my girlfriend asked for a zen table which basically has a japanese sand garden inside of it with a removeable glass top.

I only have two pictures of it being built, but the legs and skirts are mortised and tenoned. The bottom rabbeted into the skirt and the top is simply mitred with some brads and glue.

the paint is a simple rustoleum gloss black on top of a rubbed on shellac sanding sealer. The top coat is Helmsman Spar Urethane.

I hand painted these japanese characters which stand for the four elements. (wind, water, earth, fire) This one is wind.

She wanted a special top that could just about disappear when it was opened up. So, I came up with this sliding idea. The top has two long grooves on either end in which a brass finger rides in. this allows the top to be lifted up and slid behind the table where it hamgs freely.

This is the hinge. Solid brass with a section of brass 1/4" rod braised on as a finger. Then they were polished and clear coated.

This bar keeps the top from sliding back while it is normally acting as a table top.