145 – Greene & Greene Coffee Table Pictorial

Video - April 18, 2011

Every year, I like to take some time off for my own woodworking eduction. I truly believe that a craftsman never stops learning. Even when you think you know all there is about a technique or topic, there is always something to be gained from another perspective. A 5-day class at the William Ng School fits the bill quite nicely for an educational adventure.

The William Ng School is located in Anaheim, Ca and features class projects that really speak to me; lots of Asian-influenced work as well as numerous Greene & Greene pieces. Also, its only about a 6 hour drive, so I can build any size project and bring it back with me. The instructors are always top-notch and the shop assistants are helpful and knowledgeable. The lunches are excellent and there is always enough coffee and green tea to go around.

If you’ve never taken a 5-day class, I’d highly recommend it. You will be amazed at what you can build with no distractions in a well-outfitted shop. I’m not sure at what point in my life five days of non-stop manual labor became fun, but I’m there now! This is my ideal vacation!

Last year, I attended Darrell Peart’s Aurora End Table class (see the 6 Days to Aurora series of posts), so this year I decided to take William Ng’s Greene & Greene Coffee Table class. The tables compliment one another and more importantly, Nicole has been waiting patiently for me to build her a coffee table for the last ten years! Scratch one off the honey-do list!

Part of this little vacation is NOT documenting every step of the process, but I do enjoy taking photos. So that’s what I have for you here: a pictorial that documents the process in pictures. I hope you enjoy.

Discussion

Mark D. April 18, 2011 8:48 am

Great looking table Marc! and in only 5 days? I’m jealous… I am falling in love more and more with this style. I grew up less than 5 minutes from the Gamble House in Pasadena, CA and I never even knew it was there until I had moved out of state… It’s definitely on the list of must visits next time I make it home.

Reply
Lori April 18, 2011 9:07 am

Truly beautiful. WOW, all that in 5 days, amazing. Great work Marc and thanks for sharing your personal class with us, it was fun to watch and be inspired.

Reply
Trevor April 18, 2011 11:14 am

That is lovely. What is the finish on this piece, Marc?

Reply
- thewoodwhisperer April 18, 2011 4:13 pm
  
  The finish is several coats of an oil/varnish blend, rubbed out with mineral oil and a 1000 grit pad.
  
  Reply
Jim April 18, 2011 1:12 pm

That is a beautiful peice of furniture marc great job. What does a class like this cost?

Reply
- thewoodwhisperer April 18, 2011 4:14 pm
  
  I believe the class runs around $900.
  
  Reply
Jeff April 18, 2011 2:41 pm

Beautiful table. I love the music you chose too. Who was that?

Reply
- thewoodwhisperer April 18, 2011 4:14 pm
  
  I honestly don’t know. I used Garageband’s music to produce the song.
  
  Reply
ryan April 18, 2011 5:39 pm

looks wonderfully done! how did you attach the breadboard ends? are the ebony plugs just decorative, or are they hiding screws or pegs?

Reply
- thewoodwhisperer April 18, 2011 6:36 pm
  
  The breadboards are attached to a spline or tongue that was routed on the end of the table. The ebony does cover the scews, but some of the ebony is decorative.
  
  Reply
Marilyn April 18, 2011 6:04 pm

I think you told us what you made this of .. mahogany? What type if so. Man, it looks great! What a fun vacation.

Reply
- thewoodwhisperer April 18, 2011 6:35 pm
  
  Yup, African Mahogany. Not quite as nice as the Honduran stuff but it gets the job done. :)
  
  Reply
Travis April 19, 2011 2:50 pm

Id love to take a class like that. $900.00 is a bargain. Unfortunately I’m in Missouri and I have a heck of a time finding a good school within driving range to take some classes. Does anyone know of a good one?

Reply
- Tom Buhl April 20, 2011 6:19 am
  
  Hey Travis, If you check around you might find schools hiding all over the place. Marc Adams school is in Indiana which might not be to bad of a drive for you. They have excellent instructors and great setup as well. Michael Fortune, from Toronto, is a regular guest teacher there. Worth checking out his work. Many other familiar names in the craft go through there. Check out: http://marcadams.com/
  
  Reply
  - Travis April 20, 2011 10:34 am
    
    Hey Tom,
    
    Thanks for that. Ill be sure to look into that school. A class taught by Michael Fortune would be very interesting.
    
    Reply
    - Thomas Tieffenbacher/Doc Savage 45 April 22, 2011 7:48 am
      
      Your state probably has a woodworkers group such as a guild. These often offer an annual or even monthly training with well known proffessionals (sp?) In a state with so much wood I’m sure there are some local talent that would be happy to share skills. Marc Adams came to Minnesota a few years ago, and gave a great two and a half day tutorial.
Dan Drabek April 19, 2011 7:45 pm

A very complicated little table. Nice work! Anyone would be happy to have this piece of furniture in their home.
I don’t think the ‘coffee table’ actually existed back in the period, but the styling is timeless.

DD

Reply
- Amanda Johnson October 7, 2019 1:49 pm
  
  Nice quality work, Great finishing.
  
  Reply
Vic Hubbard April 19, 2011 9:14 pm

That turned out extremely well. I really love all the subtle details! Someday, I’m gonna actually take a class..what fun!

Reply
Tom Buhl April 20, 2011 6:26 am

Marc, was wondering, when making a complex piece is such a short time does one feel that you are actually learning/exploring? Seems it might feel like a race to finish or move along. I’m sort of a savoring type but watching your photos and reading of the experience I am becoming more open to taking advantage of such an experience.
As some well-known wood personalities have said, “you can always learn from others and new situations if you are open to it.”
I usually try to avoid driving through L.A. (I’m 90 miles north), but since the introduction of the iPod (and its offspring) the trip is so much more doable.
That particular project shows lots of learning opportunities.
Thanks for sharing.

Reply
- thewoodwhisperer April 20, 2011 8:18 am
  
  Good point Tom. First off, I’d say that if you are the savoring type, doing any complex project in 5 days might be more stressful than you’d like. But it really depends on the individual’s tastes and experience level. For example, a relatively new woodworker would probably see this class as 5% “I already knew that” and 95% “So that’s how you do that!”. They are being hammered with new information and techniques and they most likely won’t retain much. They’ll also feel like they just went a few rounds with a world heavyweight champ when its all said and done.
  
  For me personally, the percentages work the other way. I am already familiar with about 95% of the material and my goal is to truly relish and explore the 5% that is new to me. So I see it as 5 days of hard work with the reward being those little gems and tidbits from the instructor.
  
  If there is one fault with these classes, its the fact that they really are focused on the destination and not so much the journey. Don’t get me wrong, the journey is still good. But the instructor knows that by the end of the week, most of those students need to have the project done in order to call it a successful class. And some people will actually get angry if they don’t finish a project in time.
  
  Reply
  - Dan Drabek April 20, 2011 2:52 pm
    
    It appears that they make use of some special set-ups and jigs, which would certainly streamline the building process, but might subtract a bit from the learning process. But as you indicate, they need to avoid frustration on the part of the less experienced student.
    
    DD
    
    Reply
James B April 20, 2011 6:38 am

Strong work! Can you tell us the ratio of Cinnamon dye to Light Brown dye?

Reply
- thewoodwhisperer April 20, 2011 8:19 am
  
  Hey James. Shoot! I totally forgot to write that down, lol. If I remember correctly, it was something like 3:1 light brown:cinnamon
  
  Reply
mark williams April 21, 2011 7:30 am

thanks for sharing! even when you are doing something for ur wood working self u share!

Reply
Thomas Tieffenbacher/Doc Savage 45 April 22, 2011 7:56 am

Large groups with varied abilities often present a difficult learning situation for the instructor who wants the students to learn as well as have a take home piece. Excellent job! I’m sure the photos do not do it justice! What was in your 5%.:)

DocSavage45

Reply
Germain April 28, 2011 4:20 pm

Why does the miter saw have a sign saying, “NO MITER CUTS!”?

Reply
- thewoodwhisperer April 28, 2011 4:33 pm
  
  Its a chop saw dedicated to square 90 degree cross cuts for rough lumber.
  
  Reply
John April 29, 2011 7:33 am

Seriously only five days? Looks amazing!

Reply
Ken May 5, 2011 12:48 pm

Hi Marc,
in a class like that did they give you a material list and cut list so when you show up you have all your stock milled and and cut to just a little oversized?

Ken

Reply
- thewoodwhisperer May 5, 2011 2:17 pm
  
  The materials are typically there when you arrive. If the project is fairly complex, some of the initial cuts may be done for you but you’ll still have to do your own final milling. Its all done in the interest of time so it varies from project to project. But you don’t get anything ahead of time.
  
  Reply
MikeM May 13, 2011 11:26 am

The coffee table turned out great! I do like the styling of Greene & Greene, but have not yet attempted anything like that. My wife saw a pic of the Adirondack chair, and once me to build that. I am trying to talk her into letting me build it out of mahogany, but she got some sticker shock over the cost of it. So it may have to be white oak instead.

Reply
Brian May 14, 2011 10:35 am

Hey Marc.

I find it jaw dropping that it can be done in five days and get that kind of results, considering it takes many hours for finishes to cure enough to continue. How much of that time was spent on building the table and the rest is finishing. If you could build the table again how long would you like to take to get it done if you were doing it on the side not counting the time working on commissions? I can see myself (with my work schedule) taking six to eight weeks on it.

Reply
- thewoodwhisperer May 14, 2011 10:43 am
  
  Well it might make you feel better to know that some of the finishing touches and ALL of the finishing were done at home. You will rarely get into finishing in a project-based woodworking class. And details like the handle carving were done in my leisure after I returned home. To build this at home, it would certainly take a little longer simply because I don’t have any jigs set up yet. So I might lose a week just making jigs. But once the jigs are made, I could certainly knock this thing out in 4 days at the most. I would actually work faster at home than in a class room environment. No distractions and no tool sharing. :)
  
  Reply
Jon McGrath May 14, 2011 1:53 pm

Great table, the small accents and reoccurring pattern really blend even beyond expectations when looking at a G&G project. As always- unreal workmanship – you are gifted. JCM

Reply
Mark June 16, 2011 7:22 pm

Great table. Do you ever work with reclaimed materials?
Like the work on here: http://www.furniturefromthebarn.com

I like the concept of recycled wood – but, like the elegance of this piece.

thoughts?

Reply
- thewoodwhisperer June 16, 2011 7:39 pm
  
  I actually never work with reclaimed stock. Not because I don’t want to, but because in Phoenix there just isn’t much to go around. Nothing is very old here and anything that is being demolished or taken down probably isn’t worth salvaging.
  
  Reply
Tobias July 7, 2011 12:42 pm

Do you get to keep the table, or does the material cost extra?

Reply
- thewoodwhisperer July 7, 2011 1:50 pm
  
  The materials are part of the cost of the class.
  
  Reply
Phil July 17, 2011 5:57 pm

HI Marc,

I’m a long time visitor to the site, first time commenter. I just finished the Greene& Greene coffee table class with William Ng. What an amazing experience. I left with a wealth of knowledge, inspiration, and even a greater passion for the craft. I highly recommend it too anyone who wants to take their wood working to the next level. Learning from a Master Craftsman like William was extremely rewarding, and worth every penny.
Thanks Marc for the inspiration and motivation to take the class { I let William know the same}. From the start, The Wood Whisperer has been a huge part of my wood working journey. Providing me and countless others with the knowledge and resources to better their craft. I will be joining the the Guild as soon as my bank account recovers.

P.S. Congrats on the pregnancy.

Reply
- thewoodwhisperer July 17, 2011 6:10 pm
  
  So glad you were able to take the class Phil. An amazing experience isn’t it? And you get to go home with a top notch piece of furniture to boot! I’m very glad you are enjoying our site as well. Its an honor to be part of your woodworking experience.
  
  And thanks for the kind words about the pregnancy. Although my part was very easy. :)
  
  Reply
Mike August 6, 2011 9:28 pm

Nice table! I’m thinking about making a similar table and really like the proportions of this one. Can you tell me what the dimensions are? Also, how do you deal with wood expansion on the through tenons of the bottom shelf?

Reply
- thewoodwhisperer August 7, 2011 6:34 am
  
  I can give you the rough dimensions as soon as I find my tape measure, but I can’t give you too much detail about it since its William Ng’s design. As for the wood expansion, there really is no allowance other than to only add glue at the center of the tenon. My project shrunk considerably when I took it back to AZ. If someone went to a place that was more humid, I would be they’d have a problem with it.
  
  Reply
  - Mike August 8, 2011 12:02 am
    
    Sorry for not being a little more specific. Reading my email I guess it could be interpreted that I want the whole design! What I was really asking for is just the overall height, width, and length, not all the details. I just wanted the basic dimensions as the proportions just looks “right” to me.
    
    As for the tenon, aren’t there potential problems if the tenon for the bottom shelf fits tightly into the slot in the lower streacher? I’ve seen similar design details on other tables and always wondered how they dealt with expansion of the tennon in the slot. Can I assume from that in this case you really don’t have to worry about it?
    
    Reply
    - thewoodwhisperer August 8, 2011 6:38 am
      
      Hey Mike. The table is 17″H x 48″L x 24″W and the base is roughly 36″L x 18″W at the bottom of the legs.
      
      As for the tenon, yes, that is a potential problem area and you should probably worry about it, depending on your environmental conditions. Again, wasn’t a problem for me because i was going someplace drier and eventually wound up with a slightly loose fit. But if you build it in AZ and then move it to San Diego, you could very well have a problem on your hands. Sometimes you can get away with breaking the wood movement rules, but you have to try to stack the cards in your favor.
Stephan August 11, 2017 7:42 pm

Been learning alot about the G&G style, any plans to do something like this for your WW Guild shop projects for sale? Would love to make this!

Reply
- Marc Spagnuolo August 13, 2017 12:03 pm
  
  No plans at the moment but you never know. :)
  
  Reply
Larry Faulkner March 29, 2018 7:19 pm

Can the table be disassembled for travel to Georgia? Really do not want to drive to Calif.

Reply

Cookie	Duration	Description
cookielawinfo-checbox-analytics	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checbox-functional	11 months	The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checbox-others	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy	11 months	The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.

145 – Greene & Greene Coffee Table Pictorial

Advertisers