First Hardwood Side Table

This was my first hardwood project: a compact side table with a black painted frame, a simple rectangular hardwood top, and lower shelves finished with Rubio Monocoat Pure. The top was intentionally simple, but the angled half-lap frame pushed the build into custom jig territory.

The problem-solving part of the build centered on accuracy. I 3D printed guide templates for the angled half-lap joints, added printed spacing and drilling jigs, and used the CNC to shape the shelf undersides so they would lock into the frame and make the table more stable.

Raw hardwood and frame layout

The build started with a simple goal: keep the hardwood surfaces clean and let the frame do most of the visual work. Since this was my first hardwood project, I kept the top as a straightforward rectangle and put the extra effort into getting the frame geometry right.

Half-lap frame build

The angled half-laps were the tricky part. A small error in the joinery would make the frame twist or throw off the shelf fit, so this part of the project became more about repeatable setup than fast cutting.

Hardwood top and dry fit

Once the black frame was assembled, the top could be cut and checked against the overall proportions. The dry fit was the first time the design really started to read as a table instead of a pile of separate parts.

3D printed guides and planning

The 3D printer was useful because it turned the awkward measuring steps into physical references. The guide templates, spacers, and drilling aids made it easier to repeat the same placement instead of re-solving the angle every time.

Shelf fitting and Rubio finish

The lower shelves were carved on the CNC from the underside so they could settle into the half-lap frame. That hidden fit helped lock the assembly together, then Rubio Monocoat Pure brought out the contrast between the hardwood and the painted frame.

Finished side table

The finished piece ended up being a good balance of simple and engineered: a clean rectangular hardwood top, warm lower shelves, and a black frame that hides a lot of the problem-solving underneath.

For a first hardwood project, the main lesson was that the simple-looking parts are not always the hard parts. The top stayed intentionally plain, while the jigs, CNC-fit shelves, and careful half-lap layout carried the build.