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Monday, November 23, 2009

The Kitchen Table
















I will get you better pictures and post them soon. My son helps me and I think I get him on Wednesday. Pictures will help. Forgive me, I never thought I would be telling anyone how to do anything I made.

This kitchen table and chair set is not easy to do. It is made from basswood and telescoping aluminum tube from Micro-Mark. I will do my best to tell you how I went about making the set, but I think I was successful because I had this set in my kitchen to constantly refer to.
Sometimes flea market/antique malls will have vintage tables and chairs, I would go looking for one you like for pictures and measurements.

The table is 2 1/2" tall, 3 1/8" long and 2 1/4" wide. I used 3/23" basswood for the top and apron. I bought 3/32" cove from Hobby Builders. This is for the edge of the table.
What ever your measurements are for the top of the table you will want to take 3/32" from each side. Miter the corners of the cove and glue onto your table top. There is a second table top if you look closely at the picture. These are the sliding extensions, no, mine do not work. Mine are roughly 3/4" with the cove on 3 sides. You won't put the cove on the side that is under the top. You will need 2 extensions with a piece of cove, serving as a handle, between them. I know you can't see this in the pictures, that's on the side where the chairs are.

I made the apron from 3/32" basswood. It is almost 3/16" smaller all around than the table tops. It looks like I cut the strips between 3/8" and 7/16". I did not miter the corners, just butt glued. On the corners it looks like I used 1/4" dowels. I drilled an 1/8" hole, it looks like it is off center on purpose so I could cut a section out to place on the corner of the table. I then cut half round and glued onto the dowels. This is imitating what my table has on its corners, although they are carved into the rounded part. I could not do that so I added the half round.

I added a false drawer front to one side of apron.

I used 1/8" aluminum tube for the large leg and found straight pins that would cover the hole in the bottom of the tubes to serve as feet. The smaller inner leg is 1/16" aluminum tube. I drilled a hole in the larger tube for this to fit into. Note: When drilling into this tube it helps to fill the tube with a dowel so you won't bend the tube. Also, when bending the tube fill with wire that is a tight fit. This keeps the tube from kinking.

O.K. I cut the table tops to size, minus the cove. Mitered and cut to size the cove and glued to table tops. I painted these with several coats of Rustoleum White, then carefully edged them with black Rustoleum. I remember there was a lot of repainting here.

Glue the table tops together, keeping the outside edges even. Glue the little piece of cove, the handle, to the bottom of the top tabletop, in between the extensions on the chair sides. This is painted white and there is a little space between the extensions and the handle.

Cut the apron to size and glue together. Cut the corner dowels and drill holes. Glue to the corners of the apron. Glue on half round, I used 4 pieces. Underneath the apron, glue 4 pieces of 1/4" square basswood into the corners. Cut these pieces shorter than the apron. You do not want to see them. This is for drilling a 1/16" hole in and securing the small leg of the table.

Paint the apron and glue the top on.

Make the false drawer front paint and glue on. I bent a wire for a handle. Drill small holes for the wire handle and glue in.

Drill 1/8" holes into the corner dowels for the larger leg that sets on the floor. Drill 1/16" hole into the corner blocks for the smaller leg.

Cut the aluminum tubes to length, it's easier to cut with dowels in the tube. You can cut it with an Exacto knife. Drill a hole in the larger tube, not over a 1/16" from the bottom. Gently bend the smaller tube, with a wire inside to prevent kinking. This smaller tube is 1/8" away from the larger tube when glued in, it finishes 3/16" away at top.

I would love to see what you have done, and I promise to get you more pictures of the table. Next week the chair! TTYL Kris