Demilune Table

[Kev]

Thanks to all for the great conversations around this build in the round table thread!  Your input and suggestions greatly altered just about everything on this table as well as my approach to the table itself.  As the actual build begins, there will be a lot more conversations I'm sure, especially around the joinery!

Since so much had changed, I thought it only appropriate to create a new thread for the actual build.  

As usual, everything starts off with the lumber!

Top:  My wife and I went to the lumber yard this morning to pick out the material that will become the top.  Trying to find something with nice figure to it as well as being able to hide a seam since it will have one in it.  From the board we selected, this is what I came up with.  Only rough milled and water added to show the grain a bit better.

 

Will be interesting to see in the final piece!

Leg Stock: From the remains of the board for the top, I was able to get the 3 legs needed.  These were the more straight grained bits left in the board.  I'll pull a 4th blank from the left over top material just to have a spare.

These will get rotated around a bit to get the best grain match possible.

Aprons:  The Bell Forest stock hasn't arrived yet but, on my trip this morning to the lumber yard, they told me they found some 12/4 and had it there for me..  There were 2ea 10' boards which is way more than I needed..  So, they charged me for one and gave me the other free...lol. Each was only 4" wide.  So, if someone is in need of some 12/4 stock that's 4" wide, I seem to have a bit on hand...lol

So, there's most of the parts to get going on this project!  Templates and prototypes and all the lumber finally assembled in the shop to move forward..  I think I will do a small maple bead detail at the bottom of the aprons and of course the black feet on the bottoms of the legs.  That material isn't in the picture but, it's on hand.  These small (other species) details tie back into the Maloof rocker which also used these details in small quantities.  This table will sit next to that rocker in my living room.

Rough milling today and I hope to get started tomorrow on the rest of the build!  Probably starting with the top glue up so that it can sit for a while before final milling.

 

 

[Woodenskye (Bryan)]

Those boards are going to make a very interesting top!  With the free board and the BF order you will be set with 12/4 at least for a couple of projects.

[Kev]

12 minutes ago, Woodenskye (Bryan) said:

Those boards are going to make a very interesting top!  With the free board and the BF order you will be set with 12/4 at least for a couple of projects.

To say the least!

[Chet]

Did you give any thought to shifting your arc to the right (as it sits in the picture) to center the seam a little more.  It also looks like doing this would give you a little more even color in the top,  you would lose some of the lighter color at the back edge.

[Kev]

42 minutes ago, Chet said:

Did you give any thought to shifting your arc to the right (as it sits in the picture) to center the seam a little more.  It also looks like doing this would give you a little more even color in the top,  you would lose some of the lighter color at the back edge.

Yes..  My wife wanted more of the crazy grain on that end which was trying to maximize while still trying to match up the cathedral in the middle.

[Kev]

Not a good day in the shop...lol. It happens but, it's still frustrating when It does!

Started out ok and got the top glued up.  Then, I had some house chores to get done and when I got back to the shop, my brain wasn't in the game..

I got the legs roughed out and set up at the TS for the little tenon..  Long story short, I set up on the wrong side and then batched the rest to match...lol. So, this meant that my legs were now too short and had no tenon for the feet.

Would have been easy to throw some things and toss out some 4 letter words but, I was looking for a save before calling it quits for the day.  For the record, there were a couple 4 letter words before I gathered my thoughts..

The "save" was cutting some Wenge blocks and using a 5/16" dowel to attach the feet.  I did attach them using epoxy with a few drops of black transtint in it just incase I had some gaps..

So, legs roughed and feet on..  That's a wrap for today as things just aren't going my way today.  I'll working on shaping and forming the legs tomorrow..

[Coop]

I would never had thought to do that! My table would just have been shorter. Thanks

[Coop]

This will not have a drawer, correct?

[Kev]

11 minutes ago, Coop said:

This will not have a drawer, correct?

Correct, no drawer..   2 short aprons on each side of the front leg..

[Coop]

Tried to edit before you responded. What determined your choice for the depth and width and will they be the same? I googled demilune table and they are not necessarily half moon. 

[Kev]

1 minute ago, Coop said:

Tried to edit before you responded. What determined your choice for the depth and width and will they be the same? I googled demilune table and they are not necessarily half moon. 

Ultimately, it was the size requirements for the space.  We spent a great deal of time discussing the table needs for this space.  I could have done a rectangle table but, when I mentioned the semicircle shape, my wife really liked that option..

[Coop]

Just realized I spoke again before thinking. Half moon would be the depth is 1/2 the width. 

[Kev]

1 minute ago, Coop said:

Just realized I spoke again before thinking. Half moon would be the depth is 1/2 the width. 

Not too far off in this case....  Width is around 34" and depth is about 13"..

 

[Coop]

Last question/comment for the night. I really like this build and have a great place for it in our bedroom below a painting my wife just bought. Question to you and others, especially those that have used qtr sawn sycamore. All of our bedroom furniture is walnut, aside from the new pinkish armoire. Would legs and aprons made from sycamore that I got from @Spankyand a walnut top, look out of place? I also have some nice butternut, also from @Spanky, that could be used for the base. I also have enough walnut for the whole thing? 

I’m leaning towards the sycamore but hell, I painted a piece pink, so what do I know! 🤭

[Kev]

5 minutes ago, Coop said:

Last question/comment for the night. I really like this build and have a great place for it in our bedroom below a painting my wife just bought. Question to you and others, especially those that have used qtr sawn sycamore. All of our bedroom furniture is walnut, aside from the new pinkish armoire. Would legs and aprons made from sycamore that I got from @Spankyand a walnut top, look out of place? I also have some nice butternut, also from @Spanky, that could be used for the base. I also have enough walnut for the whole thing? 

I’m leaning towards the sycamore but hell, I painted a piece pink, so what do I know! 🤭

I'd suggest asking your decorator what she wants ..

[Coop]

I made that mistake once. 

[Tmize]

7 hours ago, Coop said:

Last question/comment for the night. I really like this build and have a great place for it in our bedroom below a painting my wife just bought. Question to you and others, especially those that have used qtr sawn sycamore. All of our bedroom furniture is walnut, aside from the new pinkish armoire. Would legs and aprons made from sycamore that I got from @Spankyand a walnut top, look out of place? I also have some nice butternut, also from @Spanky, that could be used for the base. I also have enough walnut for the whole thing? 

I’m leaning towards the sycamore but hell, I painted a piece pink, so what do I know! 🤭

I would use the butternut if you are going to use a different species for the legs. The sycamore that I have seen looks better paired with a similar color wood since it’s grain is so much different 

[Bushwacked]

12 hours ago, Kev said:

Not a good day in the shop...lol. It happens but, it's still frustrating when It does!

Started out ok and got the top glued up.  Then, I had some house chores to get done and when I got back to the shop, my brain wasn't in the game..

I got the legs roughed out and set up at the TS for the little tenon..  Long story short, I set up on the wrong side and then batched the rest to match...lol. So, this meant that my legs were now too short and had no tenon for the feet.

Would have been easy to throw some things and toss out some 4 letter words but, I was looking for a save before calling it quits for the day.  For the record, there were a couple 4 letter words before I gathered my thoughts..

The "save" was cutting some Wenge blocks and using a 5/16" dowel to attach the feet.  I did attach them using epoxy with a few drops of black transtint in it just incase I had some gaps..

So, legs roughed and feet on..  That's a wrap for today as things just aren't going my way today.  I'll working on shaping and forming the legs tomorrow..

haha glad to hear you are human after all in the shop 🙂

The wenge addition might actually turn out to be better than you think. It could add just enough contrast to really make it a great addition. But ya, I am with Coop, I would of had a smaller table haha

[Kev]

42 minutes ago, Bushwacked said:

haha glad to hear you are human after all in the shop 🙂

The wenge addition might actually turn out to be better than you think. It could add just enough contrast to really make it a great addition. But ya, I am with Coop, I would of had a smaller table haha

I make mistakes every day...lol

The feet were always intended to have Wenge bottoms, just applied in a different way.

 

[Kev]

Much better day in the shop today...lol. Got the legs initial shaping complete!  I'll probably do the joinery before I do any more shaping to keep things as square as I can for the joinery.  

I also got the top out of clamps and the glue scraped.

Leg joinery is up next!

 

[Kev]

Ugg..  Started to set up for the joinery when I realized I didn't have a 3/8" spiral bit...  It's on order..

So, I started flattening the top and got a square corner on the rail stock.  I've currently got the top to 1 3/8" but, it still looks too "chunky" to my eye..  Of course my wife loves it but, if I could have left it at the full 8/4 she'd of liked it better..  Actually, I think she'd of liked it if I could have used the 12/4 on it... 😉

 I'll probably start working on the curved rails in the morning..

[Chet]

1 hour ago, Kev said:

 I've currently got the top to 1 3/8" but, it still looks too "chunky" to my eye..

I would say with the leg design you have and the Demilune style, 1 3/8" isn't going to look good at all.  First thing is if she really need the thick feel you could do a under cut bevel around the curve and leave the back edge thick.  The good thing is the thickness of the top is pretty much the the last thing you need to worry about.  You can finish the rest of the table, set the top on it and hope she sees the light and decides it needs to be thinner.

The legs look nice and the wenge cuffs came out looking real good.

[Coop]

8 minutes ago, Chet said:

I would say with the leg design you have and the Demilune style, 1 3/8" isn't going to look good at all.  First thing is if she really need the thick feel you could do a under cut bevel around the curve and leave the back edge thick.  The good thing is the thickness of the top is pretty much the the last thing you need to worry about.  You can finish the rest of the table, set the top on it and hope she sees the light and decides it needs to be thinner.

The legs look nice and the wenge cuffs came out looking real good.

+1

[Kev]

14 minutes ago, Chet said:

I would say with the leg design you have and the Demilune style, 1 3/8" isn't going to look good at all.  First thing is if she really need the thick feel you could do a under cut bevel around the curve and leave the back edge thick.  The good thing is the thickness of the top is pretty much the the last thing you need to worry about.  You can finish the rest of the table, set the top on it and hope she sees the light and decides it needs to be thinner.

The legs look nice and the wenge cuffs came out looking real good.

 

5 minutes ago, Coop said:

+1

I had that issue with the hall table too and that one's at 6/4..  

The plan is to take this one to a full 1" and deal with the household aftermath after...

[Coop]

I forgot that mamma’s dress up buddy was that close to the print I intended to put the table under. I guess I will just be content on watching your build and learn from it.