How to Build a Demilune Table | Build It | Ask This Old House

In this video, This Old House general contractor Tom Silva and host Kevin O'Connor walk us through the process of building a demilune table.
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Kevin O'Connor meets general contractor Tom Silva back at the shop for a woodworking project: making a demilune table. After showing Kevin an example he built in shop class, the two get to work building the new table.
Difficulty: ⅘
Cost: Under $200
Time: Two days
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Materials:
Curve jig [amzn.to/3Bj8mMz]
Taper jig [amzn.to/3zeQCPE]
Slotting bit [amzn.to/3b7Oy3Y]
Scrap plywood [thd.co/3vj9YSq]
Glue [amzn.to/3ozQ7L3]
Hardwood stock [thd.co/3S39YQl] (1x12-inch board, 3x4-inch board, several 3x3-inch boards)
Sanding paste [amzn.to/3S5ZqQp]
Wood screws [thd.co/3b7PdT0]
Tools:
Tape measure [amzn.to/3z9lv8k]
Pencil [amzn.to/3S34OE1]
Compass [amzn.to/3ODnRlm]
Speed square [amzn.to/3OEoiM8]
Framing square [amzn.to/3PxW86Z]
Rubber mallet [amzn.to/3Bi3siH]
Table saw [amzn.to/3OEqCmk]
Clamps [amzn.to/3vmlTz3]
Jointer [amzn.to/3PJXg7B]
Planer [amzn.to/3oxC9cD]
Combo square [amzn.to/3Jc7Dyp]
Miter saw [amzn.to/3vj0WoC]
Mortising machine [amzn.to/3z9j31v]
Router with templating guide [amzn.to/3oz2yqD]
Circular saw [amzn.to/3zBv2pS]
Build It:
This Old House general contractor Tom Silva, This Old House host Kevin O’Connor, and special guests including Jimmy DiResta, take you through step-by-step DIY projects in this popular video series. From end-tables to cutting boards to wine racks to chicken coops and more, learn how to build from the best pros in the game. Segments include mention of all tools and materials needed to get the job done.
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How to Build a Demilune Table | Build It | Ask This Old House
/ thisoldhouse

[@jpe1]

I guess those were popular shop projects back in the day. My dad made one when he was in high school, around 1936, I still have it. The story he told is that he finished it sooner in the semester than expected, so each class the teacher told him to apply another layer of wax finish, so by the time the school year was over and he brought it home it had like a dozen layers of wax, and it still looks great to this day, I’ve never done anything other than dust it.

[@Supermuttt]

As a highschool shop teacher I would definitely show my wood 2 students this.

[@pjmorgan]

Bold move with the circular saw at the end 🥵

[@mattrinne]

Bravery test!

[@johnsee7269]

Tom always amazes with his master craftsman explainations/demonstrations... I had to watch one of his door hanging videos five times to get the hang of it; no lie!

[@teeing9355]

Tommy always makes things look so easy, true master.

[@vokey310]

How can anybody not love Tom Silva?!

[@TuckerSP2011]

Such a beautiful, elegant, timeless design.

[@loueckert4970]

Do schools still have shop classes? I hope so. I learned a lot in wood shop and metal shop. My shop teacher taught us morse code and electronics after school and we became ham radio operators. So lucky to have Bill Cole as a teacher.

[@nytechteacher7432]

I will start my 19th year teaching Tech Ed this fall. Yes, woodworking is still taught at my school. I teach 7th and 8th grade in a hybrid room and teach Basic and Advanced Woodworking in the Senior High shop. My great uncle taught Industrial Arts in the 40s-60s and my father taught IA-Tech from the 70s-00s

[@chrisbrown456]

There's a KZbin channel you should look up if you ever need any project ideas called The Weekend Woodworker,its well worth A watch

[@johnbarnett2932]

I find Mr. Tom's level of craftmanship inspiring and mind-boggling. Thanks! @ Ask This Old House.

[@gregneal2735]

Looks like the perfect project for me an my grandson who likes woodworking still too young to operate power tools but dies like building stuff

[@flat-earther]

I think you mean does

[@MOONRAK3R23]

Tommy is the MAN!!

[@matthewviel4546]

We weren't making anything like that in my wood shop class. Doubt I could do that now without mistakes lol.

[@christophermcfarland8467]

Norm should think about creating a show like this that makes gorgeous traditional furniture

[@acerjuglans383]

He could call it The New Yankee Workshop! Oh wait....

[@ronevans3663]

Oh wow, Tommy did it again wonderful job.

[@BruceAUlrich]

Enjoyed the video! Great instruction, as always.

[@karl_alan]

Interesting router technique. Wouldn't have thought of doing that. I've always just used a jigsaw or bandsaw, but that worked slick.

[@MandoFettOG]

That’s what I thought too.. saved a lot of sanding time though

[@ArmyVet76]

Beautiful table. Thanks for sharing 🙏🏼❤️✝️❤️🙏🏼

[@glenschmeisser6633]

missing information on the 4 sided table leg taper cuts. After one cuts 3 sides, the last side does not have a square edge to align with the jig. so what did he do to cut the final (4th) taper in each of the 3 legs.

[@MKRM27]

And how did you do it at school, I assume without a handheld mortising jig?

[@johnmolnar2957]

Great to see this project !

[@GreggsWoodworking]

I love your taper jig.

[@stevet5238]

Tommy calling him Sonny , he gets no respect . ( as Rodney Dangerfield said ) LOL LOL

[@martyjosephson4937]

Very nice Project, the only thing I missed was the other two sides of the tapered legs, that was not shown.

[@twobitwoodworker]

It would have been using the same sled. For the third cut you'd have to use an offcut (from the first two cuts) between the piece and the sled's edge (for better bearing against the sled's edge). For the fourth cut you'd need to do the same thing but also Put another offcut between the piece and the base of the sled (to keep the piece from rocking and give it more bearing against the sled).

[@martyjosephson4937]

@@twobitwoodworker Thank you for the information

[@coreyhammonds2859]

Nice job

[@willsalaz]

Tommy is starting to show his age. I hope he's around many many more years

[@daveklein2826]

Still looks the same and better than ever

[@dandorry]

Awesome!

[@tjtampa214]

Trippy and 😎 cool.

[@erichroush8542]

Could you also get an effective curve by steaming the wood and bending it?

[@karl_alan]

You can, especially with that gradual an arc, but you also have to account for the wood to bounce back after you release it from the mold/jig, which can be finicky

[@rcjbvermilion]

It depends on the wood. Some woods can easily be steam bent but others will discolor or not bend.

[@24raulleon]

Best regards, I am a follower of your channel, I have a question for you who have the experience to solve all kinds of problems that a house has… I bought a family house a short time ago and it has some unusual movements, I They recommended to put some support columns in the basement and some cross beams in the attic, which I already did, but I still have those movements, can you please recommend me something to eliminate those movements of the whole house?

[@saulgoodman2018]

Why did he do the apron the way he did? Why not just use that MDF jig as the apron? Or use the tabletop material for the apron?

[@Guardducks]

Btw Tommy your center point was off center for the table top.

[@karl_alan]

While the bent lamination is a cool way to do it, I would argue that the amount of bulk material, and time, and work that go into making the bending mold are much more than the waste they were talking about when Kevin asked if they would be cutting it out of a solid block. And then he explains that because of the kerf of the saw, you actually need a thick board to cut all the strips from. I don't see how this saves any waste. It is really stable though.

[@gschoonheim]

Has a different and better look than cutting a block and having the end grain show

[@flat-earther]

Now how would this be done without all those power tools? This is what I think but anyone tell me your opinion; Instead of the laminating method, the curved aprons can be done from a solid block by first hand sawing the bulk of the material to the rough curve shape and finished by a spokeshave. The power jointer and planer are not needed to true up the laminated apron, because the solid block for the apron should be hand planed true, parallel and flat before shaping it. Now the mortises in the curved apron, I think it will be difficult to cut those once it's shaped, so maybe those can be cut in the right place with a chisel and hammer while it's still a solid block? Instead of the table saw taper jig, the legs can simply be tapered with a hand plane. Instead of the router to cut the table top curve, the bulk of the material can be sawn by a handsaw and finish shaping the curve with a spokeshave.

[@theresab.7020]

Can you teach me how to make a simple porch? I need to make one for my washer and dryer outdoors. I looked and you don't have a how to make a small porch video.

[@nytechteacher7432]

What is the brand of the sanding paste? I have not heard of that product before.

[@jwagnermail]

All I could find on sanding paste was instructions to use it on wood turning. I don't think it is really supposed to be used on flat pieces of wood. You can't get the polish needed to make it shine, unless maybe you use a polish pad in a drill?

[@karl_alan]

Does the sanding paste interfere with the glue up at all? Looks like it went all over the area where the two pieces connect except the mortise itself.

[@daveklein2826]

Not at all

[@flat-earther]

What is sanding paste?

[@robato3991]

Anyone know when a new season of the house renovation show will be back?

[@robato3991]

@@joe34012 great. It been ages since the last one.

[@theHAL9000]

9th grade ... wow. I made a box.

[@karl_alan]

How would this have been done pre-festool? Like, a sliding dovetail or standard mortise, or dado, or...? Not hating on festool, just curious how he actually did it in high school classes.

[@MKRM27]

I would expect a standard Mortis and tenon. Or dowels, and not to forget the floating tenon was not invented by festool - just the Domino

[@karl_alan]

@@MKRM27 definitely. Just with the curved aprons, I imagine it would be really hard to layout & execute standard tenons or sliding dovetails. And it would make it more complicated to line up dowels too. Definitely aware festool didn't invent the concept, but with these angles had a hard time wrapping my head around how this would have been done with all the curves.

[@gschoonheim]

Pocket screws? Or make your own floating tenon to insert after you chisel or router the hole yourself

[@Nill757]

All the materials listed in the description are readily found off the shelf, but there’s no mention of the source for the thin banding laminate pieces Tommy produces, the key to making a curved table top like this. A little help please?

[@twryder1]

They're just really thin cuts on a table saw. Most likely 1/8" or so

[@Nill757]

@@twryder1 If so, then they were planed off and sanded. No blade marks. And, cut from what? 1x4 hardwood something?.

[@gschoonheim]

A wel adjusted table saw leaves good enough surface for a glue up. Indeed from a ticker piece of mahogany (you can use our glue together board sections if necessary)

[@Nill757]

@@gschoonheim I guess so. Went back and checked. Tommy said, “I ripped them down on a table saw”, I assume from block hardwood that the other guy held up.

[@KJSvitko]

Good info for wood working. Seems like they both need some nutrition information for a long and healthy life.

[@newworldredglobe]

i see that incognito titebond II

[@flat-earther]

By the way the earth is flat

[@VinnieC262]

Hey, what's that bendable wood called

[@mitchdenner9743]

Its just thin veneer strips, anything thin enough will bend some, even sheetrock.

[@acerjuglans383]

A lamination.

[@waico3202]

Tommy is a true craftsman. Unfortunately, there are not many of them around anymore 😒😞😒😞

[@GrahamDIY]

That mahogany would be expensive

[@gschoonheim]

It would be alright, especially if you buy it rough and plane it yourself. Different price range than construction lumber indeed. Also you could buy second hand old furniture as a cheap way to get good wood

[@alext8828]

Yesterday? Why are they wearing the same clothes? Slobs.

[@lunchlady2023]

Who didn’t know Kevin has no clue.