Shaker pedestal table construction

[TobyB]

Some advice please ...

Just completed a small table for a Xmas present. Now wondering if I've done things right, or could have done them better?

Thinking about grain orientation ...

The table top I screwed'n'glued to the cleat with the grain in the same alignment as the cleat, thinking it can expand/contract freely across the grain without splitting. But then I started wondering if the top can now warp, and if it should have been supported by the cleat across the grain? If so, should I have just screwed the top down, and perhaps used slots/ovals rather than round holes for the screws, to allow for movement?

Second thought - I cut the legs with the grain running parallel to the floor, so the dovetails were cut "as normal" if you were making a box, drawer, etc. I thought this would be strongest. But then I started to wonder if I could have made the legs stronger by aligning the grain at roughly 45 degrees to the floor, so it runs along the axis of the leg? Or would that compromise the strength of the dovetail?

Anyone got any thoughts on these questions?

 

[dickm]

I'd go for the cleat across the grain, with allowance for movement, but that's just an opinion.
Shaker table legs, unlike most Shaker designs, always seem to me to look "wrong". But I guess they are better, in terms of short grain, than the more common S-shaped legs that are found on most small pedestal tables.
Personally, I'd go with your second suggestion (grain at 45 degrees to the floor), but however you do it, there's a potential short grain problem somewhere on that leg.
Not much help

 

[Steve Maskery]

I've just helped my friend Tim to make a very similar table for his Duke of Edinburgh's Award. He did a very nice job.

The brace should be across the grain of the tabletop. It helps to keep the top flat by restricting cupping of an otherwise unsupported expanse of wood. There needs to be accommodation for wood movement, however, and so screws set in oversize holes or slots is the traditional approach. I like to cut a biscuit slot in the brace on the far side, so that although the head of the screw is restricted the top can move the body of the screw up and down the length of the slot. It's a very neat solution (if not exactly authentic Shaker).

The grain of the legs would normally be 45 deg to the floor.This gives the least short grain along the leg. As it happens, in your particular example, you might get away with it quite well, as it looks from the photo as if the board was very flat sawn, so the grain doesn't run straight across the thickness of the leg anyway. So you might be OK, but it's something to bear in mind next time, especially if you use quartersawn timber.

It's difficult to tell from the photo, because of the perspective, but a common mistake in these types of tables is the proportions, particularly the diameter of the top. It's very easy to make it too big compared with the footprint. Ideally, I think, the diameter of the top and the diameter of the footprint should be the same. More than an inch or so bigger and it starts to look top-heavy. That's just my opinion, I'm not aware of any official Shaker line on that!

One other point about the feet is that if you taper them a bit towards the toe it makes them look very elegant. Tim tapered his from 22mm at the dovetail down to 16mm at the toe. It's subtle but it does make a difference.

Generally, a very nice job, I'd say.

Cheers
Steve

 

[TobyB]

Thanks for those thoughts ... as I thought, I could do better next time ...

I got the dimensions from a book on Shaker furniture, John Shea I think, and the top is about an inch bigger as you suggest Steve.

I like the idea of a subtle taper on the thickness of the legs though ... maybe I'll make another just to "get it right" ...

 

[Steve Maskery]

I think you've done a particularly good job of grain-matching the boards for the top.
S

 

[MickCheese]

I think it is a very nice table.

Toby

The legs are a little square for me and in my opinion would benefit from the top edges being rounded over a little. Probably a similar profile you have used on the table top edge.

This could still be done if you chose to.

The top looks very nice like a very wide piece not obviously jointed.

Remember this is all relative and personal preference, ultimately it is what you like yourself.

Mick