Pleated Table

Table-saw-cut coves and tapers will have friends asking, “How’d you do that?”

Modern lines and classic details make for a table that would look good in almost any room. The table ends consist of tapered pieces, alternating coved and flat, that create a pleated, fabric-like texture across the surface.

And cutting the coves is easier than you think. We’ll show you how.

Let’s cut some coves

1 Cut to size the cove pieces (A) and flat pieces (B) [Materials List], but don’t taper them yet.

2 Install an 80-tooth blade in your tablesaw, raise it to 3⁄16", and mark the position of the blade on the table [Photo A].

3 Build the parallelogram jig [Drawing 1], then mark the feed angle on your tablesaw surface [Photo B].

4 Build the cove-cutting jig [Drawing 2] and clamp it to your tablesaw [Photo C].

5 Set the blade height 1⁄16" above the base of the jig, and slowly feed each cove piece (A) across the blade, making a pass on each face. Cut the coves to final depth [Drawing 3], raising the blade 1⁄16" per pass. Sand the coves to remove the saw marks.

One-way ticket to taper town

1 Rout centered dovetail slots in the top ends of four flat pieces (B) [Drawing 3, Photo D].

2 Cut the stretchers (C) to size [Exploded View], including an extra 12"-long piece for router setup. Rout a tongue on the test piece [Photo E]. When it fits well, rout dovetail tongues on the ends of the stretchers. Trim the tongues to length, then shape the curve on the stretchers [Exploded View].

Tip! Use a thin-kerf blade or 1⁄16" router bit to maximize glue surface.

3 Build the tapering jig [Drawing 4], and taper the inside edges of four cove pieces (A) [Drawing 3, Photo F]. Taper both edges of the remaining eight cove pieces [Photos G, H].

4 Reposition the clamp blocks and taper one edge of the flat pieces (B) [Drawing 3]. Reset the clamp blocks again to taper the remaining edge of each. Finish-sand the cove and flat pieces (A, B).

5 Cut or rout shallow grooves in the edges of the flat pieces (B) [Drawing 3], then assemble three As and two Bs at a time [Photo I]. Glue and clamp the two halves together with the center flat piece (B).

Top it off

1 Glue up a panel for the top (D). After the glue dries, bevel the edges and ends [Exploded View].

2 Finish-sand the top. Finish-sand the stretchers (C) and glue them into the dovetail slots on the ends [Exploded View]. Touch up any sanding and apply a finish to the base and the top (D). We used General Finishes Satin Arm-R-Seal.

3 Once the finish dries, drill counterbores in the stretchers (C) to accept the figure-8 fasteners, and attach the top (D) to the frame, centered [Exploded View]. Place your table in its new home and listen for the compliments to unfold before you.

A Use masking tape to indicate where the blade teeth enter and exit the table surface. Mark the right side of the blade at the front and the left side at the back.

B Set the parallelogram jig to 2" and position it on the saw, touching the inside points of your pencil marks. Install a long fence on your miter gauge and set it parallel to and 1½" from the jig. Mark a line on the table along the fence.

C Remove the throat plate from your saw and clamp the jig over the opening, aligned with your pencil mark. Turn on the saw and raise the blade 1⁄16" above the jig base. Drill the dust-collection holes, staying clear of the blade and the table surface.

E Without changing the bit height, reposition the fence to remove just a bit from each face of your test piece. Keep moving the fence away from the bit, working both faces each time, until you have a tight fit in your dovetail slot.

Raise the dovetail bit 3⁄8" above the table, and position the fence to center the bit on the end of a flat piece (B). Use a stopblock or a piece of masking tape to establish the cut length.

F Set your tablesaw fence to the width of the jig, then set a cove piece (A) against the end block of the jig. Position the back edge flush with the edge of the jig and the front end centered, using a spacer for support. Move the clamp blocks up against the workpiece and screw them in place.

H Flip the cove pieces (A) face for face and align the other end mark with the edge of the jig. Reposition the clamp blocks and taper the other edges.

G Mark two lines on the top end of each remaining cove piece (A), ½" from each edge. Align one of the marks with the edge of the jig and reposition the clamp blocks against the workpiece. Taper the first edge of the remaining eight cove pieces.

I Glue and clamp the end pieces (A, B), using spacers to keep everything centered. Apply glue only between the kerfs—they trap and prevent squeeze-out.