Woodworker's Journal 2010-34-1, страница 46

Adding the Leg Inserts and Slats

Modified cut-offs from the bench and table legs were used as clamping blocks to aid the process of gluing and clamping the leg inserts securely. The tape holds them in place to aid clamping.

The bench parts (the slats are shown here) were all brushed with a coat of salad bowl oil. The oil was allowed to dry completely, then a coat of beeswax was applied.

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The seat slats are attached from below through a cleat. Come from each end to the middle, using a spacer to keep the gap between slats equal.

the face of the top rails, making enough of a shadow line to be in keeping with the other radiused edges and the gap shadows.

Because the grain of the top is on the diagonal, it wouldn't be prudent to attach it in the normal way, with buttons, because the shrinkage and expansion is at right angles to the grain. The gap between the leg and the top is sufficient to camouflage the small dimensional changes which may occur. Instead, the top is held to the underframe by screwing through the angled corner blocks. Oversized clearance holes accommodate wood movement. In this way, corner blocks are sort of a two-for-one solution because, cut and attached accurately, they help any corner joint resist stress in addition to securing the tabletop.

Leg Accents

The legs on the table and benches have square moldings glued to the inside angle. All the show edges of this piece are radiused. The moldings, which fill out the legs, create rabbets, adding highlights and shadows. They also hide the screws. Clamping blocks for the moldings (photo, above left) are made from leg cut-offs. Using a wide chisel, it is easy to split off the corners at 45° which proved a clamping face.

Final Details

It always seems that tasks stretch out as you get to the end of a project. One main advantage of the methodology directed here is that the finish is already applied. In this case, when the last screw is driven, you are done with the piece. Ready to put the table and benches in place and begin to enjoy an epicurean delight — with or without splatters. q

Ian Kirby is a master woodworker and a regular contributor to Woodworker's Journal. He is the author of The Complete Dovetail from Linden Press and many other books.

To that original

constraint, editor in chief Rob Johnstone added that he thought the seating should be contained within the footprint of the table when not

in use.

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February 2010 Woodworker's Journal