#HTE

Hand Tool School #9: Why Tables Are My Favorite Furniture Form to Build

Image courtesy of Kari Hultman

I like tables. Dining tables, side tables, hall tables, you name it, I like it. I have a folder on my computer that I keep images of pieces I would like to make or that inspire me in some way. I was looking through it last night, only to discover that 80% of what was in there is some form of table.

Hall Table by Robert Ortiz

And why not? Tables are highly functional, use little material, and with such a basic form, are open to so much interpretation and embellishment. Heck, even a workbench is a type of table, and we all like those!

The skills required to build tables vary widely as well.

Coffee Table by Seth Rolland

From the rank beginner cutting their first mortise and tenons, to a polished master carving intricate details into the knee of a shaped leg, one could trace the progress of their skill using tables alone and get to tackle a different challenge in every project.

I especially like how you can explore different styles from different time periods, or even the same style but from different makers. With each foray, you learn a little about the maker, the time period, and your own skill limits.

The Arts & Crafts philosophy has always been appealing to me. So I took the opportunity to build this simple Stickley Tabouret. My wife wanted a square top, so I complied but longed for more curves. Later, giving into the curve bug, I built a similar tabouret but in the style of Charles Limbert, a contemporary of Stickley. Using the same form, I explored different kinds of joinery, finishes, and shapes. Both tables show off elements of the Arts & Crafts period, yet express themselves in such different ways. Moreover, they were built in very different ways, one using modern machines and the other entirely by hand power.

The basic Shaker side table is a fun build, and the simple construction and clean lines makes it a timeless piece. In an attempt to tackle eccentric turnings and satisfy my love of Queen Anne furniture, I built this same table and added stylistic elements, transforming it into a new experience. It is the same form yet, like the Arts & Crafts example, conveys a very different emotion. Likewise, the Queen Anne version challenged me in new ways, which was a lot of fun.

Expanding on the Queen Anne form, simplifying it a bit and changing the size, you end up with an even different product like this Tavern Table from Charlton’s Coffee House in Colonial Williamsburg. The turned legs are similar, but without the eccentric aspect and pad foot, a different feel is again conveyed. I think this will be a good next step in following this specific evolution.

What intrigues me about the table is that I can experiment with so many different aspects while keeping many the same. This provides a certain comfort zone with small doses of scary that keep you engaged, yet not paralyzed. I guess the problem is that in reality, the average household can only use so many tables, so I’m either going to have to start selling some of these or add some rooms onto my house.

Of course, once I’m done with tables, I can always move on to the more complicated big brother: Desks!

(Sigh). So many projects…so little time.

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