TV Stand - Introduction to Woodswag

Not a very exciting first picture for a new blog but it's an important step in my woodworking career. It's my first full size design. I've done several pieces on graph paper and even some simple designs on the computer but I've never bothered with a full size plan. This particular piece is going to be a TV stand for our new Christmas present from the family. With the move to flat screens, TV stands are more like credenzas and I've had some ideas in my head about what I would do for a while now. What better place to draw up the design then on the box it came in. (I'll blacken the lines and add a better picture later.)

I thought about doing this as a proper piece of furniture with traditional joinery but I figured it was more modern piece with a modern purpose and it would be a lot easier with plywood and simple joinery. (Also a lot faster.) It's going to be white oak and I'm planning on using a dye to colour it. To avoid getting dye on the baltic birch on the inside I decided to pre finish those pieces before construction. It's a lot easier when they're lying flat and should help keep a crisp edge between the white birch and the oak.

The top will be 18 inches of solid white oak. I've worked with this wood in small amounts in the past but never anything this big. The ray fleck on the quarter sawn wood should look amazing. 

We got the TV for Christmas but because my wife had mentioned that we might buy ourselves one, the family decided to let us know about it in advance. Still 24 days till christmas. If I can get in a few solid weekends I should have it completed before the end of the year. Still need the legs, doors, shelves and a finish.