Expanding Table in Walnut

Hi Mike ,

Thanks for your response. Your answering questions help more than just me I am sure. Shame you don't do this stuff more often... like, for a living!!!!! .........................Maybe sometime when you don't need the money.

Shaz

Mike Henderson said:

Let me see if I can answer the questions posed:

Shaz - the figure 8 fasteners are a good way to attach a table top to the aprons because they allow for seasonal movement - and they're easy to use. You can see a picture of one here. If you buy in volume - say 100 at a time - they're less expensive, maybe 20 cents each. Hey Mike, Thanks for the link. That is a very nice alternative and I'll bet it is a good one. Thank you! S

I made a leg out of scrap - I think it was poplar - and got approval for the design. Then I just copied the leg using a 24" ruler and calipers. It's pretty easy because the legs are separated so small differences aren't noticed. But I find that I can come pretty close using just a ruler and calipers. The biggest differences are when I screw up on the lathe - maybe have a catch with the spindle gouge - and one of the flutes gets smaller. Your input to us who are curious is invaluable!!!!!! S

Regarding the apron, I just select two pieces of 4/4 stock and mark them carefully so that I use one piece on one side and the other piece on the other side. I actually cut my tenons first on both ends then cut the piece in half. I just have to make sure I put those two pieces on the same side. For the leaves' aprons, I take the offcuts from the pieces I described in the previous sentence. That way, the wood for the leaves' aprons are part of the same piece as the rest of the apron. If the client wanted the aprons to match with the leaves in, it's just a matter of cutting them a bit differently.
Well done.
Lee - the original request for the legs was with many more flutes - essentially flutes all up and down the leg. My opinion, and I was able to convince the client, was that it looked gaudy - that a simpler leg would look better, and that simpler usually lasted longer as far as style goes. Gaudy usually goes out of style fairly fast.

Mike

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