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Ms. Gumann challenged her 10th grade World Literature students to create a product that reflected the themes of books they read. One group chose to read Charles Dickens' book, A Tale of Two Cities, which focuses on the resurrection and transformation with the backdrop of the violent French Revolution. This group of young men initially wanted to make a table top guillotine to show off at exhibition. The more we talked about WHY they would choose that product, the more they realized it would just look cool for exhibition then get thrown away. They asked their teacher what furniture she could use in her class and decided to build her a table that reflected their book.
See the pictures below for the process and tools they used.
Inexpensive 2x4 lumber was milled to size using a table saw, glued with clamps, then planed to the proper thickness.
Inexpensive 2x4 lumber was milled to size using a table saw, glued with clamps, then planed to the proper thickness.
Inlay of the famous opening text was engraved with the Glowforge Pro and put in the center. The edges of the top were routed smooth, then it was time for lots of smoothing with the random orbit sander.
Inlay of the famous opening text was engraved with the Glowforge Pro and put in the center. The edges of the top were routed smooth, then it was time for lots of smoothing with the random orbit sander.
The base of the table was assembled using pocket hole joinery.
The base of the table was assembled using pocket hole joinery.
To fit the themes of the book, students designed the table top with a French flag on one side and British flag on the other. Their research taught them that the British flag looked different during the French Revolution than it does today. Just Googling "British flag" was insufficient.
To fit the themes of the book, students designed the table top with a French flag on one side and British flag on the other. Their research taught them that the British flag looked different during the French Revolution than it does today. Just Googling "British flag" was insufficient.
They drew out their design on paper, then on the table top, then used painter's tape, frog tape, and brushes to begin painting.
They drew out their design on paper, then on the table top, then used painter's tape, frog tape, and brushes to begin painting.
After all the paint was done, they finished the table with a few coats of water based poly for extra protection.
After all the paint was done, they finished the table with a few coats of water based poly for extra protection.
It was the best of tables...
It was the best of tables...
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