Trestle Table
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5 August 2017 at 10:16 am #314296
My latest project is a trestle table modelled on the Stickley #622 but reduced in size so it’ll fit in my modest kitchen.
I’m using pine, which at one time I’d have said was not a good choice for a project like this. Quarter-sawn white oak would be nice, but is not easily available where I live. I use pine for all my projects, and have found it to work really well for Arts and Crafts designs. I’m making practical furniture for my house, not reproduction antiques, so accuracy to the original is not a factor.
The photos show the fitting-up of a tenon and mortise, and the set-up I used to determine the best overall proportions. I am limited to about 60″ length due to space constraints, but want two people to be able to sit on either side without the legs getting in the way. I settled on a 9″ overhang either end.
Steve
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You must be logged in to view attached files.5 August 2017 at 5:22 pm #314318Those mortises and tenons are looking nice and crisp. Should be a great table. May I ask a question? Do you have a book of Stickley designs or some other book you are referencing?
5 August 2017 at 9:32 pm #314321Hi Edmund and Matt,
I arrived at the 9″ overhang because I wanted enough space between the trestles to seat two people on each side. Given the 60″ overall length I chose a distance which allowed the two people per side, and I decided that the 9″ overhang was (just) enough to allow seating at the ends. I hope that explains it.
As for finish, I usually start off with water-based (oak colour) stain, followed by an oil-based stain. Then I paint the wood with thinned-down oil-based beige paint which I then remove most of with a white spirit soaked cotton rag. This gives the wood the appearance of having once been painted and then stripped. I finish off with good quality furniture wax. (see photo)
I have a book called Shop Drawings for Craftsman Furniture which I use for ideas. I’m not that fastidious about following the dimensions. I only use it for rough guidance and ideas for projects.
Steve
- This reply was modified 6 years, 8 months ago by Steve Giles.
- This reply was modified 6 years, 8 months ago by Steve Giles.
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You must be logged in to view attached files.5 August 2017 at 11:19 pm #314334I go over the whole thing with 150 or 220 sandpaper to prep the surface. I find it helps to thin down the water-based stain and apply two coats instead of one. The oil-based stain (which I leave on for five minutes and then wipe off with a rag) and beige paint pretty much cover up any blotchiness that remains.
The more stages of finish there are, the less problem there will be with blotching. Any slight inconsistencies that are left I accept as ‘character’ (-:
8 August 2017 at 2:58 pm #314419Here’s my first go at a keyed tenon and mortise joint. I still have to reduce the length of the tenon, and chamfer the edges for a more finished-off look. I may also reduce the length of the key to be more in keeping with the scale of the table.
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You must be logged in to view attached files.@gilessteve how wide is the through tenon on your stretcher and how deep are the shoulders? I’m talking about the through tenon with the key. I’m making a knock-down trestle table that is wedged similarly and am deciding my dimensions. Right now, the through tenon is about 2″ wide with 5/16 deep shoulders. The actual trestle is 5″ wide, but for various reasons the tenon most be reduced down to around 2 to 2 1/2″. Since it is knock down, this wedge joint must provide all of the racking strength, so I was curious what dimension you used. On my table, the trestle is at the top, just below the table top, rather than being a stretcher at the bottom.
10 August 2017 at 10:38 pm #314458Hi Ed.
The stretcher is 3 3/8″ wide and the tenon itself is 2 1/2″ wide. I guess the shoulders are 7/16″ wide, therefore. The trestle’s horizontal member is 5″ wide like yours.
These dimensions are more to do with the dimensions of the available wood than any design considerations. Without the top fitted the table is not particularly stable with just the stretcher holding the trestles.
The photo shows the tenon and key cut to length and also the extra piece of wood I added at the top of the trestle to aid stability when the top is fitted.
Steve
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You must be logged in to view attached files.Thanks for the info. If yours isn’t stable without the top, this may not bode well for my knockdown table! My dimensions may be a little different. Sawing the cheeks from the through tenon will leave shoulders that are 5″ long and about 1/4 to 5/16″ deep. I’ve changed the design so that the through-tenon itself will be about 3 1/2″ wide. As long as the wedge does not break the tenon, I’m not sure the tenon dimension matters. It’s the shoulder size that is key, it seems. So, the 5/16 x 5″ shoulders (four of them) will be what bears the load. I’m working from a Shaker table design, replacing the glued-in trestle with the wedged tenon. Hope it works! The current version is from construction lumber.
11 August 2017 at 5:57 pm #314472I would agree that the through tenon dimension isn’t critical. As you say, the shoulder size matters more. I’ve tapped the keys in pretty tightly, and there’s no sign of any imminent damage to the tenon. So long as the keys are a loose fit in the cross-grain direction you should be OK.
I’d be interested to see photo’s of your project if you get a chance.
Steve
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