A few weeks ago, I blogged about repairing an older piece from a dining room set. After that repair was completed, the next step was to tackle the table, which was in very poor shape.
The top was split and bowed, the aprons were falling apart,
not to mention that the table runners
were in terrible shape. Talk about a make-over!
First step - take the sucker apart!
Once everything was removed, it was a little easier to see what had to be remade, and what could be salvaged.
I felt like the old apron and corner pieces had to be saved, even though there was some damage to them. Those are the main parts that tie the piece together with the rest of the pieces, so even if I just used them ornamentally, it was important.
The new table top was to include two halves, plus three new leaves.
Here they are, planed and cut to size. You can see the three leaves in the background.
Duplicating the rounded corner wasn't too difficult. I traced it on the actual corners, to ensure that I didn't round off the wrong edge! Now that would be a pisser!
And then I made a pattern for the radius out of a scrap piece of MDF.
A straight bit in the router, with a collar around it will allow me to cut that curve on the corners quite nicely.
The difference between the bit and the collar is 1/8", I tested it with my set-up blocks.
And once that dimension was determined, I could clamp the pattern to the table top in the precise location.
As the Pioneer Woman would say - easy peasy. Cutting all four corners was simple.
Next step, routing the table top with an appropriate profile. Say that three times fast.
My buddy Danny brought over some ogee bits, since I didn't have one that I thought would work. But none of his were what I was looking for, either.
Still, I routed a few samples, to make sure.
And then... the "god-of-all-things-wood" stepped in and... well.... let's just say I took a few days off. No, it wasn't a router accident; my belt sander and I had a mis-understanding.
Coming up next - finding the perfect profile.
The top was split and bowed, the aprons were falling apart,
not to mention that the table runners
were in terrible shape. Talk about a make-over!
First step - take the sucker apart!
Once everything was removed, it was a little easier to see what had to be remade, and what could be salvaged. 
I felt like the old apron and corner pieces had to be saved, even though there was some damage to them. Those are the main parts that tie the piece together with the rest of the pieces, so even if I just used them ornamentally, it was important. 
The new table top was to include two halves, plus three new leaves.
Here they are, planed and cut to size. You can see the three leaves in the background.
Duplicating the rounded corner wasn't too difficult. I traced it on the actual corners, to ensure that I didn't round off the wrong edge! Now that would be a pisser!
And then I made a pattern for the radius out of a scrap piece of MDF.
A straight bit in the router, with a collar around it will allow me to cut that curve on the corners quite nicely.
The difference between the bit and the collar is 1/8", I tested it with my set-up blocks.
And once that dimension was determined, I could clamp the pattern to the table top in the precise location. 
As the Pioneer Woman would say - easy peasy. Cutting all four corners was simple.
Next step, routing the table top with an appropriate profile. Say that three times fast.
My buddy Danny brought over some ogee bits, since I didn't have one that I thought would work. But none of his were what I was looking for, either.
Still, I routed a few samples, to make sure.
And then... the "god-of-all-things-wood" stepped in and... well.... let's just say I took a few days off. No, it wasn't a router accident; my belt sander and I had a mis-understanding.
Coming up next - finding the perfect profile.
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