My first woodworking project.
The top is poplar and I had the local lumbar yard cut them to uniform thickness, planed and jointed. That made a nice close connection when it came time to glue and screw.
Also since it was not dimensional lumbar the boards are cut to actual size so mine is a few inches wider than the original plans.
I needed to modify the plans in order to make the top removable so I fashioned 4 blocks and attached them to the insides of the apron, and used a spade bit to drill out a 7/8" hole. Then attached 3/8" hanger bolts to the top and attached to the base with wingnuts and washers. Worked like a charm!
I wanted to keep all the interesting variance in the top so it's just natural with Minwax Satin Poly.
Estimated Cost
$600
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Minwax ebony stain with 2 coats poly for the base and all natural top with 3 coats poly.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner