18th Century Tip-Top Table

Building an 18th Century Tip-Top Table

All things being equal, I will look for any excuse to turn something on the lathe. I began the week thinking about how much energy we use when we focus on the center of things. How we might define the center of our community, our family, ourselves … and as we spin on our center, how the centrifugal force might reach out and pull them closer or pull us further inside. When turning on a lathe, we talk about turning “between centers,” so turning seemed to be a fitting start to the week.

The center post of this 18th century tip-top table is turned between centers, a headstock mounted with a toothed spur and a tailstock with a live center. Looking at Lester Morgan’s drawing, he specifies a thick center post with a variety of shapes. I didn’t have any solid black walnut lumber thick enough so I began by laminating 2 pieces. It will be stronger and more stable anyway. Drawing the pattern full-size and making a template helps to visualize the transition from bead to cove. I take some liberties. The most complicated bit of this table is the joint were the legs, will join the central post using a sliding dovetail. I design my version with a 1” tenon on each end that will fit into my shop made jig for cutting those.

I use the bandsaw to slice a shallow “x” in each end and mount the turning blank in my lathe. It spins on its center and and I use the roughing gouge, as Tom would have said, like a man possessed. Chips fly and get stuck in my beard. In and out, up and down, roughing and smoothing, the blank takes shape. I take more liberties here too.

I finished up the week designing the shape of the legs. Back to consulting Margon’s drawing, the legs use a variety of curves that he plots using a 10”x10” grid. It would be easy to assume that I would begin with a 10”x10” plank. However, I have to remember the grain, its strengths and weakness. I draw the grid but I’ll spin it on its center by 45 degrees when I cut the leg out. The grain will follow the shape rather than be arbitrary to it.

Using the center

to think ahead

so that I can use the center.