by Carl Maples
The Tuck-Away table is a mid-18th century design. The plans come from Norman Vandel’s Queen Anne Furniture book, pages 134-143. Vandel’s plans are very good and don’t come with any surprises. The three most important parts of the build that have to be exact are: (1) The wood for the skirt/wooden hinge has to be stable and precisely cut; (2) because the legs come together when closed they have to be exactly alike. A book match grain pattern here enhances the look of the legs in the closed position. (3) The iron hinges have to be special made. I made mine by converting 2 Stanley gate hasps and then antiquing them by hammering them out, then heating them and blackening with beeswax. I used a router gig (much safer) instead of the lathe to made the disk. Dimensions: H 26” open, 40” closed; W 25” open, 4-7/8” closed Wood: American Black Cherry Finish: Shop made dye & stain, rubbed in oil finish. Hardware: converted Stanley gate hasps for hinges.