NUMBER ELEVEN NOTES FROM THE SHOP

SHAKER DESIGN
THREE TABLES AT HOME YESTERDAY OR TODAY

WOODSMITH 1
Wood Ismitlh
Number Eleven September, 1980
Talking Shop
THE SHAKERS led them to the basics of good design.
Quiet elegance. Simple, yet graceful.
The Shaker sect had its origins in the Delicate, though sturdy. One hundred
Editor English Quaker church. Though the two years later we would attribute these
Donald B. Peschke sects shared quite similar religious views, terms to “modern” furniture (especially
they should not be confused as the same. that of Europe and, in particular,
Art Director
The Shakers (or Shaking Quakers as they Denmark).
Ted Kralicek
were called early on) were actually a The Shakers achieved a rare charm in
Contributing Editor splinter society of the Quakers in their furniture designs. A basic, enduring
Adolph E. Peschke England. quality that strikes a chord in all of us. It
In the year 1785 Ann Lee joined this is furniture that deserves to be built —
Subscription Manager society. Some fourteen years later, while carefully and quietly in our shops. And,
Linda Hill in prison, Ann Lee experienced some when a piece is finished, it seems to
remarkable visions and was acknow¬ remind us, “possess this as though you
ledged the spiritual Mother of the new possessed it not.”
sect. NOTES AND THOUGHTS
She, and a small band of followers, set
sail for America, and in 1776 founded the THREE TABLES. In this issue are designs
first Shaker settlement in Niskeyuna, for three Shaker-style tables. None of
New York. Over the next seven years, these tables can rightfully be called a
until she died in 1784, Ann Lee toured reproduction because I was working from
parts of New England, making converts photographs, not the actual table.
to the Shaker faith and establishing However, I have tried to be true to the
communities. Shaker approach to design ... in
During the first half of the 1800’s the attitude, if not actual dimensions.
total membership steadily grew, as did All of these tables are built from solid
the number of communal settlements. cherry. I know cherry is expensive, and
These communities were established as sometimes beyond the budget for the
self-sustaining havens apart from the shop. But if you’re used to working only
world around them. with softwoods, you’ll quickly discover
Among the converts were a good why cherry is so highly praised as a
number of craftsmen — cabinetmakers, furniture wood. It works beautifully,
wood turners, carpenters, etc. — whose whether you choose power equipment or
skills and dedicated work were much hand tools. Indeed, you’ll probably find
needed to supply these communities with yourself (as I did) dusting off your hand
chairs, tables, candlestands, case goods, tools and getting back to some old-
and all necessary furniture. fashioned woodworking.
As would be expected, the Shaker’s ART DIRECTOR. Ted Kralicek started
religious views permeated every aspect of work here just in time to tackle all of the
their society — including their approach artwork in this issue. I think it’s a vast
to the design and building of furniture. improvement over what has appeared in
Today, as we look at the products of the past, and Ted promises me it will get
Shaker craftsmen, it’s all too easy to even better.
think only in negative terms. Certainly Ted is also anxious to start designing
they held a prejudice against “vain show” and building furniture and projects for
and “unnecessary elaboration.” future issues (as soon as I unchain him
As their religion found its way to the from his art board).
woodworking shops, all intricate One last thing, we’ve decided to give a
carvings, veneers, inlays, and extrav¬ free subscription to anyone who can
agant turnings (common features of pronounce Peschke/Kralicek three times
“worldly” furniture of that period) were in one breath.
eliminated from Shaker design. The UPDATE. In Woodsmith No. Ten I
Shaker workmen produced practical reviewed the Wagner Safe-T-Planer. I used
furniture. Utility, not decoration, was the radial arm saw model to plane the
WOODSMITH^ (ISSN 0164-4114) is published their goal. top of the drop-leaf table in this issue.
bimonthly (February, April, June, August, However, early examples of Shaker Once again, I highly recommend it. Two
October, December) by Woodsmith Publishing furniture took this ideal of unen¬ sources that now carry the Safe-T-Planer
Co., 2200 Grand Ave., Des Moines, Iowa 50312. cumbered simplicity to an extreme. The are listed below. Trendlines. Address: 375
WOODSMITH$ is a registered trademark of the result was clumsy, almost crude, Beacham St., Chelsea, MA 02150. Phone:
Woodsmith Publishing Co. furniture. (800)767-9999. Constantine’s. 2050
©Copyright 1980 by Woodsmith Publishing Co. But gradually, Shaker craftsmen Eastchester Road, Bronx, NY 10461.
All Rights Reserved. developed a certain style and design. Phone: (800) 223-8087.
Printed in U.S.A. 0894 Their dedication to quality workmanship

2 WOODSMITH
 Tips & Techniques
glued and nailed to the hardboard. Then top and 16" long. They tapered to a 1"
ALIGNING SHELF BRACKETS
the hardwood guides are cut to fit the square at the bottom.
Recently I made a bookshelf for my son table saw’s channels. These are screwed The jig shown in the drawing is made
using four metal shelving strips (the kind to the hardboard with No. 6 x V8" Fh of V6" plywood. The dimension at “A” is
with moveable clips), placing two on each screws. the thickness of the leg at the top (2" in
side of the case. I was concerned about After cutting the fixture, crank the my case), and at “B” is the thickness at
aligning each metal support strip so the saw blade all the way down. Then the bottom (1"). Draw these lines on the
clips would be level — otherwise, the position the fixture over the blade and plywood, making sure they intersect at
shelf would teeter or slant to one end. turn on the saw. Slowly crank up the 90°. Bore a relief hole at the corner so
To solve the problem, I inserted the blade and cut a slot in the hardboard, but
clips upside down on the metal strips. don’t cut through the fences.
Then, by placing a spacer block under the
J.S. Vining
Yellville, Arkansas

sawdust won’t clog up there and throw

MOUNTING PICTURES AND GLASS
off the cut. Then cut away the material
When mounting a picture or needlepoint along the lines.
in a frame, I use a large Channel-Lock Square up the material for the legs,
pliers to press the brads into the picture and cut it just a bit longer than the
frame. To prevent marring the frame, finished leg is to be. Then lay the
place a piece of cardboard on the outside material in the notch.
edge of the frame. Then set the width of In use, the long edge of the jig rides
the pliers to push the brad into place. against the rip guide of the bench saw,
and the saw blade should just clear the
clips, I was able to position the metal edge of the jig at its widest part.
strips an equal distance from the bottom
of the case. Since all four strips (two on
each side) are the same distance from the
bottom of the case, the support clips are
all level. Thus, the shelves don’t rock, nor
do they slant.

Roger Ziegler Next, you must cut the top of the leg to
Jefferson, Wisconsin be square with its axis. For the taper
mentioned here, set the saw at a 1° tilt,
and your cut-off gauge on a 1° angle.
A more elaborate jig can be made, but
PANEL CUTTING FIXTURE none will work any better.
This technique is particularly handy
I have used this panel cutting fixture for when mounting glass in a frame or a
over 20 years in my shop. It's used for door. The pliers safely push the brads C.A. Brown
cutting cabinets, doors, trim, and through the stops that hold the glass in Fairmont Woodcraft
anytime I need a perfectly square cut on a place. Waterville, Vermont
Before I started using this technique, I
broke several pieces of glass trying to SEND IN YOUR IDEAS
mount them with a brad driver or a small
hammer. Using the Channel-Lock pliers We invite you to share your woodworking tips
works very well, with far less chance of and techniques with other readers of Wood-
breaking the glass. smith. We will pay a minimum of $10 for a tip, and
$15 or more for a special technique. All material
David Honbarger submitted becomes the property of Woodsmith
Salisbury, North Carolina Publishing Co. Upon payment, you give Wood-
smith the right to use the material in any manner
for as long as we wish.
If your idea involves a drawing-or photo to
SIMPLE TAPER JIG
explain it, do your best and, if necessary, we’ll
wide (up to 24") workpiece. (It’s also great In my shop I have had occasion to make make a new drawing, or build the project or jig
for cutting duplicate lengths by using a several thousand tapered legs for coffee ^nd photograph it. (Any drawings or photos
stop clamped to the fence.) tables. I used this simple taper jig for submitted cannot be returned.)
The fixture is made with a piece of cutting tapers on two adjacent sides of all Send your ideas to: Woodsmith, Tips & Tech¬
W x 28" - 48" tempered hardboard. The of these legs. niques, 2200 Grand Ave., Des Moines, Iowa
front and back fences (lx4’s, 48" long) are The legs I needed were 2" square at the 50312.

WOODSMITH 3
 Shaker Side Table
CRISP CLEAN LINES . . . UNDERSTATED ELEGANCE
This table is a beautiful example of Shaker
design at its very best. Nothing fancy, just
a useful little table that would be equally
at home in an 1880 household (when the
original table as probably built), as well as
in the decorating scheme of a contem¬
porary home.
This table was originally built by Henry
Whiton of the Shaker Community in
Enfield, Conn. I had only a photograph to
go by when I built the table shown in the
photograph to the right. It cannot
rightfully be called a true reproduction
because I didn’t know the actual
dimensions of the table, but it is close to
the original. Also, I sized this table to fit
the Cutting Diagram shown here.
The entire table is made of solid cherry
(except for the drawer sides and back,
which are birch).
THE TAPERED LEGS

The legs on this table are Hepplewhite-

style tapered legs. As shown in the
Cutting Diagram, I cut the legs from a
piece of 5/4 cherry. The actual thickness
of 5/4 hardwood should be lW', but it is
sometimes sold at YA"} which is what I
used. I cut the four pieces for the legs lVi"
x VA" square and 26V£" long. Once the leg
blanks were squared up I cut the mortises
at the top of the legs for the aprons and
the rails.
I cut the mortises in the back legs first
(just because they’re the easiest). As
shown in Fig. la, these mortises are
centered on the leg and intersect at the MATERIALS LIST CUTTING DIAGRAM
middle. I clamped a fence to the drill
press and cut the mortises down the A Legs 1 Ve x 1 Vb - 26!4
center with a lA” router straight bit, B Aprons 3/4 x 5 - 133/e
speed 4200 rpm. The technique is similar C Rails % X3/4 -13
to that shown in Woodsmith No. Eight D Drawer Guides % x3/4 - 12
for cutting a slot mortise. The only E Top 3/4 x 16-18 THREE
caution in cutting these mortises is to set F Stop as needed BOARDS
% x 516
the depth of cut at only Vi" to Vie" with G Drawer Front Va x3Vi - 12
ONE
each pass. H Drawer Sides fe x3'/2 -11% BOARD
The front legs present a bit more of a 1 Drawer Back x 314 - 12 */. x 516
problem. I cut the two small mortises for
the front rails first — for a haunched After the mortises were cut, I tapered measurement is the shoulder to shoulder
tenon at the top and for a four-shouldered the legs at b/i6" per foot or 116°, starting 6" distance, which is 12" on all five pieces. I
tenon below. The mortise for the side down from the top, and ending so the added l3/8" ("/is" for each tenon) to the
apron is positioned so it does not intersect bottom is %" square. (See page 11 for length of the aprons, and 1" (W for each
with the rail mortises. cutting tapered legs.) The tapers are cut tenon) to the length of the rails.
Note: All of these mortises were on the two inside faces of the legs (the The tenons were cut on a table saw, as
stopped short of the full width of the faces with the mortises). The two outside shown in Woodsmith No. Eight. The
apron or rail. (The dimensions of the faces are left straight. tenons that intersect at the back legs are
mortises are shown in Figs, la and lb.) THE APRONS AND RAILS initially cut the full depth of the mortise,
This ensures that no part of the mortise and then mitered so they join at the
would inadvertently extend beyond the The next step is to cut the aprons and center, as shown in Fig. 3b. Finally, extra
shoulders of the tenons. In other words, a rails to approximate length, allowing shoulder cuts are made (Fig. 2), and the
cover-up. enough length for the tenons. The critical tenons are rounded to fit the mortises.

4 WOODSMITH
 The top rail has a haunched tenon at
each end. Since the mortise for this tenon
stops ll/i6" down from the top, a third
shoulder (Vie” deep) must be cut on the
bottom edge of this tenon. The same
technique is employed on the bottom rail,
except two W' shoulders are cut — one
on the top edge and one on the bottom
edge.
At this point the aprons, rails and legs
are finish sanded. (It’s much easier to do
it now, than after the pieces are joined.)
After sanding, I went ahead and glued up
the aprons and legs with Elmer's
Carpenter’s Glue.
THE DRAWER GUIDES AND DRAWER
The four drawer guides are screwed to
the side aprons so they’re level with the
front rails. (See cross section, Fig. 3a.) I
mounted the bottom guides with three
No. 8 x 114" Fh screws. However, the top
rail is secured with only two screws, as
shown, to allow room for the three screws
that hold the top in place.
As you can see in the photo, I joined the
drawer with dovetails — blind dovetails
in the front and through dovetails in the
back. The sides are W' birch (which gives
a nice contrast to the cherry drawer
front). I used Vi" Baltic birch plywood for
the drawer bottom.
Unfortunately there’s not enough space
in this issue to go into dovetail joinery.
However, there’s no reason why you
couldn’t build the drawer using a rabbet
joint at the front and dadoing the back
into the sides.
THE TOP
To make the top, I simply edge-glued
three pieces of cherry 5V&" wide and about
19" long. After the glue was dry, I
trimmed the top to the final dimensions
of 16" x 18".
I wanted to use V2" cherry for the top,
but I was unable to obtain it. So, I
cheated a little. I used 3/4" thick stock, and
then chamfered all four edges, leaving
only a V2" showing. The front and back
edges are cut with the blade at 8°, and the
sides are cut with the blade at 19°. (These
chamfers should stop !4" from the top of
the legs.)
After planing and sanding the top
smooth, I fastened it to the top drawer
guides with No. 8 x 1 V4" Fh screws. As
shown in Detail 3c, the pilot holes in the
apron are bored oversize. I clamped the
base to the top and bored the countersink
pilot holes with a No. 8 pilot bit. Then I
enlarged the holes (in the drawer guides
only) to 3/i6". This way the screws have
enough room to move with the top as it
expands/contracts.
Finally, the table was given two coats
of cherry Minwax stain, and two coats of
Minwax Antique Oil Finish.

WOODSMITH 5
 Candle Stand
THE GRACEFUL, CURVING LINES OF A SHAKER CLASSIC
The Shakers produced an amazing
variety of designs for candle stands. This
one combines many of what I feel are the
best attributes of Shaker design . . .
especially the legs. The umbrella or
spinder-foot legs form a beautiful,
natural eliptical shape beneath the table.
They also present some intriguing
challenges. How do you cut them without
wasting a lot of wood? And, how do you
cut the dovetail groove and tenon to join
them to the pedestal?
In keeping with tradition, I elected to
build this stand of solid cherry. Though
cherry is relatively expensive, I would
highly recommend that you try it with
this project. If the wood has to be ordered
by mail, I estimate the cost would be
around $25.
THE PEDESTAL
To turn the pedestal I followed the grid
shown in Fig. 1. The blank for turning
the base starts out as a 3 ft" x 3ft" chunk
of cherry 18" long. Since cherry this thick
is very difficult to find, I cut two pieces
8/4 thick (l3/4" actual) and glued them up
for the blank. To ease the roughing-out
stage, I bevel-ripped the corners at 45° on
a table saw, leaving enough for a 3"
maximum diameter.
THE DOVETAIL GROOVES
Once the base is turned, it’s simply a
matter of cutting the three dovetail
grooves for the legs. I must admit that it
took me a while to figure out how to do
this. Most designs I’ve seen for candle
stands like this one show the legs MATERIALS LIST CUTTING DIAGRAM
dovetailed into the base, but don’t explain
how to do it; or simply side-step the A Pedestal 1 ft x 3 ft - 1 8*
problem by mounting the legs to the B Legs 3/4 x 4 - 13 ft

pedestal with dowels. C Cleat % x 3 -12

But I wanted to join the legs to the D Top 3/4 x!5ft -15ft**

pedestal with a dovetail groove and *Two pieces glued up to 3 ft " square.
tenon. That’s the way the Shakers did it * * Three pieces glued up to 15 ft diameter.
and that’s the way I wanted to do it. . . if
I could only figure out how. (Note: The circle should be 3" in diameter, I mounted a ft" dovetail router bit in
After much head scratching, the which is the widest diameter of the the router table and raised it to a height
solution finally came to me. I made two pedestal, not the 23//' diameter at the of just slightly more than ft". (Since the
guides and attached them to the ends of bottom of the pedestal.) bottom part of the pedestal is actually ft"
the turned pedestal. The guides provide a After the triangles are cut out, the off the table, you have to raise the bit ft"
stable, flat-sided base so the dovetail corners are trimmed off at 90°, producing to start. Then another ft" to make the 3/8"-
grooves can be cut on a router table (see three new sides that rest against the deep dovetail groove. And, since the
Woodsmith No. Five). fence of the router table, Fig. 3b. shoulders on both sides of the grooves are
The guides are odd-shaped things that One guide is tacked to the bottom of the filed flat (see Fig. 5), the bit must be
begin as equilateral triangles, Fig. 3a. I pedestal so it’s centered an equal distance raised “slightly more.” Thus ... a total of
drew a 3" diameter circle on a piece of from the original sides of the triangle, slightly more than V2".)
scrap V2" plywood, so one edge of the Fig. 3c. A 1" hole is drilled in the center of
THE LEGS
circle touched the edge of the plywood. the other guide and it is tacked to the top
Then I added the other two sides at 60°. of the pedestal, Fig. 3d. Though they look like they’d take up a lot

6 WOODSMITH
more space, the legs can be cut from a
SV2" wide piece of stock. To save even
more space, I arranged them in an
interlocking patter on a 5Vfc"-wide piece,
see Cutting Diagram.
First I made a template, following the
grid shown in Fig. 2, and traced the legs
on the stock. Then I cut them to shape on
a band saw.
As shown in Detail 2a and 2b, the
dovetail tenons are cut on the router
table. However, there is one small
problem here. Note how the grain slants
toward the top part of the leg at the tenon
end, as shown in Fig. 2.
If the leg is held against the fence with
the grain pointing toward the router bit
(which is necessary when cutting one
side), you’ll get a lot of chipping out on
the shoulder. To prevent this, make a
deep saw cut at the shoulder line of the
dovetail tenon. The outside of the blade
should be 3/8" (or the actual depth of the
dovetail groove) from the fence.
I made a half-dovetail cut on one side of
each leg first, Detail 2a. For the second
cut (which sets the width of the tenon) I
kind of snuck up on it, cutting it a little
wide, and then moving the fence in until I
was at the exact width I needed.
To complete the legs, round over the
top edges with a spokeshave or file. The
bottom edge is flat.
THE TOP
Boards for the top are glued up and then
the 15V6" circular top is cut out with a
sabre saw or band saw. (I should mention
here that I decided to plane the top down
to Vs" thick. It seems to look a little better
at this thickness, rather than %".)
Sanding the edge of the top to a perfect
circle takes a lot of work, but the job is
much easier (and more accurate) with the
sanding jig shown on page 12. After
sanding, I rounded both the top and
bottom edges on the router table with a
corner rounding bit and pilot.
The top is mounted to the base with a
cleat, Fig. 6. If the round tenon at the top
of the pedestal is too loose in the 1" hole,
make a cut at a right angle to the glue
line and use a wedge to hold the tenon
securely in the hole, Detail 6b.
Finally, the cleat is screwed (but not
glued) at a right angle to the grain on the
top. To allow for expansion/contraction
of the top, I drilled No. 8 pilot holes in the
cleat and then drilled out the hole (in the
cleat only) to 3/ie". Then No. 8 x 1" Rh
(round head) screws and Vu” washers,
Detail 6a, are used to fasten the top to
the cleat.
This candle stand was finished with
two coats of Minwox cherry stain, and
then given two coats of Hopes Tung Oil
Varnish. The final coat was buffed with
4-0 steel wool for a satin sheen.

WOODSMITH 7
 Drop-Leaf Table
IT LOOKS EASY. . . BUT IT IS CHALLENGING
It looks so easy ... deceptively easy. This
Shaker drop leaf table requires quite a
bit of woodworking skill. But that’s the
nice thing about Shaker design — it
offers a challenge without getting bogged
down in intricate detail.
In all honesty, this table is more of an
interpretation on Shaker design than a
true reproduction. Most Shaker drop leaf
tables had very narrow tops, usually only
14" to 18" wide. While this is fine for
reducing the amount of floor space the
table takes up, it also puts a cramp on
comfort for anyone sitting at the end of
the table. So, I decided to make the top
wider, and thus increase the distance
between the legs.
However, I did try to retain one basic
tenet of the Shaker approach to
furniture: the absence of molding,
decorative inlays, fancy turnings, etc. In
other words, the frill is gone.
Enough talk, let’s get to work. I did all
of the cutting for this table on a radial
arm saw. (Alternate methods using a
table saw are given in parenthesis.)
THE LEGS
The legs on this table present some off about Vi" from the opposite corner. CUTTING DIAGRAM
interesting mathmatical challenges. Each (Table saw: Miter gauge is set to 3° and
leg is tapered at 2°, then splayed out from the blade is tilted 3°, first contact with
the aprons at 3°. These angles, though the blade is at Corner A.)
slight, require a certain construction Make the same cut on the bottom of the
procedure. leg . . . except Corner B — the one
The first step is to cut the mortises at between the two outside faces (those
the top of the legs. Here I decided to go without the mortises) — is placed along
with 3/8"-wide mortises in order to give the the line between the table and fence, Fig.
tenons a little more strength. Because the 3. (Table saw: Corner B is the first part of
legs are splayed from the aprons at 3°, the leg to make contact with the blade.)
you must stop the mortises short of the The final step on the legs is to cut the
bottom of the apron (and trim the tenon taper. The taper starts 4" down from
short also). As shown in Fig. 4b, the the top, and ends so there’s a 1" square
aprons are 3V2" wide, but the mortises are left at the bottom. This translates to a
stopped at 3lA" from the top to allow for taper of 3/8" per foot, or 2°. The tapers are MATERIALS LIST
the 3° angle. cut on the two inside faces of the legs (the
I cut these mortises on a radial arm faces with the mortises). The two outside A Legs 1% X P/4 -281/4
saw by mounting a drill chuck on the faces are left straight. B Front & Back Aprons Va x 3 'A - 26
accessory arbor and using a %" straight C End Aprons % xV/z - 17
router bit, Fig. 1. (This can also be done THE APRONS D Leaf Support Va x 1% - 14
on a drill press.) To make the table more stable, the legs E Top % x21V2 -35
The next step is to trim the top and are splayed out at 3° from each apron. F Leaf % x 7 - 35
bottom of the legs so these ends will be This is accomplished by cutting the G Wedge 3/4 X 114 - 4
parallel to the floor when the legs are shoulders of the aprons’ tenons at a 3°
splayed. To cut the top of the leg, refer to angle. So, the first step on the aprons is to miters at each end.)
Fig. 2. The corner between the two inside cut them to approxmiate length, mitering Next the tenons are cut. I followed a
faces of the leg (those with the mortises) both ends at 3°. procedure similar to that shown in
is placed along the line where the fence As shown in Fig. 4, the maximum Woodsmith No. Eight. Briefly, the top
meets the table. length needed for the front and back edge of the apron is held against the fence
Swing the arm 3° to the left and tilt the aprons (B) is 26", and for the end aprons of the radial saw with the face side
head to 3° on the left scale. The blade (C) is 17". (These measurements include (good side) up. The arm is pivoted 3° to
should barely touch Corner A and take the length of the tenons and allow for the the right (so the blade is parallel to the

8 WOODSMITH
mitered end of the apron). (Table saw:
Top of the apron is against the miter
gauge and gauge is pivoted to 3° on the
left scale.)
Make a series of 3/i6"-deep cuts stopping
at the shoulder line of the tenon (r/i6" in
from the end). Then turn the apron
around so the bottom edge is against the
fence, and pivot the arm 3° to the left.
(Table saw: To 3° on the right scale.)
When making this second cut, the
important measurement is the distance
between the shoulders: 231/2// along the
top of the front and back aprons (B), and
141/2// along the top of the two end aprons
(C), Fig. 4. (This should leave tenons lVis"
long at each end.)
To complete the tenon, flip the apron
over to the other side (so the “in” side is
up). Make a trial cut 3/i6" deep at the end
of the the tenon, and check its fit in the
mortise. Finally, trim the ends of the
tenon at 45°, Fig. 4a.
Clamp an apron between two legs to
check the fit of the mortise and tenon
joint, and to make sure the legs are
angling out in the right direction.
Because the legs are splayed, there's a
lot of pressure on the mortise and tenon
joint. For more strength, I decided to pin
these joints. (This was a common practice
in Shaker furniture.) While the legs are
clamped to the apron, drill %" holes
through the leg and into the tenon, Fig.
4b. Later, when the legs and aprons are
glued up, lA" dowel pins are driven into
the holes
THE LEAF SUPPORT
There's one more step before the base is
glued up: adding the leaf support (D). As
shown in Fig. 7, two 30° cuts IV2" deep are
made in the aprons. (These cuts are
parallel to each other.)
Mark the center of the apron, and
measure 7" to each side of this center
mark. Make the 30° cuts at these marks.
To finish this cut, make a pocket cut by
lowering the blade into the apron. You
can’t make the entire cut this way
(because of the angled end cuts), so it
must be finished with a hand saw.
Measure this long notch and cut the
leaf support (D) to fit. Now things get a
little tricky. Refer to Fig. 6. Since the
apron splays out at 3°, the front part of
the support must be trimmed at a 3° taper
so it will be parallel to the table top and
leaf.
At the same time, the other end of the
leaf support swings away (down) from
the top. To compensate for this, a small
wedge is mounted under the top. This
wedge allows you to push the leaf up to a
tight, level positon.
The wedges are cut from a piece of
scrap at least 3V2" wide. Figure 8 shows
the scrap on end on a table saw. These

WOODSMITH 9
wedges can be cut on a radial saw, but it's
probably easier to cut them by hand with
a back saw.
To mount the leaf support, drill a 3/8"
hole through the support and about 1"
Drop Leaf %
)
into the apron. Slide a 3/8" dowel through CUTTING THE JOINT
the support, add a washer, and push the
dowel into the apron. Glue the dowel into Cutting a drop-leaf (or rule) joint can be
the apron only, not the leaf support. difficult or very difficult. I decided to
go the easy way and show the difficult
THE TOP AND LEAVES method. (The two methods depend on
I tried to select and arrange the pieces for whether the hinge is surface mounted,
the top and leaves to form a nice grain shown here, or mortised in.)
pattern. Once chosen, I simply edge-glued The first step is to plane the top and
them with Elmer's Carpenter’s glue. the leaves to the same thickness —
Now it’s a matter of getting the top and somewhere between %" and V” thick. (I
both leaves exactly the same thickness. think ll/i6" is ideal.)
This is usually a real chore. But for this To cut the joint, start with the corner
table I used the Wagner Safe-T-Planer round and shoulder cut on the table’s top.
(mentioned in Woodsmith No. Ten). Figure 1 shows this being done on a radial
I mounted the Planer to the radial saw arm saw with a Sears molding head and a
and ran the top and leaves under it — No. 2351 cutter. (On a table saw the
just barely skimming off the high spots cutter is in a vertical position.)
with each pass, about V32" with each pass. The alignment of this cut is critical.
Then I finished up by sanding with a The relationship between the size of the
belt sander (100 grit belt), then an orbital shoulder and the rounded portion
sander, and finally by hand. determines how well the completed joint
functions. This cut is usually made with a
THE DROP LEAF JOINT Va" shoulder and a V2" corner round. I
The final phase of construction is cutting prefer a 3/i6" shoulder (as shown), leaving
the drop leaf joint. The technique for a V2” corner round and a W' flat portion.
cutting this joint on a radial saw is The next step is to mark the outline of
discussed in the following article. the corner round on to the leaf, Fig. 2.
(A similar procedure is followed for Then as you make this cove cut in the leaf
cutting this joint on a table saw. This (Fig. 3), sneak up on the depth of cut, just )
joint can also be cut on a router table.) barely leaving the line you marked.
One method for hinging the leaf to the
top is also shown in the next article. MOUNTING THE HINGES
After mounting the hinges, check the fit
and movement of the leaves as they are Special hinges are made for drop-leaf
joints. (1Stanley makes one called a 1XA"
raised. Then remove the hinges for
Table Hinge, No. 46-3300.) These hinges
finishing.
differ from others in that the flap for the
The final step in construction is to
attach the table’s top to the base. As leaf is longer (l5/8") than the flap for the
shown in the drawing below, I did this by top (1!4"), the holes are positioned so they
don’t interfere with the joint, and the
countersink in the screw holes is on the
“back” side — opposite side of the
knuckle, Fig. lb.
If you can’t find this type of hinge, a
regular IVz" x 3V2" butt hinge will work,
but extra holes must be drilled in the leaf
flap, Fig. la.
The position of the hinge effects the
boring screw pockets in the aprons. I used function of the joint (whether it binds or
a No. 12 pilot bit, starting about V" from not), and determines the amount of gap
the top of the apron, and drilling at a 30° between the leaf and the top when the
angle. The hole in the apron (only) is leaf is down. To position the hinge, mark
bored to 3/i6" and then No. 8 x 1" Fh screws a line from the shoulder, up the edge, and
are used to fasten the top in place (no along the underside of the table’s top,
glue). Fig. 2. Mount the hinge so the center of
I finished this table with two coats of the knuckle is a tad (V32") to the leaf side
Minwax cherry stain. Then two coats of of this line. This provides clearance so the
Deft were applied to all parts of the table, joint doesn’t bind as the leaf is raised.
and a third coat was applied to the top Chisel out a groove for the knuckle,
(for extra protection). After the final making sure the hinge lies flat across the
coat, I buffed the entire table with 4-0 joint. Fasten the hinge to the top first,
steel wool for a nice satin sheen. then to the leaf.

10 WOODSMITH
 Tapered Legs
THE MATHEMATICS OF TAPERING A LEG
Hepplewhite-style furniture of the late
Eighteenth Century took the tapered leg
to its zenith of style and grace. A hundred
years later, the Shakers removed the frill
and produced furniture with crisp, clean,
yet sturdy, tapered legs. Either way,
tapered legs are a favorite among
cabinetmakers.
Cutting tapered legs requires two
things: a taper jig, and a knowledge of
mathematics. The first part is easy. You
can buy a taper jig (Sears has a 24"
aluminum one) or make one as shown in
Fig. 1.
In the design shown here, the adjusting
arm (Detail lb) is raised 3/8" with a stack
of washers so it will clear the saw blade
when cutting l3/4" square legs. If this jig is
used on a radial arm saw, the adjusting
arm should extend to the right side of the
jig to avoid contact with the blade.
The two marks on the top of the arms
are for setting the amount of taper.
Mark A, 12" from the end, is used for
setting the taper in inches per foot. (For a
taper of %" per foot, spread the arms lA” at
Mark A.) Mark B, VA” from the end, is
used for setting the taper in degrees. (For
every 1° of taper spread the arms Vs" at
Mark B.)
Now for the math. The box below
shows the formula for determining the
taper in inches per foot. For an example,

let’s say you have a table leg l3/4" square

and 28" long. You want to make a taper
on two adjacent sides of the leg. The taper
starts 4" down from the top (to allow
for the aprons), and you want to take W
off the bottom of the leg (leaving a 1 lA"
square).
Plugging this information in the
formula: x - 12 (V6") 24". Thus, X
equals .25" or lA" per foot. Set the arms positioning the jig and leg as shown in four-sided tapers (of equal amount) half
XA" apart at Mark A. Fig. 3. the taper is made on two adjacent sides
To cut the taper, hold the jig firmly When cutting the taper, I stand on the first, as discussed above. When cutting
against the fence and move the fence (and right side of the table and hold the leg the remaining two sides, one of the
jig) until the 4" mark on the leg (the against the jig with an awl. You can taper previously tapered sides is placed against
point where the taper starts) touches the two adjacent sides this way without the jig, and the opposite side is cut. To do
blade, Fig. 2. (On a radial saw: set the resetting the jig. this, the spread of the arms must be
head to the “in-rip” position, and adjust Now, let’s say you want to taper all doubled, and the fence is readjusted. As
the head until the blade touches the leg at four sides, taking V6" off each side and shown in Fig. 4, the spread of the arms
the 4" mark.) Check the taper by leaving a 3/4" square at the bottom. For is doubled to V2" per foot.

WOODSMITH 11
 Sanding Circles
Cutting a circle is not too difficult. But center of the mounting plate. This is done that hold the circle to the plate.
cutting a perfectly smooth circle is with two sets of lines — one on the plate, Clamp the jig to the edge of a radial
almost impossible. No matter how hard and one on the circle. arm saw table, Fig. 3. Now, before
I try, there’s always that moment of lost Before attaching the plate to the base, turning on the motor, pull the sanding
concentration that causes a slight bump draw two lines that intersect at the exact disk up to the circle to find the high and
or shallow. center of the plate. Extend these lines up low spots. Start with the disk set to a
And, no matter how good the circle is, I the edges on all four sides. Then attach high spot and slowly turn the circular
still have to sand the edge smooth — not the plate to the 1x4 base. This is done workpiece in a clockwise rotation.
an easy task. About half the with a No. 8 x 1" Rh screw and a Vie" It helps to have a third hand
circumference of the circle is end grain — washer (Fig. 1), so the base can revolve. gently move the sanding disk into the
enough to tire even the strongest arm. Go ahead and cut the circle, but be sure circle while your other two hands hold
That’s when this circle sanding jig comes to clearly mark the center point. Then, and turn the circle.
in handy. after the circle is cut, draw two lines A regular sanding disk does a pretty
The jig is a relatively simple thing. It through the center of the circle and at good job. For better results, I use a Sears
consists of a 8" square mounting plate right angles to each other. jointer/sanding disk. This disk is
that pivots on a 1x4 base, see Fig. 1. The Align the circle on the square plate by designed so only a portion of the face is in
key to making this jig work is to align the matching the two sets of lines, Fig. 2. contact with the wood — thus producing
center of the circle to be sanded with the Then drill pilot holes for the 3/4" Fh screws a straight-line sanding pattern.

12 WOODSMITH