5 foot round dining table build

As a wedding gift I am building my niece a 5 foot round dining table. I have never made a large round dining room table, and found some nice plans by Jon Peters on Youtube.

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I am building mine in Pennsylvania cherry

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Lumber stacked and acclimating

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Base consists of 8/4 cherry in a bridle joint mortised and tenoned to legs

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Mortised with my largest mortise chisel, a Narex 1/2 inch. I really need something longer and stronger to lever out the chips, but is the Ray Iles
really worth over $100?.

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Tenons were 2 inches long, but 6 inches wide. Glad I had the LN 16 inch tenon saw, which is usually at bit long , but perfect for this job. A lot of work for these tenons.

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Legs trimmed and waiting for glue up

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Table top is next. Got some 6 foot clamps in for the project. Pictures will follow.

The build continues with the cross braces under the table top joined by a half lap joint. Using hand tools I found these joints a lot of work. I made them much faster with hand tools this time by...cross cutting outside of joint with hand saw, then repeating the cuts across the joint, then using a carving gouge to hog out most of the waste. This step, using the carving gouge with a mallet, really helped. I then used a router plane to level things off.

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Nice looking design and your work is always inspiring. And I'm jealous of your access to cherry!

What I don't like about 5' tables is the distance between people sitting across from each other. Pretty hard to pass a heavy platter of meat that far away. Especially for the more elder folks if only two sitting at the table. Not going to be a treat hand planing it either. You'll have to switch hands to final plane the glued up panel.

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Originally Posted by Christopher Charles

Nice looking design and your work is always inspiring. And I'm jealous of your access to cherry!

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Thanks Chris! I do enjoy Pennsylvania cherry.

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Originally Posted by Richard Coers

What I don't like about 5' tables is the distance between people sitting across from each other. Pretty hard to pass a heavy platter of meat that far away. Especially for the more elder folks if only two sitting at the table. Not going to be a treat hand planing it either. You'll have to switch hands to final plane the glued up panel.

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Yes Richard, I would not have done a 5 foot round table, but that is what my niece wanted...luckily the new couple is about 30 years of age. Smoothing after glue up should be a work out.

Looking good so far! My uncle bought an antique table that was very similar. He complained about passing dishes across. So I made him a large lazy Susan. I think I got the bearing from Woodcraft, and made the top out of an old pine door to match in a bit better with the "pumpkin pine" table top. As I recall, it was 30 inches in diameter and stood about 5-inches tall.

DC

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Originally Posted by David Carroll

Looking good so far! My uncle bought an antique table that was very similar. He complained about passing dishes across. So I made him a large lazy Susan. I think I got the bearing from Woodcraft, and made the top out of an old pine door to match in a bit better with the "pumpkin pine" table top. As I recall, it was 30 inches in diameter and stood about 5-inches tall.

DC

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David, I like the lazy susan idea. Perhaps as an anniversary gift for the couple!

Went to bed at 10PM, slept like a log to 2:30AM. Bathroom visit. Wide awake. Go down to shop at 3AM...time for a glue up. Bridle joint was a bit tight, needed some solid dead blow hammer strikes - YIKES - loud! I didn't want to wake household. It all came together. Top is next.

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Nice work so far! You should be proud of yourself.

If the table is "too big" to pass around food or whatever, they can sit next to each other instead of across from one another and solve that problem. It'll also give them both a better view of the TV and promote bonding. We have a natural instinct to become more aggressive and defensive towards those who are directly in front of us and a natural instinct to be more accepting to those who are beside us. It's a good tidbit of psychology to know that comes in handy in everyday life, especially if you do a lot of business with strangers.

Where’s the like button?

I like it , it’s modern …in a GOOD way . In the 1950’s your neighbors would have reported it as “a flying saucer”.
Today people will know it’s a table, we’ve come so far .

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Originally Posted by Mel Fulks

I like it , it’s modern …in a GOOD way . In the 1950’s your neighbors would have reported it as “a flying saucer”.
Today people will know it’s a table, we’ve come so far .

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Then they don’t have to be worried about the probing? That’s good.

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Harris

Nice work so far! You should be proud of yourself.

If the table is "too big" to pass around food or whatever, they can sit next to each other instead of across from one another and solve that problem. It'll also give them both a better view of the TV and promote bonding. We have a natural instinct to become more aggressive and defensive towards those who are directly in front of us and a natural instinct to be more accepting to those who are beside us. It's a good tidbit of psychology to know that comes in handy in everyday life, especially if you do a lot of business with strangers.

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Thanks Jimmy...I enjoy psychology

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Originally Posted by Mel Fulks

I like it , it’s modern …in a GOOD way . In the 1950’s your neighbors would have reported it as “a flying saucer”.
Today people will know it’s a table, we’ve come so far .

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Mel, it does look like a flying saucer! My wife agrees!

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Originally Posted by Tony Wilkins

Where’s the like button?

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Thanks Tony

Looks like a family heirloom in progress.

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Originally Posted by Mark Rainey

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Mortised with my largest mortise chisel, a Narex 1/2 inch. I really need something longer and stronger to lever out the chips, but is the Ray Iles
really worth over $100?.

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Have you considered a lock mortise chisel? (AKA a Swan Neck Chisel)

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These two, 1/8" & 1/4" are very helpful cleaning out the bottom of mortises.

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The large lock mortise chisel on the bench is 1/2". My recollection is it cost me a little more than $50 with shipping.

For a 1/2" mortise a 3/8" lock mortise chisel might be preferred so as to not mar the edges of the mortise.

jtk

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Originally Posted by Jim Koepke

Looks like a family heirloom in progress.



Have you considered a lock mortise chisel? (AKA a Swan Neck Chisel)

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These two, 1/8" & 1/4" are very helpful cleaning out the bottom of mortises.

Attachment 516666

The large lock mortise chisel on the bench is 1/2". My recollection is it cost me a little more than $50 with shipping.

For a 1/2" mortise a 3/8" lock mortise chisel might be preferred so as to not mar the edges of the mortise.

jtk

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Good suggestion Jim. The chisel you are hammering looks solid... is that a 1/2 inch mortise chisel? What brand?

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Originally Posted by Mark Rainey

Good suggestion Jim. The chisel you are hammering looks solid... is that a 1/2 inch mortise chisel? What brand?

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That is a 3/4" heavy firmer chisel. It is marked USN on the top side, on the back it is marked Winsted Edge Tool Co. (the maker of Witherby tools)

It set me back $2 at one of my favorite local, second hand stores.

jtk

As always, beautiful work Mark. The Pennsylvania Cherry is beautiful too. The ‘most’ modern I can seem to bring myself is Shaker..

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Originally Posted by Robert LaPlaca

As always, beautiful work Mark. The Pennsylvania Cherry is beautiful too. The ‘most’ modern I can seem to bring myself is Shaker..

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Thanks Robert! Started gluing up the top in sections. My bench is 6 feet long but only 2 feet wide. Trying to figure out how to glue up a 5 foot by 5 foot top.

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Large glue ups like a flat surface, such as the floor. Your clamp collection determines your method. Glueing up two halves separately will probably match your clamps well. When they have fully dried you can match up the final joint. With only one joint being glued you can get away with fewer clamps.

Maybe use a glue that doesn't require clamping and do the gluing with the top standing vertical so the weight of the wood holds the joint together.

Hyde glue or epoxy should do it.

jtk

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Originally Posted by William Fretwell

Large glue ups like a flat surface, such as the floor. Your clamp collection determines your method. Glueing up two halves separately will probably match your clamps well. When they have fully dried you can match up the final joint. With only one joint being glued you can get away with fewer clamps.

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good advice William

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Originally Posted by Jim Koepke

Maybe use a glue that doesn't require clamping and do the gluing with the top standing vertical so the weight of the wood holds the joint together.

Hyde glue or epoxy should do it.

jtk

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Nice idea Jim, definitely an option.

Used 4 veritas panel clamps to support panel. Titebond 3

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Very cool build!! I built a round dining table a few years back for our new house. I personally love the looks of a round dining table and see no issue with passing large bowls across the table. I based my design off of Tim Coleman's table that I saw in person at the Gallery at Somes Sound in Somesville, Maine. The gallery is about 15 minutes away and I grew up with the owners son. Tyra, the owner, is an incredibly wonderful person and lets me stop by to check out all the wonderful pieces she has on display from some of the best furniture makers in the country. I was able to look Tim's round table up close and personal to see the joinery details. I made the table from some Honduran Mahogany that was gifted to me from someone who purchased the wood back in the 70's which he got sick of hauling around with him over the years. He intended on building a table at some point but really never got into woodworking.

Posted a couple pictures of the table below, don't mind the ugly carpet and the mixed up chairs. Working on some chairs to match the table now. I also am not trying to hijack your thread, just wanted to compare the different round table designs and confirm that having a round table in your dining room is amazing!

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Originally Posted by Tony Shea

Very cool build!! I built a round dining table a few years back for our new house. I personally love the looks of a round dining table and see no issue with passing large bowls across the table. I based my design off of Tim Coleman's table that I saw in person at the Gallery at Somes Sound in Somesville, Maine. The gallery is about 15 minutes away and I grew up with the owners son. Tyra, the owner, is an incredibly wonderful person and lets me stop by to check out all the wonderful pieces she has on display from some of the best furniture makers in the country. I was able to look Tim's round table up close and personal to see the joinery details. I made the table from some Honduran Mahogany that was gifted to me from someone who purchased the wood back in the 70's which he got sick of hauling around with him over the years. He intended on building a table at some point but really never got into woodworking.

Posted a couple pictures of the table below, don't mind the ugly carpet and the mixed up chairs. Working on some chairs to match the table now. I also am not trying to hijack your thread, just wanted to compare the different round table designs and confirm that having a round table in your dining room is amazing!

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Tony, that is a beautiful table. The mahogany really shines. I love mahogany and find it easy to work with hand tools. I will post pics of my table when I am done.

My father made a 5 foot round table when I was a kid. With 7 of us around the table we needed the space. I think his first addition to it was a large lazy susan. Sure made things easier for the littler ones.

Panel glued up. Time for cutting the circle with the frame saw. Jigsaw would be easier, but that's what Neander land is all about.

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Had day off from work

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Time to put edge profile on table. I will put an undercut, under bevel on the bottom and a quarter round on top. I marked out the under bevel cut with a marking gauge and cut to lines using jack plane and sharp block plane. Will will make scraper with quarter round profile for top.

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After removing bulk with jack plane scratch stock made a nice profile. End grain had some tear out - fine rasp and mill file took care of that.

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