American River Coffee Table

American River Coffee Table This is an early design (2004) that built my confidence and accelerated my joy in this craft. With each new design I try to add a feature or try a technique that I've never done before. Coffee table tops offer a large canvas that I used in this case to render a map of the American River Parkway between the Sacramento River and Folsom Reservoir. The first step was to inlay the Parkway area in cherry. That complete, the water area-- reservoir and river--were inlaid into the cherry with maple. A compass rose is inlaid as a canoe and paddle points both north and to the place I live on the south side of the river at mile 11. The drawer slides both ways and fits snug in both openings. I thought I would make the drawer dovetails backwards so I could see them. I've been doing it backward ever since. I use the open drawer space for books and magazines. The drawer pulls are manzanita from and old plant in the garden. This piece is finished with polyurethane for the top, and Tried-and-True varnish oil for the rest. It measures 48"L, 20"W, 19"H.