It is time for me to make the legs. I have collected the short bits of mahogany that were cut off of other parts of the table. I take them to the chop saw to hack them to the rough length of the leg.

On the way to my workbench I have rough cut the angles on the bandsaw. My style allows for spontaneous composition as the piece of furniture is made. It is fast and it is fun. The finished furniture is a visual record of the decisions that i have made along the way.

The final leg is more of a challenge. It is comprised of three pieces of wood that need to add up to a specific angle. This is a major intersection in the joinery of the table. I use the bandsaw to make the first angle cut.

I position the parts on the actual table so there is no guesswork. This helps me visualize and measure the third piece that makes up the leg.

The first three legs are carefully glued up.

The final leg is more of a gluing challenge. I need to make sure that the wedged pieces don’t slip out of alignment.

I need to refine the legs by bringing them to the jointer. I will flatten one face.

Next stop is the Hammond Glide Saw this saw is being repurposed by me. The saw was originally designed for the printing industry. It was used to cut lead type for letterpress printing.

The great feature is the ability to raise the blade to a height of almost 5 inches and the super accurate sliding table.

I trim the other end of the leg in the table saw with the help of the cross cut jig. I clamp a stop to the fence so that all of the legs end up the same exact length. Woodworking is a precise exercise. This is why the freedom that my style allows is so important to me. I ned it as an antidote to this sort of multi step pre planning.

Its time to see how well everything is fitting. I butt the stretchers up to the legs and make sure that the angles were cut correctly. Once I am happy it is time to cut the joints that will hold everything together.

Coffee Table Commission
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8
Part 9
Part 10

By Nico Yektai -
New York based designer/maker Nico Yektai opened the doors to his Hamptons studio in 1995 after completing the MFA program at the School For American Craft at the Rochester Institute of Technology. The rigorous technical training complimented his background in Art History, which he studied, at Hobart College in Geneva NY. Yektai has synthesized this background into a singular style that has gained him national attention. Visit nicoyektai.com for more information