Teaching TABLE

At the JD Lohr School of Woodworking, we use this hall table project as a vehicle to teach fundamental approaches to furniture making. By building this piece, you’ll learn a slew of great techniques that will give you a jump start in your woodworking education.

For example, when making the top, you’ll learn how to glue up a strong panel with attractively composed grain. Same thing for the legs; whether you’re cutting them from 8/4 stock, or laminating them to thickness, I’ll show you how to achieve visual harmony on all the faces. The technique for tapering the legs will also serve you when making many future tables. As for the aprons, you’ll discover a simple, time-honored trick for laying out their curves, and a neat planing trick for fairing their edges after cutting.

For the best in structural integrity and longevity, you won’t find this piece constructed with screws, but with venerable mortise-and-tenon joinery. I’ll show you how to make these joints to ensure that your