I’m a dad trying to get back into woodworking after a ten-year gap, and I finally cleared out enough garage space to set up a small workbench again. I used to build basic shelves and birdhouses back in high school shop class, but now I’m aiming for something nicer: a small walnut coffee table to replace our wobbly IKEA one. This is my first serious project in over a decade, so I’m showing my woodworking project for feedback before I mess up the expensive lumber.
I already bought a 6-foot board of black walnut from a local lumberyard for about $45, and I tried cutting the legs with a jigsaw I borrowed from my neighbor. That turned into a wobbly mess with jagged edges, or maybe I just didn’t clamp the wood down tight enough. I also attempted to use a hand plane I found at a thrift store for $12, but I think the blade is dull or I sharpened it wrong, because it gouged the surface instead of smoothing it. I’ve been watching YouTube videos, but I keep second-guessing every step.
For a beginner making a simple mid-century style coffee table with tapered legs, what’s the most forgiving tool and technique for cutting those leg angles without a table saw? Should I stick with hand tools to save money, or is it worth renting a miter saw for the weekend?
I already bought a 6-foot board of black walnut from a local lumberyard for about $45, and I tried cutting the legs with a jigsaw I borrowed from my neighbor. That turned into a wobbly mess with jagged edges, or maybe I just didn’t clamp the wood down tight enough. I also attempted to use a hand plane I found at a thrift store for $12, but I think the blade is dull or I sharpened it wrong, because it gouged the surface instead of smoothing it. I’ve been watching YouTube videos, but I keep second-guessing every step.
For a beginner making a simple mid-century style coffee table with tapered legs, what’s the most forgiving tool and technique for cutting those leg angles without a table saw? Should I stick with hand tools to save money, or is it worth renting a miter saw for the weekend?
