How to Build a Drop-Leaf Table for a Sewing Room

Every seamstress or tailor can benefit from a good cutting table. It makes cutting patterns and lining up fabric much easier and more precise. Drop-leaf cutting tables are an especially good choice for your sewing room. Unlike an ordinary cutting table, these collapsible pieces of furniture can fit into small spaces and grow when you need them to. You'll require a little bit of carpentry experience to build one, but it'll last you a long time.

Instructions

1

Cut and glue your hardwood stock to form panels for the table top and aprons, as directed by your drop-leaf table plans. Allow to dry.

2

Square the stock for the legs, then cut to the length specified by your plans. Use a taper jig set to a 2-degree angle to cut the taper into the table legs.

3

Use a 3/8-inch forstner drill bit to cut overlapping holes into this face of the leg. This prepares the leg for the mortise. Mortise the leg to the size and dimensions appropriate for your plans.

4

Prepare the aprons by cutting them to the finished dimensions specified by your plans. Cut the tenons on each end of the aprons with a 1/2-inch deep rabbeting bit. Adjust bit height using scrap stock of the same thickness as the aprons.

5

Set your table saw to 3/4 inch and make the tenon shoulder. Remove the shoulders up to your rabbeted cut, to allow the tenon to fit the mortise correctly.

6

Rout the bottom edge of each apron along its full length, using a 1/4-inch edge beating bit. Rout the end grain of your gate leg apron (the part that lacks a tenon). Make certain the gate leg apron is oriented correctly before cutting.

7

Glue mortise and tenon on each apron and leg. Clamp the assembly squarely, checking the fit as you go. Glue table mounting cleats while the assembly remains clamped, according to your table plans.

8

Cut the top panels to their finished size. Place the leaf panels face-down on a backing board. Use a circle cutting jig to cut the rounded table leaves to shape to create the drop-leaf joint.

9

Use your router and 1/2-inch round-over and 1/2-inch cove bits to create the drop-leaf joint. Rout the round-over profile on all four tabletop edges. Rout the round outside edge of the leaves with this bit, but not the straight edge. Change to the cove bit and rout the straight edge.

10

Place your tabletop and leaves face down, so that they line up correctly. Position three hinges on each leaf to add the proper support. Mortise the hinges into the tabletop and leaf so that they lie flat. Mount the gate leg and gate leg apron, and surface mount their hinges.

11

Drill mounting holes through the mounting cleats and secure the top to the base, using 1 1/4-inch screws. Secure the cleats along the outside of the apron to form the gate leg stops.

12

Close the table leaves and turn the table upright. Finish by sanding, staining, and oiling or polyurethaning according to your preference. Top with cork and fabric to make pinning easier.