Help building a dining table

[Harold Burrell]

My wife has me on yet another "job" (I let her think this is work for me...)

Anyway, she is wanting a country/primitive style dining table. A big one. Around 6 ft. that can extend to 8 or 9 ft.

(An example of the style is attached)

I plan on making the top out of red oak and the rest out of pine. My question is...does anyone have any suggestions as to how I should do this??? I am really clueless as to know just how to frame the base, the joinery to use, should I include some sort of supporting leg in the middle for something this long, installation of the extensions, etc. etc.

Basically...I am looking for plans, I guess.

*sigh*

You have probably already guessed...I am a newbie. :o

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

Talk her into a trestle table. Build it 8' long by 42" wide. Find some nice 8/4 fir or soft maple for the top and distress the whole thing to look old and worn. Paint the trestles and stretcher and leave the top natural. That is a great project for your first dining table and the style sounds like your wife might like it. It is a forgiving project but will last for years. You also won't have to deal with extension hardware.
fmr

[Von Bickley]

Harold,
I don't have any plans but I would probably look for something a little harder and tougher than pine for those table legs.

[Harold Burrell]

Talk her into a trestle table. Build it 8' long by 42" wide. Find some nice 8/4 fir or soft maple for the top and distress the whole thing to look old and worn. Paint the trestles and stretcher and leave the top natural. That is a great project for your first dining table and the style sounds like your wife might like it. It is a forgiving project but will last for years. You also won't have to deal with extension hardware.
fmr

Unfortunately, my wife and I have already had that conversation. No go, she says.



I don't have any plans but I would probably look for something a little harder and tougher than pine for those table legs.


Yeah...I thought about that myself. I do have some extra oak I could use.

Thanks for the input guys.

[Mike Henderson]

There are some guidelines for tables regarding how much space to allow for each person, and how wide you can make the table before it gets difficult to pass dishes across, and how high to make the table - and the chairs. Look here (http://books.google.com/books?id=WUSMhCLnHUIC&pg=PP1&dq=dining+tables#v=onepage&q=&f=false), starting about page 6. On page 74 he discusses an expanding rectangular table that is basically what you want, I think. You'll need two table slides which you can buy from a variety of sources. Just make sure you get the proper length when extended.

The book is "Dining Tables: Outstanding Projects from America's Best Craftsmen" by Kim Carleton Graves.

I wouldn't be afraid to use pine for the legs if you're going to paint them. If you're going to use a clear finish, I'd keep all the wood the same.

Mike

[Thomas Pender]

Chairs, vacuum cleaners, etc, will tear it up in no time, so no pine:). I have had the best luck in terms of durability with either red or white oak and ash is not far behind - actually it may be ahead, because it tends to resist dings - it just does not stain well. Stain is also the issue with maple and in my opinion, maple legs chip. Others may differ.

Soft maple is an interesting idea, but a red oak top will wear like iron.

One thing you can do is look in the Rocker catalog for table support and extension hardware. It will give you ideas. I would tend to build it traditional with an apron and legs on the corners. Of course, you can cheat, lots of places sell milled legs to whatever style you want.

[Joe Little]

If you want to look like a master craftsman take a look at www.tablelegs.com (http://www.tablelegs.com) . They sell a variety of leg and apron kits in all sizes and all woods. All you will have to do is build the top and assemble. I used them for a project and the quality is excellent.