Tuscan trestle table ( Toscana tabella per la cucina di Pinzone )

comments (0) July 13th, 2009 in Reader's Gallery

Aurroa, member

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my friend Alfio wanted a trestle table for his restaurant that was tall enough to accommodate people standing with drinks and bar stools. i picked a classic, centuries old italian trestle design and embellished it with some of my favorite architectural details/joinery

table is 31” wide, 9 ft long with a 1.5” thick top, about 500 lbs
leg ornamental center sections are book end sawn walnut along with the carved trestle draw pins
table is finished with a thinned down polyrethane boiled linseed oil mix (multiple rubbed in coats) followed by a bees wax polish

1 & 1/2 inch top is fastened to the legs with snug fit sliding dovetails to allow room for seasonal expansion and still keep the top flat. i saw this used on some very old tables and thought it would be a good feature. i waxed the dovetail grooves, no glue or fasteners used on it.

each side leg is made up of a 3 piece assembly that is mortise and tenon together. the tables weight holds this assembly together, and it easily disassembles to its 3 component pieces with a mallet.

the sides (legs) are held to each other with a trestle and carved walnut draw pins. the pin holds the side amazingly stable, yet is easily removable with a mallet.

my friend Alfio wanted a trestle table for his restaurant that was tall enough to accommodate people standing with drinks and bar stools. i picked a classic, centuries old italian trestle design and embellished it with some of my favorite architectural details/joinery

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I just finished a Tuscan trestle table for a friend’s small Italian restaurant, and thought you might be interested in it.

-made from old salvaged attic floor timbers (from his brother's attic), lots or worn and powder post beetle borings, very heavy old growth wood
-made to be easily disassembled with no tools as the complete table weighs approximately 500 lbs
-joined together with dovetails, mortises and walnut wedged draw pins
-original design to reflect my friends concentration on simple, authentic hand made foods in his restaurant

table is 31” wide, 9 ft long with a 1.5” thick top
table completely disassembles with a mallet in minutes
top is dovetailed to the leg tops (a tight slide to facilitate expansion, but not loose)
leg tops are mortised to accept the leg upright and held in place by the tops heavy weight (250 lbs)
upright sides are glued up laminates of red oak on a center core of plywood and sides are 3.5” thick
side feet are 5” wide and are mortised to accept the side upright
trestle ends are tenonned into the leg side mortise and pulled tight with wedge draw pins

leg ornamental center sections are book end sawn walnut along with the carved trestle draw pins
trestle center section has my friends name carved in with scroll work

table is finished with a thinned down polyrethane boiled linseed oil mix (multiple rubbed in coats) followed by a bees wax polish

Design or Plan used: My own design

posted in: Reader's Gallery, table, carving, joinery, trestle

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