Detail of top mortise
Details and dimensions for round centre table
The Design.—This problem calls for a table of mission style with square legs set into the circumference of the table flush with the top and having tenons exposed on the face of the legs. Simplicity of form combined with strength characterizes the design.
Materials and Tools.—Quartered oak is recommended for a table of this design. The stock required for one table is as follows: four legs 23⁄4 × 23⁄4 × 27 inches; two cross rails 11⁄4 × 3 × 29 inches; one piece of 3 × 12 × 20 inches for the curved rails; and stock enough to make a round top 11⁄8 inches thick and 27 inches in diameter.
The only tools desirable to provide, in addition to those previously used, are a trammel and spokeshave or a circle plane.
Construction.—The first step is to join up and glue the top so that it may have ample time to harden and dry while the other work is being accomplished. The stock for the legs may then be dressed and the bottom mortises marked and cut through the posts. Care must be taken to transfer the marks to the opposite side so that the mortises may be accurately outlined on the face. Care must also be taken in cutting the mortises, in order to make good, clean joints. A dimensioned detail of the top mortises, which are to receive the tenons of the curved rail, shown on [page 180], should be consulted before laying out this work. It should be noticed that the legs project 11⁄4 inches above the top rail. After the top mortises are cut the cross bottom rails should be halved together and the tenons laid off and cut. It will be noticed that the projecting end of the tenons is to be bevelled off, but this should not be done until the fitting is completed.
In laying out the plan of work for the construction of the curved rails the trammel comes into use. With this, mark off carefully the inside and outside curves on a thin piece of board and, with a large steel square, draw straight lines from the centre or pivot point, making an exact quarter circle. This is shown in one of the drawings on [page 180]. Then, parallel with each straight line and on the inside, mark off other lines one half the thickness of the leg. This locates the shoulder of the tenon. The pattern should then be carefully cut out of the thin board and used as a template for marking out on the stock the form of the curved rails. After these rails are band sawed and smoothed, the tenons may be cut.
When the framing parts of the table have all been cut and fitted they may be assembled and glued. Finally the top is placed face down on a bench top or on horses, and the inverted frame laid over it and centred to give the correct position of the insets for the legs. These should be laid off with great care, the outline reproduced exactly on the opposite side, and the stock cut out. The top and frame should then be fastened together from the under side. After a few finishing touches have been given to the projecting ends and exposed surfaces, the table will be ready for the filling and varnishing.