# Dining table build.



## ACP (Jan 24, 2009)

I have been working on this mission style pedestal table for about three weeks now. It's all red oak. The wife chose the design. So far it's been a fun project, and probably my biggest to date. These are just some early photos. I cut the table tops to size yesterday after the glue ups were done. Going to start the apron soon. I did screw up. The plans the wife has chose has a spline running the length of the table boards for glue up. Its just for alignment so I used biscuits but I put one too close to the end so I'll have to make some edging trim for the around the table to hide that. Oh well, live and learn, edging will look nice on it I think anyways. Stupid biscuits. I knew I should have went with my gut and just edge glued. Oh well. Once the table is built I will build 6 chairs for it and then finish everything at once. That should be miserable. I hate finishing. Thanks for looking.


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## mdntrdr (Dec 22, 2009)

Lookin good! :thumbsup:

Do you have a chair design yet? :smile:


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## Kenbo (Sep 16, 2008)

That's coming along great. It looks fantastic. Keep us posted on this one. I'm interested to see how it turns out.
Ken


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## sawdustfactory (Jan 30, 2011)

> I did screw up. The plans the wife has chose has a spline running the length of the table boards for glue up. Its just for alignment so I used biscuits but I put one too close to the end so I'll have to make some edging trim for the around the table to hide that. Oh well, live and learn, edging will look nice on it I think anyways. Stupid biscuits.


Been there, done that too.  Looks great otherwise.


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## Tony B (Jul 30, 2008)

*Nice design*

It looks great so far. 
As for biscuit joiners, I have no use for them. I bought one over 20 years ago when they were the latest rage. It sucked back then and never had a real use for it so I sold it. About 2 years ago I bought a few routers from a widow and she threw in a nice DeWalt Biscuit Joiner. It has been sitting in my shop unused except to see if it worked. I still have no use for it. Some people swear by them but to me they are a waste of money and a potential problem - such as yours. 
Edge joining with glue alone has work for many many centuries and as the glues improve so do the joints.


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## Longknife (Oct 25, 2010)

That table will be great :thumbsup: The last picture - is that what happened when you discovered the screw-up? :laughing:


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## ACP (Jan 24, 2009)

Thanks all! That's funny Longknife! I don't know why I added that. I toook the pics last night on my cell and posted them today. Just an example of my mess when I get to building I guess. My car stays outside during these builds.


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

Looking terrific!... I'm with ya on the misery of finishing furniture! I've consider outsourcing everytime I get half way through, lol...

~tom


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## jstange2 (Dec 5, 2010)

Looking good ACP. I look forward to the progress of this one.:thumbsup:


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## jstange2 (Dec 5, 2010)

What style of chair are you planning? Where do you usually get your wood? I like Renneberg's in Brandon. Good guys and good wood.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Progress so far looks good. Your little glitch reminds me of this sign.:smile:












 







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## ACP (Jan 24, 2009)

That's funny C-man, but less so because it's true. I should have known, but I don't do this everyday so I screwed up. Live and learn, I have heard many say that part of being a good furniture builder is being able to hide your screw ups. Luckily this is a forum of peers so I am able let it out in the open in the hopes no one else will screw up the same way. Anyone ever feel like they should leave tags on their tools with reminders? Like on the biscuit joiner, "Don't go near the edges dumbass!" And on the bandsaw "Am I Tensioned?" "Am I de-Tensioned?" 

JStange - I have heard nothing but good about Rennenberg Hardwoods. I haven't been there myself. I usually go to FBT Sawmill in Steen, MN. I have gotten to know the sawyer there a bit and they are good, friendly folks with, I think, fair prices. My last batch of red oak was shorts and narrows supposedly at $2 a b/ft S3S. I thought that was fair considering the shortest board was probably 5 1/2 feet and the longest was around 8'. The narrowest was about 4" and the widest was 13". With the tools I have and the projects I'm making such a load of wood is perfect for me. I got 250 bft of this for the table and chairs and picked up some nice walnut bowl blanks and a few thicker 8/4 pieces while I was there. I suppose Rennenbergs is closer, but Steen is only 45 minutes, and it's a nice country drive. Plus a trip to the mill is like a trip to the toy store, so there is that too. 

The chairs are a companion chair to this table, they are mission style too. I am working off of some plans out of a book I got, I don't trust myself doing a "complex" (at least to me) project of this size and cost on something I drew up. Not at this point in my woodworking life. Once I get them built I'll post pics. Gotta get the table done first. I'll keep updating it frequently as I go. Comments, critiques and advice are very welcome from all please.


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## jstange2 (Dec 5, 2010)

I'll have to give that sawmill a shot sometime. I sure like the big boy type "toy stores". I look forward to seeing your progress with the table, and chairs also.


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## ACP (Jan 24, 2009)

I have finished the table (except for the finish). Came together well and the wife is pleased. I won't put on the finish until I build all the chairs for it so I can do it all at once.


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## GWEE (Aug 30, 2009)

Came out great


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## eigersa (Apr 17, 2011)

looks good !


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## Kenbo (Sep 16, 2008)

Wow, congrats on a job well done. You should be proud man, that's beautiful.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Kenbo said:


> Wow, congrats on a job well done. You should be proud man, that's beautiful.


That goes for me too. Now...the fun begins...C H A I R S!! Just a suggestion. You might consider picking up a roll of brown (or white) postal wrapping paper. It's cheap, and sold in the stationery section, or school supplies. 

Draw out your chair full size...all 4 elevation views. When I'm into it, I also draw out layer views (in plan) like for the stretchers and how they fit to the legs. Also, a seat/frame view (in plan). 

This may seem like a PITA, but I've gotta tell ya that you can figure parts, and joinery more easily. In many instances you can lay the parts right on the drawing. At least in doing a drawing, it will give you a good perspective on the parts and pieces and how it can all go together. Erasing a line is much better than making firewood.












 







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## ACP (Jan 24, 2009)

Thanks for the tip C-man, that's good info to know. First time with chairs and I'm a bit nervous, but that's the fun of it!


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

Very nice indeed! Best part is you can reboost your pride in your work everytime you sit down to a meal!

~tom


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## jstange2 (Dec 5, 2010)

Turned out really nice. Cool design too. I can't wait for the chairs.


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## sanchez (Feb 18, 2010)

That's a nice looking table! Looking forward to seeing the chairs. Now that is a big undertaking, a bunch of matching chairs! :thumbsup:


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## ACP (Jan 24, 2009)

***UPDATE***

Still working on the table and chairs. I was laid up for a week with a knee scope, and I have a vasectomy scheduled for Friday, so I've been a little behind on finishing this project. I the chairs probably 70% done. They are dry fit together. I am going to get each of them mated up and then do the finish sanding and tweaking to joints before I glue them up. So far so good. The wife wants this done though, and frankly, so do I. I have that problem of getting bored on long projects and get the itch to work on new things. Gotta see it through though. There'll be 6 chairs total. The last photo shows the material we chose for the cushion. The wife wanted plastic on it for the first couple years till the kids stop spontaneously spilling anything and everything. I like it without, but she has a point....


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Nice Project!*

Yah, stay with the plastic, it'll make your butt sweat, but the peanut butter won't stick to it. :laughing:
Very clever glue bottle stand also :yes:


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## ACP (Jan 24, 2009)

Good eyes Bill. It's about as cheap and easy as they come and saves me a lot of squeezing during frantic glue up sessions.


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## ACP (Jan 24, 2009)

I have the chairs finished to my dining room table build. It feels good to get a big chunk done. All I have to do is finish the base and top now and I'm done. I started today so I hope to be done within a week.


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## mdntrdr (Dec 22, 2009)

Nice lookin' set of chairs! :thumbsup:

What finish did you apply? :smile:


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## ACP (Jan 24, 2009)

It's cherry stain, Bulls-Eye Sealcoat de-waxed shellac barrier coat and Varathane water based poly top coat.


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

They look great!

~tom ...it's better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt...


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## troyd1976 (Jul 26, 2011)

Beautiful man. I've been meaning to get on building that same set for about 6 months now, except im thinking I will change the plans to have everything set up to be a couter height set-up, and not have the expanding leave's action.I could be wrong, but it just seems to me like it'd be too unstable with the additional few inches and the added leaves.
But of course, I always start with the intentions of duplicating the plans bought found or made myself, but always find ways to improve.


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## ACP (Jan 24, 2009)

*Table's finally done!*

I finished my table and chairs and put them in place today. I am very happy to be done with this project and I think it turned out well. I altered the plans so that this table did not expand and contract like I was originally going to build it. I also re-did the top as a result making it a little thicker and running the boards lengthwise instead of how the plan had them perpendicular to the base. This is my first table and chairs and I learned a lot and feel confident for future projects! The picture's show it in place by the curio cabinet the wife wanted for by it. Thanks for all the advise and comments throughout the build. Time to clean the shop top down now. :thumbsup:


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## Brink (Nov 22, 2010)

Oh wow!!! That's sweeeeeet!

That there is a one of a kind.


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## jstange2 (Dec 5, 2010)

Very nice set. Your kids will probably fight over it one day.


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

Awesome job man! Looks absolutely great!!!

~tom ...it's better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt...


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## mdntrdr (Dec 22, 2009)

Beautifull set! :thumbsup:

Also looks great with your cabinet. :smile:


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## BIP (Dec 21, 2009)

All I can say is "wow!" .....I am envious of your design and craftsmanship. I know your family will enjoy it for years to come.


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## Kenbo (Sep 16, 2008)

ACP man. I don't know what to say. I mean I knew that it was going to look good, but I didn't have any idea that it would look this good. Absolutely gorgeous. You should be proud of this accomplishment. I'm envious of your talents my man.


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## ACP (Jan 24, 2009)

Thank you for the kind words everyone!


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## troyd1976 (Jul 26, 2011)

I'm kinda envious of the feast the Mrs. must have made to christen that table. turned out awsome, is that top all one piece, or is there a removable leaf on there?


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## Cedar fly (Feb 14, 2011)

Hope I can make one like that someday soon. Great job


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## Shop Dad (May 3, 2011)

That is just gorgeous! I love the back of those chairs. Very nice design and well executed! :yes:


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## Warnock (Apr 4, 2011)

Beautiful job ACP. I really like the table, maybe someday I will have to try something like that.

Again - Well done.


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## ACP (Jan 24, 2009)

Thank you again everyone. I can't take credit for the design, I wish I could. It's a table from an arts and crafts furniture book I bought. I followed the plans roughly 80% accurate. My wife wanted to see what was going to be made before hand and this limited me to using something with pictures she could see. I can't blame her. I've only been doing this a couple years, and she wanted a new table but didn't want to waste money on making something she wasn't happy with. Gladly, she couldn't be happier with this and the matching curio.



troyd1976;23907 is that top all one piece said:


> The top does not have a leaf. The table started out originally with a leaf but I ran into issues and the size wasn't quite what the wife expected so we eliminated the leaf, ran the top grain lengthwise and made it one piece. I had to change the support structure underneath to accomodate the change and did so by laminating three 1' boards on each side. They are about 4" thick and beveled on their ends. The apron hides them underneath, but they are stout and support the table top very well. I also added edge banding to the top all the way around. I didn't want so much endgrain showing, and also, with the octagonal top I was worried about router bit blowout on the end grain since the long grain would not overlap the tearout point. The thick edge banding also makes the top look thicker. The plans called for 1 1/4 " thick on top but I couldn't find anything that thick that was worth a hoot at the mill I go to so I had to adjust fire on that. The chairs I was able to keep the 1 1/4" thick pieces with. I was able to use some thicker 6/4 stock for their legs and most of the parts, but some of them I laminated. The laminations turned out perfectly and I can't even tell on most which are solid and which are laminated.


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## snav (Jan 24, 2010)

a bit of a bump - I love the table and chair set! Looks awesome.


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## fast firewood (Oct 7, 2011)

looks really well made :thumbsup:


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## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

Very nice job. I love the design of table pedestal and legs.


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