sept 2010
Farm Table with Cherry Top
This farm table is a commissioned table that will go with 8 Windsor chairs and two end tables. This 7’ long farm table is designed with a hard maple distressed painted base and a cherry top with an aged distressed finish. This table will have turned legs, a beaded apron and pinned mortise and tenon joinery. Below is the building process for this handmade farm table
First, we design and draw the leg for the table in full scale. The maple material is then milled for the legs. A story stick is made from the full scale drawing to use while turning the legs on the lathe.
The legs are first roughed out on the lathe then the beads and coves are turned to the proper sizes, calipers are used to measure sizes on a turning. After the first leg is turned that leg is also used as a reference while turning the other legs.
After each leg is turned it is sanded while still on the lathe. Once turned and sanded the legs are ready for joinery.
Next, the apron material is milled. All the joinery (mortise and tenon) is laid out on the legs and aprons. The mortises are then cut into the legs. The corresponding tenons are cut into the aprons. Once rough cut, the joinery is fit by hand.
After all the joinery is fit the aprons and legs are cleaned up before the glue up with handplanes and scrapers.
Next, hardwood pins are made. The mortise and tenon joinery is pinned for extra strength and longevity of the joint. On the long side draw pins will be used to hold the joint in place while the glue dries instead of clamping. Clamping is hard over a 6 foot length. Offset holes are made in the tenon to pull the joint tight when the pins are driven in.
Next, the long side of the table is glued up. The draw pins suck everything tight and the glue dries.
After the long sides are assembled the table ends are glued up. These joints will get pinned after the glue up because draw pins were not needed where clamps can be used.
Next, dovetailed stretchers are added. Because of the tables size, and the table top does not have breadboard ends, the dovetailed stretchers are added for extra support and more area where to attach the top to the base. The dovetail is hand cut on the stretcher then marked and cut on the apron.
Once the dovetails are all fit, the stretchers are glued up and clamped.
Next, the base is looked over one last time before the finishing process begins. The base on this table is going to have a distressed black finish with a red base showing through the distressing. This simulates multiple coats of paint over years of use. First we stain the wood, This simulates older wood if the distressing ever goes through the paint layers down to the wood.
On this table we are using traditional milk paint. With colonial colors, milk paint is a very desirable finish that has been used for generations. This lustrous finish will improve with time. Two coats of red paint are applied after the stain dries. Then a coat of black paint is applied over the red and allowed to dry.
While the finish cures, the final selection of cherry for the 84” x 40” top is done. We spend a great deal of time matching grain and color of the wood on all of our furniture. Once selected the wide board cherry is rough milled and allowed to acclimate for a few more days before final milling.
After the paint has cured completely the distressing starts. We rub through the black coat of paint down to the red paint and even down to the wood in some areas. We do not get to carried away with distressing unless requested by the customer. We try to distress areas that would receive the most ware and tare making the piece look more believable. After distressing we add a layer of oil for some extra protection.
Check back soon for more progress......
