The McCoy Pedestal Table

[ Click here for a larger image of the pedestal table shown above.  This will take some time to load on a dial-up connection, but does provide more detail of the wood, the fit, and the finish. ]

A thick round top sits nicely on a pedestal.  The McCoy tops must be stiff enough to cantilever off the base and appear to float in the air.  Therefore, we build the round tops from our select 2" thick boards.  (See Our Dining Furniture for an explanation of how we select wood for a table top.)

I like the puzzle of laying out and gluing up the round tops.  The length of the shorter boards is a function of the width of the longer ones and the diameter of the top.  The curving edge of the top should complement, not compete with, the figure of the wood.  We shape the edge to lighten the top and please the hand.

The McCoy Pedestal Table is a kind of variation of the Mitchell Trestle Table where the ends are crossed and interlocked rather than separate and braced.  There are sixteen through mortise and wedged tenon joints in this base, so it could serve as a pedestal for a one ton truck.

Choices for the McCoy Pedestal Table:

• Kind of wood.  We stock and catalogue cherry, walnut, and maple, but we can build a dining set (table and chairs) of any available wood.
• Size of top.  42" is the smallest diameter that provides knee room for four, 48" is better.  64" is the max.
• Preparation and finish of the top.  (See Options for Finishing Dining Tabletops.)