Shaker Side Table

The late Thomas Moser popularized Shaker design. This side table is my ode to him and his contributions to the woodworking community.

- Logan Wittmer

PROJECT #2508_
Skill Level:
Advanced
Time: 4 Hours
Cost: $20

Inspiration in your woodworking journey can come from many different places. One of my inspirations has always been furniture designer Thomas Moser. His elegant designs have deep roots in the Shaker style and are oddly classic, yet modern. Back in 1972, Thomas left teaching to build handmade furniture in Maine. Over the next 50 years, Thomas built a thriving business building furniture. He published several books that outlined his construction methods and offered shop drawings for other craftsmen to utilize. In early 2025, Thomas Moser passed away at his home in Maine, surrounded by family. This round side table is built directly from “Thos. Moser’s Measured Shop Drawings” book. This book is available second-hand on various websites, and has a permanent place in my library.

Side tables, such as this, are found in many of the Shaker Villages and Museums. The size of the top varies, as does the shape of the base, depending on where and when it was built. In traditional Shaker communities, these tables are made from hardwood, such as cherry, walnut, or maple. Sometimes, they were painted; often, they were not. I have a section of ash from a friend which had great figure in it. While the Shakers would not go out of their way to use figured wood in their furniture, I am no Shaker. Curly ash it is.

1 The template that I use shows both the (half) profile of the turned pedestal, as well as measurements that are used to set the calipers.