Another installment of the Demilune table

[Phil Mueller]

It’s been months since working on this. Covid held me up in sourcing wood for the legs. I could have mail ordered, but I really wanted to see it live before committing. I was walking through the local Woodcraft and saw a nice 12/4 piece of Brazilian Cherry that had some nice rift sawn edges. I thought it would match well with the Brazilian Rosewood top and aprons.

Anyway, I’ve posted before on the top, steam bending, and making the sand shaded ovals and fan.

After plenty of procrastination, I decided to tackle the bridle joints for the leg/apron.

The apron was marked out, taped and the usual saw kerfs, chisel chopping to get to rough size.

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I then made a cardboard template to help mark the lines for cutting the legs, that would give me the outside reveal I wanted (showing it after the fact, didn’t get a before pic)

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I thought about a Japanese saw, but ended up finding a western rip saw worked best.


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Then a quick cut with a fret saw and clean up the base with a few chisels

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I found a good use for my plane float...did a great job fine tuning the “tenon”

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Not perfect, but not bad results.

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Lots of work left to do. Back legs next, then tapers, then inlays, then....

[Mark Rainey]

It is starting to come together Phil, and I get the feeling it will be splendid when finished. Keep us posted.

[Jim Matthews]

I would be reluctant to mar that perfect curve, too.

This will be a beauty.

Kudos

[Phil Mueller]

Thanks gentlemen. Jim, it’s why I procrastinated so long...I really didn’t want to have to make another apron!
Not sure if it was noticed, but my original picture had the left side leg inserted backwards...glad it wasn’t being glued up.

Here’s a corrected photo

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Let me add also, that this is one of those projects where you think about what has the highest risk of error. For the legs, I have plenty of material to redo. For my experience and skill, I was most concerned with the bridle joint, as I have never done that before...so if I messed up a leg, I wasn’t too far along to make a new one. Next up is to M&T the back two legs and make the back apron. Then, I think, is to carve the recess for the oval fan inlays. But then again maybe shape the legs first (taper and bottom detail). Bottom will be similar to this profile (middle one):

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Plenty of opportunity to mess that up as well. Looks like a lot of chisel work to fine tune the taper and transition to the bottom profile. It’s feeling like another opportunity for massive procrastination

[Tony Wilkins]

It’s looking really great!

[Mike Allen1010]

Looking great Phil. You’ve pick a real classic design and I look forward to eagerly following you r progress. Thanks for posting!

[Jim Matthews]

Plenty of opportunity to mess that up as well.

You won't. That's your common sense, cooling your jets.

It's feeling like another opportunity for massive procrastination

Again, this is an ambitious project that rewards the cautious and methodical.

It's also why I'll never build one!

[Phil Mueller]

Belated thanks all! The snow is starting to fall, so shop time is in order. I got around to fitting the ovals into the legs. I found it best to tape the end, mark the center points and then knife around the oval. The tape edge is much easier to route to than a pencil line. Burned a few electrons roughing out the majority with a trim router, then free hand up to the tape edge with a dremel. A little fine tuning and a pretty good fit. Any gaps will eventually be filled with either the hyde glue or hot melt shellac.


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[Christopher Charles]

Looks good Phil, glad to see you back in the shop. And the magic of blue tape never ceases!

[Pete Taran]

Phil,

Is that a regular dremel with some sort of precision aftermarket base? Interesting way to solve that problem.

[Mark Rainey]

Fine detail work Phil. Thanks for showing your methods.

[Phil Mueller]

Hi Pete, yes, it’s a base from Stew Mac that is made to fit/screw onto a regular dremel. Stew Mac also offers router bits with the dremel size shanks. I used a 1/16” bit. It makes it nice to dial into a precise depth. But, let’s just say you don’t want to have too much coffee before free handing it.


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Thanks Christopher and Mark...slowly but surely moving forward. Enjoying the zen detail work.