Kitchen Table plans/ideas

[longbarrel50]

I just bought some American Chestnut boards. They were milled from dead trees and thus have no nails or other metallic surprises. These are wide boards about 5/4.
I'd like to make a new kitchen table with this wood and need some ideas. I'd like to make a solid top, I really don't need leaf extensions.
So show me yours! Or tell me of some good ideas

Thanks,

Chris

[Kansas City Fireslayer]

I will recommend the book "Tables" by Anthony Guidice. I believe its a Taunton publication but he discusses the standard dimensions and clearances in this book as well as having some nice plans. There's a few on Ebay for $11 shipped.

I am finishing up a farm table that I've posted a few pictures of in the finishing forum and I used this book and Houghton's "Illustrated Cabinetmaking" book to compose my own plans.

Before you start your build, I'd highly recommend knowing or figuring out the chair height seat you most prefer. Then I'd figure out a comfortable table top height with the chairs. From there, have a good idea of how much thigh clearance you will need from the bottom of the apron if you use this style of table. Length and width will also need to be taken into consideration for the space it will go in. I made the width of my top a bit bigger. IIRC, 36-42" is recommended by Guidice and I went with 42.5" with the half inch for a safety cushion. Personally, I have a big space for a table and we will have plenty of room for serving dishes in-between the table settings. I measured out dimensions and then marked them with masking tape in our kitchen table area.

I used draw bored breadboard ends on my table with pegged M/T joinery for the aprons and legs. I beefed up the aprons with laminated 3/4" maple for 1.5" thickness. This was a good decision and I'm glad I had the foresight to do it now that the base is completed. I also added a 1/4" bead to the bottom apron and this really set it off. Overhangs of the top is somewhat personal preference.

One thing I would do is visit a big furniture store with your camera and tape measure. You can try out different chairs and visualize different dimensions before you commit to anything. FWIW, my finished top came in at 120 lbs. 42.5" wide, 76" long, 5/4" thickness. I took the two slabs of 22" each to the cabinet shop for drum sanding before carefully glueing those two slabs up for the top. The soon you can get it fastened to the base, the better. Mine has danced a little bit but not too terrible. I will dial it back in after attaching it to the base. Hope this helps.

[bbrickey]

Check out this gaming/dining table. Full size plans and instructional videos are available.
http://www.thewoodwhisperer.com/videos/g...ing-table/

If not, it will give you ideas of what you may want or don't ever want. Just FYI, he will be working on chairs to match around December.

No affiliation, just a happy customer.

[longbarrel50]

Thanks for the responses. I'm not even sure what style I want though I'm leaning towards a farmhouse style. I do like Federal period, but that may not fit our kitchen.
Neat idea for the game/dining table.
I appreciate the tips about chair height and leg room.

Chris