The stand or small table illustrated in Figs. 29 and 30 is an example of what the woodworker can accomplish in the line of furniture making when he has an elementary knowledge of wood turning. From the wood turner's point of view, this project is very simple, as there is only one turned piece. The turning of this piece, moreover, does not involve any particular difficulties. The method of procedure is clearly shown in Fig. 31.

A cardboard pattern should be made for the three legs according to the method of laying out shown in Fig. 30. In placing the pattern on the wood, see that the grain runs the long way, otherwise the legs are likely to snap at their narrowest point. They may be fastened to the turned column either with a mortise and tenon joint or with dowels. The latter method is the easier and, indeed, gives a stronger joint than a poorly made mortise and tenon.

First cut the legs with a turning saw or on a band saw, square the ends, and round the outer edges with spokeshave, scraper, and sandpaper. The part of the legs that fits the column must be curved. This can be done easily by turning a cylinder a little less in diameter than the column - in this case about 1¼ in. Glue a piece of No. 1½ or 2 sandpaper to it. When dry, put the cylinder in the lathe and hold the end of the legs against it until a curve of the proper shape has been formed (Fig. 32).

Fig. 32. - Using a sandpaper-covered cylinder to shape the legs to fit the turned column.

Locate the centers for the dowels as follows: Wrap a piece of paper around the column and cut it so that the ends just meet. Fold it into three equal parts and lay off these divisions on the column. Place each of these marks level with the top of the tool rest and draw horizontal lines on the column.

Fig. 31. - Throe stops in turning the tilt-top table column. Grooves are first turned to the correct depths, as previously described, and these guide the finishing cuts.

Fig. 33. - One of the legs with dowels inserted, all ready to be glued to the turned column.

Fig. 34. - One leg at a time is glued to the column and held firmly with three hand screws.

Mark the corresponding center lines on the legs with a marking gage and lay out the points for the dowels. Set the marking gage to 1 in. and, holding the block of the gage against the lower end of the column and against the corresponding edge of the legs, mark lines crossing the six center lines already marked. Set the gage to 2½ in. and from the same edges mark another set of lines crossing the center lines. Bore for dowels at these twelve points (Fig. 33) and fit each leg to the column.

Glue one leg at a time as shown in Fig. 34, using three hand screws. One of these is clamped firmly to the leg to be glued, and the other two force it tightly against the column.

The top may be octagonal, round, elliptical, or kidney shaped; it may be embellished with inlays or painted decorations, or it may be left plain. If it is to be fixed firmly to the base, a piece 1 by 4 by 18 in. with a l½ -in. hole bored in the center, is screwed to its underside. The top is then fastened to the base.

Fig. 35. - The three parts that are necessary to mount the table if the top is to tilt.

If the top is to be made to tilt, two strips 7/8 by 1 by 18 in. and a block 1 by 6 by 6 in., as shown in Fig. 35, provide the tilting mechanism. A l½-in. hole is bored in the center of the block, which is later glued to the top of the column. Two dowels are also glued into one end of the block, and corresponding holes are bored in the side strips. The upper rear end of the block is rounded off so that the top can move freely.

It should be remembered to glue the block to the column in such a way that one leg is perpendicular to the surface of the top when the latter is tilted to a vertical position, as otherwise the stand would be unstable. A brass catch, called a table catch, is screwed to the underside of the top and locks it to the block when in a horizontal position.