Jake Petrovski, Dual Sliding Tambour Coffee Table (STUDENT 2025)

Student:

Secondary

Name of school or tertiary institution, name of woodworking teacher (if you have one), and name of photographer:

Corpus Christi Catholic High School Oak Flats

Video tour:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/17vgNaWcpJMnYW1cWyWI-XPxumURxtaCg/view?usp=sharing

Country

Australia

For my Year 12 HSC Major Design Project, I've meticulously constructed a dual sliding tambour coffee table, designed to be both functional and visually suited to its setting. The idea came from wanting to fill a centring void in my fireplace room with something practical that also matched the contemporary tones of the house. To achieve this, I utilised white oak for the carcass, roof, and base, as it has a clean grain, good durability, and complements the colours already present in the room. Victorian ash was used for the tambour slats and drawer sides because it is easy to work with, strong, and has a consistent tone that complements the overall look. Each slat was made with a 5mm rebate on both ends, which allowed them to slot neatly into the routed track and slide smoothly as the doors opened and closed. This meant the doors could retract into the carcass without taking up extra space, which was a key part of the design. For the drawer fronts, I created curved panels by carefully bending and laminating both normal and veneered plywood. This process was time-consuming and required accuracy, as the plywood had to be clamped for long periods to hold its shape properly. The result gave the drawers a curved form that echoed the motion of the tambour doors and made the design feel consistent and unified. To build the piece strongly, I used a range of traditional joints such as dovetails for the drawers, housings for accurate positioning of panels, and rebates to hold the back panel securely. These joints were chosen not just for strength, but also to show a high level of craftsmanship and attention to detail. One of the biggest challenges in construction was the limited machinery and resources in the workshop, which made it harder to produce precise joints and smooth curves. This meant I had to rely heavily on hand tools to refine accuracy, especially when working on dovetails and consistently machining the rebates. While this was demanding, it taught me patience and improved my problem-solving skills. Ultimately, the project successfully combined strong joinery, meticulous craftsmanship, and carefully selected materials to create a piece that is both practical and durable, well-suited to its environment. It not only provides functional storage but also enhances the fireplace room by filling the void with a design that matches the colours and tones of the space, tying the room together while showcasing my skills in both design and making.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.