Leather Top Table ( More Carving like a machine )

This is a low table, factory made, machine carved, it was built sometime in the first half of the twentieth century. It came in to the shop missing one leg otherwise in fair condition. One of the existing legs was split where it connected to the pedestal when someone drove a nail in to reinforce it. The split leg was removed and used as a pattern for the new leg.

The original legs were glued up with a cross grain strip down the middle for reinforcement, I did the same with the new blank.

After I glued up the blank I transferred the pattern to it with dividers.

Here you can see the marks left by the dividers. The measurements were taken directly from the original leg with dividers and transferred to the blank with the dividers and drawn in freehand.

By mounting the blank to a board I am able to use the leg vise to hold it while carving.

Further along.

By mounting the original leg under the new leg, I can make close comparisons and transfer direct divider measurements to the blank.

Further along.

More holding options.

More

Almost done.

Done.

By clamping blocks to the legs.

I was able to clamp and glue the legs to the table.

All the legs in place.

The leg stained with raw umber and Vandyke brown. You can see that it is not quite dark enough.

Here I applied a burnt umber glaze.

The glaze wiped down all that is left is a little toner and it’s done.

Then I will need to do a little work on the top.