Country Kitchen Work Table

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Pre-turned legs and loose tenons make this table simple, stylish, and strong.

Designer/Builder/Writer: Craig Bentzley

Kitchens demand more from every square inch than any other room. To earn its keep, the furniture in it must serve multiple uses. That’s the inspiration for this table. The drop-leaf table offers space for everything from food preparation to informal meals. In addition, the classic design makes it suitable for other rooms and functions.

Router-made mortises and loose tenons keep the joinery quick, strong, and simple. We also designed it to be cost-effective. By deciding to paint the base (see “Add Crackle to Your Finish,” page 39), we were able to use less-expensive materials (poplar, soft maple, and plywood), keeping the total materials bill under $400.

Best of all, you don’t need a lathe! We used pre-turned legs from Osborne Wood Products (see the Convenience-Plus Buying Guide, page 37) that cost less than $125, including shipping. If you decide to take a spin at turning, you can download CAD drawings of the leg from the company’s Web site.

Cut the base parts to size

1 Starting with the pre-turned legs (A), lay out the locations (including the mortises) for the side aprons (B), the rear apron/rail assembly (C, D), stretchers (G, H), and drawer rails (E, F) where shown in Figures 1, 4, and 5. Note that the side aprons (B), rear apron assembly (C, D), and the upper and lower drawer rails (E, F) are inset ¼" from the outer face of the legs. The stretchers (G, H) are inset by 1" and centered in the square section of the leg. Mark the legs’ orientation on the top ends for easy identification.

2 Prepare 1"-thick stock for the side aprons (B), rear apron assembly (C, D), drawer rails (E, F), stretchers (G, H), drawer divider (I), center drawer runner (J), drawer kicker (K), leaf support guide and leaf support (L, M), and drawer fronts

(Q) to the dimensions in the Cut List, but cut all parts long for final trimming. Label the parts for easy identification.

3 Clamp the rear apron assembly (C, D) together and test-fit the leaf support (M) between the panels (D). Adjust the panels so that the support slides smoothly within the opening and then mark the apron assembly to ensure proper alignment at glue-up. Glue and clamp the rear apron assembly. Once the glue dries, center the opening and trim both ends to final length.

4 Install a ¼" beading bit into a table-mounted router and shape the outer edges of the stretchers (G, H), the bottom edge of the side aprons (B), the rear apron assembly (C, D), and the bottom edge of the lower drawer rail (F). (A beading bit creates a decorative detail and softens sharp edges so that they aren’t as susceptible to dents.) Next, install a 1/8" round-over bit and soften the inside edges of the stretchers.

5 Cut the side aprons (B), drawer rails (E, F), and stretchers (G, H) to length as indicated in the Cut List.

6 Now lay out the mortise locations for aprons (B), rear apron assembly (C, D), lower drawer rail (F), and stretchers (G and H) where shown in Figure 1.

7 If you don’t own a mortising jig, build the “Shop-Made Mortising Jig” (page 32). To rout the legs (A), clamp the jig to the edge of your workbench and attach the fence guide to your router. Clamp a horizontal support to the jig, and then position and clamp the legs to the jig, using the mortise layouts as a guide. With a plunge router equipped with a ½" spiral upcut bit, make the 1¼"-deep mortises on the legs (A) as shown in Photo A.

Plunge the router to the full depth at each mortise end. Rout out the waste between the mortise ends in ¼"-deep increments.

Orient all the parts with their show faces touching the jig so that the mortises line up.

Dry-assemble the base

1 Glue one end of the loose tenons into the mortised parts of the apron (B, D), rail (F), and stretchers (G, H) to assist with the dry assembly. Clean up any squeeze-out with a damp cloth.

2 Using a biscuit joiner, cut the #20-sized slots on the side aprons (B), rear apron assembly (C, D), and upper drawer rail (E) for the tabletop fasteners. Locate the slots to agree with your choice of tabletop fasteners and where shown in Figure 1.

3 Make the shelf supports (U, V) and cut the slots for the tabletop fasteners with a biscuit joiner down from the top edges as before. With a marking gauge, scribe a line on the inside faces of the stretchers (G, H) 7/8" down from top edge so that the shelf sits 1/8" below the top edge. Using the scribed line as a guide, attach the shelf supports to the stretchers with glue and screws.

Chop down and then in to remove the waste. Use a skew chisel or knife to clean out the corners.

Assemble the base

1 Start with the base sides. Test-clamp the legs (A), side aprons (B), side stretchers (G), and outer drawer guides (O) together, without glue. If everything fits, disassemble, apply glue, and re-clamp.

2 Dry-assemble the entire base. You may need an extra pair of hands to position the rear apron assembly (C, D), lower drawer rail (F), and front/rear stretchers (H) when tightening the clamps. After checking the fit, disassemble, apply glue, and then reassemble. Finally, position the drawer divider (I) and kicker (K) in place and then tap in the dovetail ends of upper drawer rail (E) as shown in Photo F.

3 Make the outer drawer runners (P). Refer to the

Cut List, but check the fit on

the actual piece. Glue and clamp in place, making the runners’ top edges flush with the top face of lower drawer rail (F).

4 Cut the center drawer/leaf support guides (L) to fit in the base as shown in Figure 1. Cut the leaf support (M) long for now.

Apply glue in the dovetail mortises and tap the upper drawer rail home with a mallet.

Once set, the drawer-lock bit routs the locking profile in one pass. Use a backer block to prevent blowout at the end of the cut.

Cut the mating drawer lock profile in the side using a tall fence.

Build the Drawers

1 Fit the drawer fronts (Q) to the drawer openings. Referring to the Cut List, cut the drawer sides (R) to width, but leave them long.

2 Install a drawer-lock bit in a table-mounted router. Raise the bit above the tabletop and set the fence. Using a zero-clearance fence, make a test cut to match the Drawer Joint Detail in Figure 6. Now, rout the drawer fronts (Q) as shown in Photo G.

3 Without changing the bit height, slide the fence forward so the small diameter of the bit is flush with the fence face. Rout the sides, as shown in Photo H.

4 Cut the grooves for the drawer bottoms (T) on the table saw with a standard-width blade. To do this, raise the blade to ¼", set the fence ½" from the inside face of the blade, and make the first cut on the inside face of each drawer side (R), drawer front (Q), and a piece of scrap. Now using the scrap piece, adjust your fence and make a second cut to widen the kerf to match the bottom’s thickness. Complete the grooves on the drawer parts.

5 Measure from the inside face of the rear apron assembly (C, D) to the outside edge of the lower drawer rail (F). (This will be your total drawer length for a flush fit.) Now, dry-fit the drawer front (Q) to the drawer sides (R) and mark the measured length on the back ends of the sides. Cut the sides to length. Next, cut ½" wide dadoes ¼" deep in the sides for the drawer backs (S). Finally, cut the drawer backs to size.

6 Locate and drill centered holes for the pulls (Shaker knobs) in the drawer fronts (Q).

7 Cut the drawer bottoms (T) to size. Glue up the drawer front, back, and sides, and then slide the bottoms into the grooves. Secure the bottoms in place with three 3/4" nails through the bottom and into the drawer backs (S).

With the top in place, extend the leaf support assembly (M, N) and mark it as shown. (Top removed here for clarity.)

Drill through your mark and glue in the dowel that serves as the leaf support stop.

Drill pilot holes for the screws and attach the top with tabletop fasteners.

About Our Designer/Builder

Craig Bentzley has been restoring antiques and building furniture for nearly 40 years. 

His primary interest is 18th century American furniture. In addition to writing, Craig also teaches at guilds, woodworking shows, and at Woodcraft stores.