This little table was made by the Delphos Bending Company of Delphos, Ohio. It dates from the 1950s-60s. The top measures 18″ x 25″, and it stands 20 1/2″ tall.
It looked terrible when it came to me. One of the side rails had a stripped screw hole that had been improperly repaired and stripped again. The top had a decorative brad nailed into it, someone’s initials carved in, and lots of scratches. Plus the finish was coming off.
It still had its Delphos Bending Company stamp under the top. It prompted me to do some digging into the table’s history.
The Delphos Bending Company operated in Delphos, Ohio, from 1900 to 1980. The company specialized in bent wood products, then later on children’s furniture. The pages above, from the Delphos 1963 catalog, show the table. It came as a set with two small chairs, either in “Danish Walnut” or “Light Maple”.
“Before” and “After” of the table top!
I started by removing the old finish with a cabinet scraper, then using card scrapers to smooth the surfaces. The top was a little warped, so I used my hand planes to level it out and make it smooth.
I plugged the two stripped screw holes for the side rail and drilled a new one.
“Before” and “After” of the leg brackets!
The leg brackets fit poorly and caused the legs to be quite wobbly. So I bent them into a better shape with hammer and anvil.
I next did a test-fit on all the pieces to make sure everything aligned properly with no wobble!
Next, I put on the new finish! I used two coats of raw linseed oil, followed by two coats of shop-made soft wax. This made the color far lighter than the original finish. The oil and wax finish shows off this walnut’s gorgeous grain and texture far better than the old shellac!
See how the grain and texture pop on the table top?
This pretty little table would make a nice end table, study room table, or lamp stand. Or add a few small chairs and use it for a children’s table again!
Follow Clawson Woodworking on Social Media!
You can also find me on Substack!