This week Rob and the crew invited me to share one of my past favorite projects to continue our celebration of National Woodworking Month.
I’m sharing this dining table that I designed and built for my home eight years ago. I chose it because it’s a rare example of a project that if I wouldn’t change at all if I were to build it again (something I almost never say about past projects). After enjoying countless meals and games around it, I can say I have no regrets.
There are several things I like about it. First, I like the style — it’s inspired by the furniture that came out of the Danish Modern design movement. It’s clean and features a few simple details that make it unique, including the slightly curved side edges on the top, the undercut deep bevels on the ends and the legs that feature tapered inside faces and a 1″ radius on the outside faces.
Second, I like the size. The top dimensions are 30-1/2″ x 61″, which is smaller than most typical dining tables. I needed this table to fit in a small space and yet have enough room for my four family members. The size is also consistent with many Danish Modern dining tables.
This table also features an extension mechanism, so it can be expanded to be 2 ft. longer to accommodate a couple guests. This is the third reason I enjoyed this project. It taught me a new skill. It was the first time I installed such a mechanism, and that was an interesting challenge.
Please keep your project photos and descriptions coming in! We’re really enjoying seeing them — and so will other readers when they’re posted to our website soon!
Dan Cary, Woodworker’s Journal
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