Thread: Demilune table.

I think it looks quite good as it is, and would be reticent to add more to it.

Good work.

I tend to agree that it looks a little top heavy ... But have no fear, I think you have done a terrific job !

Can you mock up a shelf in cardboard or MDF to see how it looks ?

First of all, beautiful work, I'd certainly be proud to say I made it.

To be critical I would say the top looks strong and solid while the legs....I don't know about the shape, and I guess the way they lean inwards makes the top look a bit heavy. Actually, just looking back through the photos, photo one looks good while photo 4 looks more top heavy, probably just the camera angle.

As for the shelf, I'd leave it out. If it's too wobbly, maybe just a piece across between the back legs and one to the front leg like a tee (what do you call those bits?).

Thanks for those who have taken the time to look and offer advice and opinions.

I have spent a few minutes mocking up the shelf design I had in mind. Obviously it would be made from wrought iron and not aluminium and the scrolls would go from one side to the other. The void in the middle would be filled with a timber shelf (made from the lighter timber).

I have taken on board your opinions and may not even bother but thought I would share my original ideas anyway.



As for the legs, it's really bugging me about the shape. I had reservations right from the beginning but thought I'd just go ahead and see how they came out. From some angles they look alright, from others they look awkward. It might be back to the drawing board for them!!

Thanks again.

Steven.

Hi Steven

can you share some of the construction details for the table?

Originally Posted by spokeshave

As for the legs, it's really bugging me about the shape. I had reservations right from the beginning but thought I'd just go ahead and see how they came out. From some angles they look alright, from others they look awkward. It might be back to the drawing board for them!!

Hi again Steven

I too have reservations about those legs

FWIW to my eye that shelf doesn't look too bad.

I think that shelf helps ... Maybe it gives some bulk to the bottom so it doesn't look as top heavy anymore.

However, I say this knowing that photos can be a little deceptive.

Depending on the stability of the timber, the shelf may also act as spreaders to prevent twist etc. ? Was this part of your thought process ?

In any event ... It's really nice.

Well, we are always our own severest critics! Workmanship looks beyond reproach, & the top is pretty harmonious to my eyes. I might not have looked so hard at the legs if you hadn't focused on them, but now you mention it....
Now that you've drawn particular attention to them, I can't decide whether I like them or I don't like them. It's the sort of thing that might grow on you, or might go the other way. A hall table like this is probably going to sit where it can't be studied from straight on, as in the photos, so you really need to think what the impact is from a 'normal' viewing angle. I've seen similar designs with a curved front leg but simple straight tapers on the back two.

I didn't see any 'need' for the shelf in the initial pics, but when you put the mock-up there, it does change the look a lot. But perhaps a fairly plain wooden shelf sitting on 'T' stretchers might be 'quieter' & not draw too much attention to the undercarriage?

I've long since learned that when attempting something novel, to make a scale model or a mock-up out of scrap before proceeding to cut the valuable stuff. Doesn't guarantee a show winner, but helps to eliminate the worst excesses.

Whatever, top marks for striving for that bit extra in your work & not just slavishly following someone else's.

Cheers,

Hi Steven,
I love the workmanship and 'sentiment' of the table but I think you are being far too critical of the design. To me, it already looks balanced and I wouldn't add the shelf between the legs because of the parable below.
Once upon a time there was a woodworker who made tables for family, friends and some for profit. This humble woodworker agonised for hours over the results of his work and whether they were good enough for the intended recipients. He then discovered that the recipients invariably loved them because of all of their elements but especially their 'sentiment' and that these worthy recipients added their own precious belongings to the table/hall stand/shelf/wall unit such that the belongings became the sympathetic object of attention NOT the supporting structure itself....

image.jpeg image.jpeg

Whilst I like your mocked up shelf, I can't help but think it will clutter your design when the new owner puts something ON that shelf? The pictures above are of a table that I made and was concerned about BUT it's owner loves it so much that she sends me a new picture every time she changes the decor!
I would be proud to hand over that beautiful table you have made AND I would be honoured to be its recipient!

fletty

I don't mind the legs as they are. The whole execution of the table is very good and pleasing to the eye. The addition of black wrought iron for the bottom shelf will be a nice addition. It gives it an Art-Deco feel to the design. I agree with Fletty in that the recipient will be very pleased to own a creation from you, with the added story of the recycled timber

Thank you all very much for your constructive critic's and suggestions. That's why I love this forum, honest replies that has helped me develop and improve my favorite past time.

Glenn.Visca. The shelf was intended to try and balance out the legs and top. I thought it looked a bit 'empty' between the longish legs and as you say it might have had a side benefit of aiding stability aswell. Because of the construction method I used the top is physically heavy and kind of acts as a pendulum which sees the top wobble when lightly pushed around in cases such as wiping the top down. This was the impetus for the thought of including a shelf.

IanW. I am my own worst enemy and tend to judge my work harshly. If there is something that doesn't sit right with me I will sit and stare and think it over for a long time until I decide to either change it or start again. Your suggestion of a plain shelf on T stretchers was my initial intention early on. But supply of the lighter timber was limited so I thought adding the wrought iron detailing would enable me to have a smaller shelf which would use up the left over wood.

fletty. Thanks for the parable and I can sympathise with your 'humble woodworker'. I'm pretty sure the recipients would like the table as is, maybe I am being a bit harsh on myself.

Anyway, I'm still undecided what to do next but have until the weekend to stew over it.

Originally Posted by ian

Hi Steven

can you share some of the construction details for the table?

When I get a chance I will post up some pics of the build process. Some may find my methods unconventional, but I'll show it anyway.

Thanks you all again, very much appreciated.

Steven.

Hi again.

As promised I will post some WIP pics of the table for you all to view.

I will point out straight up that I have never attempted anything like this so I used techniques that may not be conventional but worked for me. I learned alot along the way and would change things that I did to improve the end result.

So here goes.

I used templates to shape most components. I am lucky enough to have access to a CNC router which I used to shape the template for the base (the one in the pic below that is sitting on top of the two templates for the trim and top). This was the only one done on the CNC router, it was used as a datum for the top and trim which were done by hand using a guide bush and straight bit using a plunge router. The template for the legs and gallery (not sure If this is the correct term, but it refers to the item sitting front and center) were drawn free hand and cut out with a jigsaw and smoothed with a fine file and rasp.



So I didnt know how to build up the height for the base. I researched a bit and saw methods such as bent lamination and 'bricking' (gluing small pieces of timber to the template then trimming to shape) but settled on gluing pieces of MDF and trimming to shape with each successive layer using the template. I planed a piece of timber down to 1.5mm and glued it to the face of the completed base. This can be seen below. The blue masking tape is to protect the edges from damage. This is one method I would change as the MDF made the base quite heavy and contributed to a heavy upper assembly causing it to 'wobble' on the relatively thin legs.



More to come.

Steven.

Next on the agenda was the redgum trim.

I had to plane and glue two pieces together to get the width I needed to make these pieces.



Then traced the shape onto them and later cut them out with a jig-saw.



After using double sided tape to hold them secure I routed the shape on the router table using a flush trim bit. I had to make 4 pieces, a left top and bottom and a right top and bottom.




Then it was a matter of routing the edge profile and cutting the middle section (where the front leg attatches) to complete the top and bottom pieces.




After securing to the base, this part was complete.

Steven.