Gino Monteleone (Select Custom Joinery), Hall, ACT

Round to Round Extension Table
Blackbutt, redgum
1200/1600 dia x 744mm h

Materials
We have two main priorities when building furniture, firstly, we like to use recycled timber and secondly, we prefer to use Australian timbers. Recycled Australian timbers are available in a wide variety of timbers, are ecologically responsible and have a unique character about them that is appealing in the finished product.
The base of the table was constructed from recycled blackbutt which was sourced from Thor’s Hammer in the ACT—a local recycled timber merchant. Recycled blackbutt was chosen because of the colour and density of the timber. The colour is elegant without being overpowering and the density of the timber makes it suitable for a table.
A redgum burl was turned and used to support the legs. The burl was purchased from Urban Timber Recovery a local merchant close to the location of our workshop. The colour of the redgum provided a nice contrast to the blackbutt and the burl added character to the underside of the table.
Figured eucalypt veneer was designed in an eight panel sunburst veneer pattern for the tabletop. The figured eucalypt worked well with the blackbutt and redgum and kept with the Australian theme.

Joinery
The legs are mortised to the burl.
The curved rails are dowelled into the legs.
And the Infill pieces have been screwed.
The curved rails have been bent by laminating.

Glues
Kleiberit polyurethane, chosen for its strength with the density of the blackbutt.
AV180 was used on the dowel joints as it is easier than others to clean up.

Finishes
Two coats of Osmo Polix Oil were applied. Osmo Oil penetrates deeply into the timber creating a finish that is extremely water repellant, stain resistant and wear resistant as well as being a natural product that is non-toxic meaning it is safe for both the cabinetmaker to apply and the end user of the table.

Concept
When a client asked if we would be interested in building a round-to-round extension table, our curiosity was piqued and the challenge began.
We wanted to build a practical piece of furniture that would also be a feature in the room. The veneer for the table-top is cut into a sunburst design with eight panels. The table when extended seats eight people comfortably.
We found hinging the leaves to be quite a challenge. We needed a hinge that did not have any knuckle protruding when either open or closed. After a world-wide search for hinges we found only one hinge that we could use successfully. The solid brass hinges have been used as a feature given the necessity to have the hinges exposed when the table is extended.
When opened, the leaves fit into the tabletop with the mouldings on the edge and are locked quickly together using a cam-lock and allen key.
The tabletop is located into the frame with four custom made locating pins which allow it to tilt up for the leaves to be extended.
The legs were designed to maximise comfort and knee space. Due to the extension workings in the middle of the table we needed separate legs rather than using a pedestal. The redgum burl was needed to keep the legs stable and was used as a feature to contrast with the blackbutt.

Photos: John Tucker