

Cut All Pieces to Rectangular Size

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See the PDF on the first page for dimensions.

Start by cutting all pieces down to the rectangular outer dimension before making detailed cuts.

Miter Angles

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Add mitered angles to the appropriate pieces as described in first page PDF.

Cut Out the Tricky Parts on the Bandsaw

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Paste on the full-size sheets onto the rectangles to be the leg holders using light adhesive or tape (very light Super77 works well). 
Then cut out as much as possible using the bandsaw.

Chisel Out the Corners

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Use a mallet and chisel to carefully drive out the pieces that can't be reached with the bandsaw, and then remove the paper.

Mark and Cut All Dado Grooves

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Mark all pieces that need a channel cut with the dado blade. set the blade height on a test piece so that a piece of scrap 3" tall matches a piece 3.25" tall when it sits in the channel. Once this height is set, cut all dado pieces in one session, to make sure they all match.

Glue Together All Pieces

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Dry test all parts before gluing, and adjust as needed. Photos are attached of each part for gluing. It is great if you have time to glue together a few pieces at a time, rather than all at once.

Test, Sand, and Finish!

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Once the legs and drawers are glued, the only thing that's left before finishing is to test the fit. You may sand and bevel all the edges to allow parts to slide more freely against each other. Finish with paint, oil (recommended), or your favorite coating.