# Tray for My Wife



## xplorx4 (Dec 1, 2008)

The pics below are of a tray I made for my wife, I had shown the beginning of this some time ago. This is the Aspen wood finish I asked about. The more we looked at it the more we decided to make it darker and then leave it that way. 

One thing I learned on this was that you need to have it fit a little looser at mock up. At mock up the corners were very tight, but at glue up they opened some, not a lot but enough to make me not like it. 

The top is Plam, she wanted it like this so she wouldn't have to worry about it getting wet and damaging a finished piece. It had to be big enough to sit on these two stools, and piano bench, Why? does there need to be a reason with our wives. You can be right or you can be happy---I chose happy.


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## Dr.Zook (Sep 10, 2004)

You can be right of you can be happy---I chose happy.

Excellent choise Jerry. Nice looking tray also.


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## Lee Brubaker (Jan 30, 2006)

Jerry....a very attractive tray. To keep the wife happy & if the tray will be used with foodstuffs & should you build another, consider leaving the corners open & carry the handle cuts up beyond the bed of the tray. Why? So that crumbs do not get caught in the corners & the bed can be wiped totally clean. 

Lee


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## Aparelo (Mar 1, 2009)

Very nice work indeed!!!


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

A very nicely made project Jerry, but crikey, I don't think my arms open that wide! Ours tend to be between 18" & 20", how wide is yours?


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## xplorx4 (Dec 1, 2008)

Lee Brubaker said:


> Jerry....a very attractive tray. To keep the wife happy & if the tray will be used with foodstuffs & should you build another, consider leaving the corners open & carry the handle cuts up beyond the bed of the tray. Why? So that crumbs do not get caught in the corners & the bed can be wiped totally clean.
> 
> Lee


I like the corners open idea, I will try anouther tray using that idea. Thank you.

The disappointment with this is mine with the corners not being tight. The lip and handles were how she wanted them. She uses it set on the two stools to put food on going in and out of the refrigerator. I have a couple blocks underneath to keep it centered on the stools.


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## xplorx4 (Dec 1, 2008)

harrysin said:


> A very nicely made project Jerry, but crikey, I don't think my arms open that wide! Ours tend to be between 18" & 20", how wide is yours?


The width was determined by the base of the two stools it sat on, plus had to fit over the piano bench so it could be used to keep food handy like at Thanksgiving dinner and the like. That was the reason for the P-lam top.

A while back I posted this end table, well the top comes off and she can use this to serve with. And now guys the rest of this is censored and not for wives to read. I use that one to bring her breakfast in bed when she was feeling poorly a while back.

The bottom feet fit on the ends of the table frame to hold it in position.


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## Aparelo (Mar 1, 2009)

Wow, what a beautiful piece of art you have here with this end table, the finishing is just perfect!!!


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## xplorx4 (Dec 1, 2008)

Aparelo said:


> Wow, what a beautiful piece of art you have here with this end table, the finishing is just perfect!!!


Thank you for your kind words, the table was purchased at a garage sale, along with a "spool cabinet". The one pic shows the old top, not good, so I managed to disassemble it and put the new top on. I really enjoy finishing. I also enjoy finishing new things I have made. It did turn out even better than I had expected, so thank you again for your words.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Your explanation puts a whole new light on the tray and makes it warrant further praise Jerry.


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## AxlMyk (Jun 13, 2006)

To fix opened corners. burnish the outside edges with a screwdriver shaft. It closes them up by pressing the wood together.


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