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Fig. 3: LFI TableNut is fastened to top with auto-body filler.Bullnose molding, purpleheartTop, 52 in. dia.Auto-body filler29Threaded rod, % in. dia.29 particleboard octagons:edge angle altered 1° each stepand size changed accordinglyThe gradually flaring pedestal of the 'IFfTable' (named with the customer's initials)blends into the subtly shaped underside ofthe top. The top 's pattern is created in partby the herringbone design of the AlpiN-iNveneer (see sidebar, p. 66).Blocking, 1Y2 in. by 2Y2 in.Off-the-shelf pine moldingsLeveling guideon the mold with router and tablesaw until a tight fit is obtained.Then the mold's two halves are glued together and lined with aluminumfoil to prevent the veneer from sticking to the mold. Toapply the cross-banding, center the veneer over the mold's opening.Wet the veneer's surface with Titebond, and apply severalclamps to press the veneer into the mold with the bullnose stock.After the glue cures 24 hours, the form can be tapped loose with a .hammer. Excess veneer is trimmed with a block plane, and the4-ft. lengths of bullnose are rabbeted to lap under the tabletop. Ithen miter each segment on the tablesaw and glue them to theedge of the top.Before assembling the table, I finish its parts with several coatsof lacquer. The underside of the top gets the same number ofcoats as the top. Then the top, pedestal and base are assembled,with %-in.-dia. threaded rod running through the pedestal andthe base. I inset a nut with auto-body filler in the underside of thetop and recess a nut and washer in the underside of the base.Building the LFI Table -The pedestal of the "LFI Table" (LFl arethe customer's initials) is constructed by stack-laminating 29%-in.-thick particleboard octagons (see the lower photo above).This is where the adjustable polygon jig really comes in handy. Toform the flare in the pedestal, I decrease the edge angle of eachoctagon by 1° from the one before it and increase the width tocompensate for the 1° flare (see figure 3 above). The octagons aretacked with small finish nails, to hold them in alignment duringthe glue-up. When all the octagons are assembled, I clamp thestack by tightening nuts on the ends of a %-in.-dia. threaded rodpassing through the I-in. hole previously drilled in the center ofeach octagon. Then, I sand each curved side smooth. Cardboardtemplates are used as patterns for cutting the veneer for each side.Veneering these curved sides presents a novel problem, requiringa novel solution. I cut an auto-tire inner tube into two C-shapepieces, filled them each with sand and closed the ends with bailingwire. I sandwiched the pedestal between layers of veneer, waxedpaper, Ys-in. Masonite and rubber sandbags, then clamped themall together with bar clamps, using 2x4s laid across the sandbags ascauls. I was able to veneer all eight sides quite easily in fourclamping operations. The veneer on the edges of each side wastrimmed and then gently sanded before veneering the next twofaces. A Y4-in. by Y4-in. groove was routed the length of eachcorner to receive the bandsawn purpleheart ribs. A purpleheartbullnose mplding trims the transition from the flaring pedestal tothe underside of the top, as shown in figure 3 above.Using the same tedmiques described for the Post:Modern Table, Icut 16 facets on the edge of the top and veneer it with wedges ofherringbone AlpiN-iN veneer (see the top photo above and the sidebaron the facing page). Next, I rout YI-in. by YI-in. grooves betweeneach wedge section and around the faceted edge of the top and gluein a thin border of satinwood sandwiched between strips of blackimbuya, which I had previously laminated and sawed into YI-in. byYI6-in. su'ips. I leave these inlaid borders slightly proud of the surfaceto protect tl1e top veneer while I work on the table's underside.With the top upside down, I glue and screw two different sizeparticleboard octagons to the underside to continue the flare fromthe pedestal (see figure 3 above). The steps between these twooctagons are filled and evened out with auto-body filler, and as itis curing, I tack Ys-in. Masonite wedges over each section to formthe gentle flare. Any gaps between the Masonite wedges are filledwith auto-body filler and sanded smooth. The facets created thisway are then veneered one at a time, with the AlpiN-iN wedgesweighed down with the rubber sandbags. The bags are heavy enoughso clamping isn't neccessary, but a layer of waxed paper is neededto protect tl1e veneer from tl1e black of the inner tube. When theveneering is complete, I glue the solid purple heart bullnose to thetable's edge and sand tl1e inlaid borders flush on the top. Djim Wallace, Institute of Business Designers, is project designerwith The Bommarito Group, a commercial interior-design fil-m inAustin, Tex.January/February 1989 67