James Hoerter

Demilune Table

This year I found an interesting plan for a curved-front table in the October 1991 Woodsmith magazine.  It was featured as a piece to learn kerf bending as a technique for creating curved aprons. I was attracted to this plan because I wanted to learn a technique that I could use to make curved veneered hall tables similar to those of the Federal period. The elliptical top and legs of this table are solid mahogany.  The curved case is made from plywood, and the  aprons were kerfed to produce the curved shape.  The aprons  were then veneered with mahogany.  The mahogany top is inlayed with walnut.  The tapered legs have top and bottom panels of walnut veneer, and all corners of the legs were rabbeted ( 1/4 x 1/4) and inlayed with walnut. The legs were beaded at the  transition between the flat and tapered section of the leg.  The elliptical table top measures 36”x 14”.  The height is 30”.  The table was finished with blonde shellac.