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This is a miniature X-frame picnic table with two benches, scaled for 18" dolls and built entirely from 1x2 stock — four 8-foot boards cover the whole set. It's a charming gift and a genuinely good practice piece, because almost every cut is a 30° angle and getting a clean, matched set teaches you a lot about miter-saw setups and stop blocks.
The design is the classic crossed-X picnic bench in tiny form: legs cross in an X under each end, with slatted tops and seats. Pay attention to the cut list's distinction between 'not parallel' and 'parallel' angle cuts — the X legs have non-parallel 30° ends (the angles tilt opposite ways so the legs splay into an X), while the cross members have parallel ends. Mixing these up gives you legs that won't sit flat.
Assembly is glue and brad nails, and the source is emphatic about not skipping glue on the legs — on parts this small the glue is what actually holds, and the brads just clamp it while it cures. Build the tabletop by nailing the supports to the underside of the top slats, then attach the longer legs to the insides of the supports, then the shorter legs. Repeat the whole process at smaller scale for the two benches. Sand well and finish for a display-worthy set.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| 1x2, 8 ftCovers the table and both benches. | 4 each |
| Brad nails, 1-1/4 in | 1 box |
| Wood glueDo NOT skip the glue on the legs. | 1 bottle |
| Finish | 1 each |
Overall cost: $. Lumber prices vary by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure we would only be pretending to know.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L |
|---|---|---|
| Table top/seat slats1x2 | 5 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 17 3/4" |
| Table supports (X)1x2Both ends 30°, NOT parallel (long point to long point). | 3 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 7 1/2" |
| Table longer legs1x2Both ends 30°, parallel. | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 8 3/4" |
| Table shorter legs1x2Both ends 30°, parallel. | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 7 7/8" |
| Table bevel pieces1x2Both ends beveled 30°, parallel. | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 6 1/4" |
| Bench top/seat slats1x2 | 6 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 13" |
| Bench supports (X)1x2Both ends 30°, NOT parallel (long point to long point). | 4 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 4 1/2" |
| Bench longer legs1x2Both ends 30°, parallel. | 4 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 4 3/8" |
| Bench shorter legs1x2Both ends 30°, parallel. | 4 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" |
Buy 4 boards at 8 ft.
4 boards
Assumes 8 ft stock, a 1/8" saw kerf, and buying each part at its own width. Change the board size or kerf on the full board plan →
Cut all the pieces, watching the cut list's distinction between 'not parallel' and 'parallel' 30° ends. The X-leg supports have non-parallel ends so the legs splay into an X; the leg pieces have parallel ends. A stop block keeps the many repeated cuts identical.
Glue and nail the supports to the underside of the tabletop slats. These carry the X-legs and hold the top together.
Attach the longer legs to the insides of the supports, forming one arm of each X.
Attach the remaining shorter legs to complete the X on each end. Don't forget the glue on these legs — on parts this small the glue does the holding and the brads just clamp it while it cures.
Repeat the whole process at smaller scale for the two benches: supports under the seat slats, longer legs, then shorter legs, gluing every joint.
Sand every edge smooth and finish the set for display. It's small enough that finishing is quick.
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