This dining centre was one of the first major pieces of furniture I made for Anita. It was made mostly with hand tools. The only power tools used were a jigsaw to cut the top and a small router to cut the rebates and put a nice edge around the table.

MATERIALS:

Most of the materials came from recycling. The top was 3/4" MDF (Medium Density Fibreboard). The frame and pillar or pedestal, were made with pine and the legs from Australian Hardwood, most likely Mountain Ash. The extension slides were made from square tubing, sizes chosen because one would fit inside the other. When closed the table has a 4 ft. circular top and when extended is 6ft. x 4ft.

The table top is in two semicircular pieces with the edges rebated through the diameter to take the extension boards. the extension boards are rebated along the edge to mate with the semi circles.

The table edge was routed when the table extensions were fitted in place.

The steel slides were made up of four pieces of square tube approximately 36" long but 2 pieces slid inside the other two pieces, so this meant there was at least 2 ft. inside the tube keeping the top straight and level.

The piece of hardwood timber for the legs was bought at a second building material yard and came from a building that was thought to be more than 100 years old.

I made it during the summer when temperatures were between 32-38 degree C.(94-106F.)

The most difficult part to make was the pillar and legs, not because they were complex but because the Hardwood lived up to the meaning of the word hard.

I thought I would cut the shape of the legs out with a jigsaw but found the timber so hard that I kept break the blades.

I finally was able to resolve that by making a large bowsaw, using off-cut from a bandsaw blade, which I had purchased from a saw doctor.

Cutting it out by hand took quite a while and I lost quite a lot of perspiration doing it:) .

Spokeshaves and planes had to be sharpened and touched-up frequently. I believe the timber had hardened from an accumulation of oils, chemical, soot and dust over the years and it took a lot of hard work to bring the timber up with a new clean face.

The pillar was made from 4" x 2" pine planed and dressed to form a 12 sided pillar.

The legs were inserted and dowelled in position before final gluing and the dowels were hidden inside the pillar.

With skills and experience I have gained since I would make some changes. For example I would not make the closed up top just a circle but would make a slightly oval table by adding a 6" parallel piece to the semi circles. I believe that would provide a better base to add the extensions.

The finish on the top was made using Estapol finish and 8 coats with the final coats gradually made thinner. Each coat was sanded using 2000 wet and dry paper after the estapol was left to cure and harden.

The finish is still in excellent condition after 13-14 years of being in constant use. It is in the kitchen and served as a kitchen table where it is a bench for cooking, baking and even for sewing until I made Anita a sewing room.

While I was happy with the result, it was also a learning experience for me. Like most people who make things, I found I would the next one differently, once I saw the completed article. I said to Anita "What about we give this one to our daughter and make her another one."

She was not happy about the idea, because she said it had sentimental value for her. It was my first piece of nice furniture I had made for her and for that reason was special to her.

"Besides", she would say, "You are just being a perfectionist. It has seated up to 14 people at a sitting and been in work every day and is still a solid as a rock. It does not rock or shake. What more do you want from it?"

Hmmm!     I am building a wood lathe and when complete I still might make another one, with the modifications I have in mind. The size when closed will be 5ft. x 4ft. and when extended 7 ft. x 4 ft.

Our daughter would still love to have it so I might consider giving it to her, knowing she would look after it as it is a memory of her mother.  It would also still be part of the family.

Worldwide Copyright John W. 1998,2001

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