Double pedestal table leg design help

[will leingang]

Hi everyone, I need some help that only a large community like this can provide. I have been asked to help build a double pedestal base for a dining room table. It currently has no base. I found a few different examples, but the "client" liked these the best.

curved double pedestal.jpgmodern.jpg

My questions:
1. Can anyone tell me what the bulged pedestal is called on the table on the right? I would guess that's made from a single piece of wood that is cut down on a bandsaw?

2. I think to make the curved legs on the left, I would need to use a form with bent lamination, then mortise & tenon to keep those legs together?

3. Which is the more difficult of the two designs? I am thinking the design on the right.

4. Can I use softwood for the design on the right, and just use a gel stain or something to match a dark color but keep the grain? Cost is one of the big issues on this project and I am not charging for my part.

Thanks so much to anyone who can help!

Will

[John T Barker]

Hi everyone, I need some help that only a large community like this can provide. I have been asked to help build a double pedestal base for a dining room table. It currently has no base. I found a few different examples, but the "client" liked these the best.

curved double pedestal.jpgmodern.jpg

My questions:
1. Can anyone tell me what the bulged pedestal is called on the table on the right? I would guess that's made from a single piece of wood that is cut down on a bandsaw?

I wouldn't know what to call it. Names by manufacturers are often wrong, close to wrong, or occasionally correct, just like the names we see on stains. Making that from a solid piece of wood is expensive and asking for cracks. The likelihood of it being completely dry when cut is slim...that's easily 6" across...1" per year? It would either be glued from several boards or staved like a barrel. One could veneer after, depending on what the limit on cost is for the maker.

2. I think to make the curved legs on the left, I would need to use a form with bent lamination, then mortise & tenon to keep those legs together?

It would not need to be bent, if you don't want to go that route. It could be cut from plywood or you could make laminated legs. I imagine three layers would be sufficient with the middle layer angles to give strength to the grain run out of the outer layers. The laminations are visible while looking at the leg straight on so veneering would probably be desirable here as well. I'm sorry if my description is not clear...I don't write construction descriptions well.

3. Which is the more difficult of the two designs? I am thinking the design on the right.

I think there is more joinery to the one on the left and especially with the cross stretchers should time involved and difficult. The one on the right is simple glue up and a fair amount of cutting but less difficulty.

4. Can I use softwood for the design on the right, and just use a gel stain or something to match a dark color but keep the grain? Cost is one of the big issues on this project and I am not charging for my part.

I would not use a softwood but opt for a less expensive hardwood like poplar.

Good luck,
John