Monday, January 19, 2009

Table Talk

Way back in July, Mistah and I got a banged-up but really cool round table at a yard sale . . . for $5. I blogged about it (naturally) here.

It’s a handsome table,
.
which expands to 7 feet,

although its incredible expandability didn’t do us much good, since we didn’t have anything to put into all that expanded space.

And dinner parties tended to be a little crowded.

We needed leaves.

Enter Handy Dad.

We asked Dad if we could commission him to make us a couple of custom-fit leaves for our cool old table. And Dad said yes. Because he rocks.

He and I went back and forth for a couple of weeks, me measuring the width of the apron and the thickness of the table top and taking photos of the profile, and emailing them to Dad. Then he and Mom had the audacity to go to San Diego for a week, completely ignoring us and our top-priority project.

When they finally returned, though, they drove right up last Wednesday, for a fitting.

My Dad’s a perfectionist – a really good quality in a surgeon – and the two leaves are absolutely, well, perfect.

The table, however, is not.

When it opens, the table changes from a perfect circle to an imperfect oval.

Thankfully, Dad brought 2 routers and a saber saw so we headed out onto the deck in the 6ยบ night, to make some adjustments.

We routered and we sawed, until the perfect leaves matched the imperfect table.

And after we finished with the power tools we hammed it up for the camera.

Next we turned the whole shebang upside down, so we Dad could add the hardware to connect the leaves to eachother and to the existing table. Mom and I did a lot of supervising.

Dad just goes and goes and goes until the project is done. Aren't those leaves gorgeous?

There were, of course, refreshments. And the crock pot was simmering with yum chicken-curry-ginger-tomato delight.

Bill and Mom and Dad chose a stain that best matched the existing color, so Dad could take those now-perfectly-imperfect leaves home, and finish them. He's also going to make legs, to support the far-apart table ends when the table is open to its full, proud, impressive 7 feet.

The legs will screw into existing hardware on the table's underbelly.

The hands of my parents, and my dad's handiwork. A mid-week visit in the middle of January -- what a delightful treat.

Thanks, Dad! Awesome job. Now get to work on those table legs, wouldja?

13 comments:

Me, You, or Ellie said...

Two questions: where do I get a dad like that, and how do you make the chicken-curry-ginger-tomato delight?

Me, You, or Ellie said...

Arrgh, forgot to leave my name, AGAIN..... the above questions were asked by

Beth

Nancy said...

Wow, I'm impressed ... very nice.

Mmmm, I can almost smell that chicken simmering. =)

Springer Kneeblood said...

I want you dad to teach me what he knows. Yes, woodworking, surgery, the works. It would be even better if he could distill it into something injectable so a simple little shot with a hypodermic needle would imbue me with vast sums of wisdom and skill. Would you take care of that, please?

Unknown said...

Fantastic work! I'm unfortunately a 'good enough' kind of guy when it comes to building things.

Captain Dumbass said...

Wow, your dad is impressive. And a $5 table? Nice.

Me, You, or Ellie said...

Beth, the crockpot curry chicken is an excellent, excellent recipe. I'll email it to you.....

Ellie

Anonymous said...

I love that 5 dollar table. I've been looking for one just like that for ages. I don't even need leaves because I don't have enough chairs to put around a big table anyway. And if I did, there would be no room to put them. If more than 6 people want to eat at my place they have to stand

Anonymous said...

Did you have the crock pot in the Westy? See, there are good things to settlin' down in good ole New England - crock pots!!

P.S. This weather still sucks.
P.P.S. Mike is heading to FL tomorrow morning for the week - he sucks, too.

Me, You, or Ellie said...

Awww, I love to see you guys! Table looks great, and y'all look so darned happy to be up in the tundra. I miss you guys. And send me the recipe too, please.

Jacquie

Anonymous said...

your dad and mine are made of the same mould.

Awesomeness.

Anonymous said...

Dads are so awesome... especially ones that can make things... wooden things... I miss my dad a lot, but thankfully I married a man who is good with wood and loves building. Bless their pea pickin' hearts.

Great table!

Di
The Blue Ridge Gal

Anonymous said...

Wow! That is one cool dad. Awesome job.