ReadyMade: Instructions for everyday life

1. Once you’ve found a good branch, start by leveling out the parts that will serve as the base of the legs. Using a measuring tape and a pen, mark the height on the various spots of the branch where you would like your tabletop to rest. Using a level and a pen, mark your horizontal cut lines at those points.

2. With a handsaw, make the horizontal cuts, taking care to follow your level lines. Hold onto any scraps and leftovers as they may come in handy as additional supports, or to cover up fasteners and hardware.

3. For the tabletop template, draw your design on a piece of thin scrap plywood and run it through a jigsaw to cut out your shape.

4. Place your plywood template on the branch. Check all the contact points to make sure the tabletop is flush and sturdy on the branch. Make any necessary adjustments by sawing or shaving surfaces down, or reinforcing any shaky spots with your scraps and leftovers.

5. Either take your piece of Lucite and template to a professional for cutting, or place the plywood piece over the Lucite. Using a jigsaw with a fine-toothed blade, cut the Lucite, following the edges of the template as a guide. Go back and round the top edge using a router with a 1/6” round-over bit.

6. Put the Lucite tabletop in place on the branch. Use a pen to mark where you want to place the connecting dowels.

7. Remove the Lucite from the branch and set it on top of your template. Drilling through the Lucite and into your template will help prevent the Lucite from chipping. Using a drill and 1/4” bit, make the holes for your dowels.

8. Place the tabletop back onto the branch and using the dowel holes as guides, drill down about an inch into the wood.

9. Tap in the dowels and mark where they line up with the surface of the tabletop. Remove the dowels (with pliers if necessary) and use the jigsaw and fine-toothed blade to cut them to the appropriate size. If the edges of the dowels are rough, smooth them with sandpaper.

10. Replace the dowels, and for crying out loud, keep your feet off the new table!

Do not use Windex or other glass cleaning products on Lucite. Instead, wipe your tabletop with a damp cloth.

Note: The most important part of the project is finding an appropriate branch. Since this piece will be in your home, it should be aesthetically pleasing. It should have depth and dimension. It should be sturdy, and it should be “pre-felled”. There are plenty of old branches out there, so there’s no need to go cutting down trees for this project. You can even get them online if you’re a city dweller and can’t take a walk in the woods. (See www.readymademag.com/salvagedwood for a list of good resources.)