The End Table with Sliding Drawer:
I am going to use the scale one inch equals one max unit. This is the best scale to work with when using 3D Studio Max and should be adopted for future projects and models.
Note: Do not change Max’s scale to inches instead just keep in mind that one unit is one inch, this will create the best workflow and will help with more advanced areas of the program that you may get into.
To start the End Table I am going to create a box with a Length of 18, a Width of 18, and a Height of 1. Also, get into the habit of naming objects and give your table a name.
The nest step is to convert the box into an Editable Poly so we can start to work with it and turn it into the table. Right-click on the box and go to Convert To.
We are going to use the box as the top of the table and extrude the bottom, the drawer and the legs from the initial box object. Select the bottom ploy of the box and use the Inset tool with an Inset Amount of 1.5, with equates to 1.5 inches. To bring up the dialogue box select the box icon next to the tools name.
After that inset apply one more with an amount of 1.
From here select the middle ring of faces and apply an Extrude with an Extrusion Height of 4.
From here we are going to select the vertical edges of extrusion.
With those edges selected apply a Chamfer with a Chamfer Amount of 1.5.
Then select the newly created polygons and from there we will apply a Bevel to create the legs of the table. Use a Height of 24 and the Outline Amount of -0.5 to give it a slight taper effect.
Now it is time for the Drawer:
Select both the back and the front face of the lower extrusion, we will apply another Inset, but they will not line up right away because the front face is larger than the back face due to the Chamfer. We will need to fix this through a couple of steps but, first things first, select both front and back faces and apply an Inset of 0.5.
Now we need to align and straighten out the faces of our model. Select the left vertical edge and the vertical edge on the back face of the model.
From there apply the Make Planer option on the X, this will cause the edges to line up in 3d space. Next you will need to use your move tool to nudge the edges over a bit so that the drawer will clear the legs of the table.
Repeat on the right side of the face.
Next select the face were the drawer will be, hold SHIFT and move it along the Y axis infront of the table. Choose the Clone to Element option.
Next select the faces for the drawer on the table and delete them.
Choose your Boarder sub-object and use the bridge tool to create the hole for the drawer.
Select the floating face, which will soon become the drawer, and apply an Extrude of 10.
We will need to now cap off the back end of the drawer because it is now open. Go to your Boarders and select that open edge and use the Cap tool.
Select the top face of the drawer apply an Inset of 0.5 and then an Extrude of -2.5. This will create the cavity of the drawer.
Select the front poly of the drawer and apply an Extrude of 0.5.
Now select the ring of new faces that were created and apply an Extrude with a Strenght of 0.5 on the Local Normal.
Using the Element sub-object I am going to slide the drawer back along the Y axis into the fitted hole in the table.
To create a simple drawer handle select the front face and scale it down so that it appears to be about 1 inch high by a width of 3 inches.
Next Bevel that face with a Height of 0.75 and an Outline of -0.15.
Then select the poly on the underside of the Bevel and Inset that poly 0.15, then extrude it up into the handle a bit to finish the effect.
You will now have a basic End Table with a Sliding Drawer. Using these same techniques you can create several other objects.
Adding Accents to the Table:
Now it is time to spice the table up and give it some style. We will start with the legs of the table. Also, we are going to do all the legs at once. This will help save some time and make sure that the table is symmetrical. First we will add a little roundness to the bottom of the legs. Select all the horizontal edges of the bottom of the table legs.
Next apply a Chamfer of 0.4 followed by a Chamfer of 0.2. This will round off the bottom of the table legs.
Now select the vertical edges of the legs.
Using the Connect tool, apply 3 Segments a Pinch of -80 and a Slide of 500.
Select the middle row of edges that we created on each leg.
Use the scale tool to scale down the edges about 50%.
From there we are going to apply two Chamfers. The first Chamfer will have a value of 0.3 and the second will have a value of 0.15.
To finish the legs select the outside faces of the legs.
Apply a Bevel with the values of 0.25 for the Height and -0.24 for the Outline Amount.
The next step will be to select edges for the table top and the front edges of the drawer.
Apply a Chamfer with a value of 0.3.
Next we will add a groove in the table top, select the top face and use the Inset tool with a value of 1.5.
Then add a Inset again with a value of 0.25.
Select the ring of new faces that we created.
Use the Bevel tool with a Height of -0.1 and an Outline Amount of -0.075 to complete the groove.
Last we will round off the drawer handle. Select the vertical edges of the front of the drawer handle.
Next use the Chamfer tool twice. The first Chamfer with a value of 0.4 and the second Chamfer with a value of 0.2. This will round the handle nicely.
