As a starting wood working project, I think you'll like any one of these inexpensive and easy to build, sturdy and attractive designs

For our first do it yourself wood working project, I've decided to highlight the double lap joint. What kind of project is this you ask? My answer is - this is THE critical joint for all of the wood working projects that you see below. I've used this joinery technique for years because it produces a rock-solid end joint that won't come apart - you can park your car on these tables, and no matter how much children hop in bed, these joints aren't going to fail! Look at the finished products that use this one joint.

Simple End Tables

Simple Coffee Table

Elegant Tiled End Table

Elegant Tiled Corner Table

Stunning Tiled Patio Table

Twin Bed Frame

These simple tables, and bed (an upside-down table with head and foot boards added between what would normally be the legs), are challenging for one reason only, the 3" deep lap joints we have to cut. One basic design, with minor dimensional changes, is used to create all of these useful and elegant furnishings. This section will take you through the plans, the step-by-step procedures, setups, cuts, and assembly techniques for you to build any one of them at your home. You just have to master the lap joint!

But before we build these designs, we have to build a set of powerful table saw jigs first! The jigs that we're going to build can't be purchased; either because I invented them, or because they're so obscure no manufacturer has produced them. What a pity! If you don't take anything else away from this site, you've got to take and build these jigs!

For these projects, you're going to need a 10" table saw, a 3/8" drill, either cordless or a regular electric drill, and either an orbital sander, or a belt sander. If you decide to use a ceramic tile inlay, you might want a tile saw. These links will take you to current eBay auctions where you can get great discounts! Pawn shops, flea markets, and your local classified ads are also good sources for tools at great prices - or you can go to Lowe's, Home Depot, or Sears and bring them home now for a price!

Wide Sliding Table Saw Jig

Long Sliding Table Saw Jig

Tenon/Lap-Jig

Vertical Rail Lap Cut

The first two pictures above showcase the "sliding auxiliary table" that will transform your table saw into a sliding table saw. These two pictures show normally impossible cuts for a standard table saw: a small length of an eight foot 2x4 being cross-cut, and a whopping 32" long diagonal being cut in the second. The second set of photos showcase my Mod-2 Tenon Jig with the last picture showing a 7'6" vertical 2x4 getting a 3" deep lap cut!

Here are two last photos showing the deep vertical cut, and an end view of a completed rail and leg assembly - the double lap joint.

Critical Lap Cut

Completed Lap Joint

From end tables through coffee tables, patio tables, and beds, each wood working project uses the same joints, cuts, and assembly steps.

You are free to take these designs, modify them, and create your own masterpieces! But if you do, please send photos and notes of your wood working project for me to publish here!

First, here are all of my free woodworking plans and projects.

Since all of these projects rely on a full size 10" table saw, it's time for you to review your saw's critical adjustments, tune it up, and build a sliding auxiliary table, a poor man's sliding table saw!

Now that we have a sliding auxiliary table, we can build other table saw jigs, specifically, the Mod-2 Tenon Jig to cut those 3" deep lap joints.

Finally, with those critical jigs built, we're ready to build a table from my coffee table plans. This section covers all of the details for cutting the difficult lap joints in the table legs and side rails, and the assembly process. All of the other wood working projects use the same techniques and concentrate on the unique qualities for that project.

A corner table is a regular square table cut in half diagonally. They're useful for transforming normally wasted space into real eye catchers.

This next table, a patio table, features graceful tapered legs, a ceramic tile insert, and is only slightly smaller than a regular dinning room table, though you can always alter the dimensions to suit your needs. If you don't have one, build this simple taper jig to stylishly shape the legs.

Lastly, let's build an attractive but sturdy twin bed including head and foot boards that will outlast your children from these twin bed plans.

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