Dear assembled,

I just thought I'd post a follow up to the wood ID inquiry I put to the
List last May and provide some progress and "after" pictures of my parents
antique kitchen table restoration.  After I got the piece disassembled, the
wood ID problem became (thankfully) moot.  Just to remind you of the
problem, here are some "before" pictures of the challenges.

https://kirkhmb.smugmug.com/Woodworking/Other-Galoots/Paul-Gardner/i-VmsfSTT/A
https://kirkhmb.smugmug.com/Woodworking/Other-Galoots/Paul-Gardner/i-kctcBWp/A
https://kirkhmb.smugmug.com/Woodworking/Other-Galoots/Paul-Gardner/i-ht9c5hc/A

Initial tests on exposed glue joints determined that hide glue was used to
put the table together.  This confirmation came as a huge relief to me and
I was able to get the thing apart with hot water, a heat gun, hammer and
wedges over the course of a day.

https://kirkhmb.smugmug.com/Woodworking/Other-Galoots/Paul-Gardner/i-WFx7b8X
https://kirkhmb.smugmug.com/Woodworking/Other-Galoots/Paul-Gardner/i-rwnZFqS
https://kirkhmb.smugmug.com/Woodworking/Other-Galoots/Paul-Gardner/i-4j9WfdH

My theory for the failures were substantiated in that all four sides of the
panels were glued to their neighboring frames and repeated expansion and
contractions caused the wood to split along the weak points in the panel
while the glue joints remained tight and in place.  These fissures
continued to expand over the years.

Some of the broken half-lap tongues could be reunited with their
counterparts liberated from the frames but others simply could not.  Those
that could not be saved had new tongues made by simply inlaying a strip of
oak into the bottom of the panel with the requisite size stick out tenant
for the frame.  There were a few places on the  show faces of the panel
that needed repair but as I dry fit the pieces together with the tongue
repairs made, the original geometry had largely been restored and the 1/4"
gaps I was thinking I had fill now turned out to much more manageable and
forgiving 1/16" gaps.  This meant I could make some veneers and on edge the
two different species would not be noticeable - especially after the finish
was applied.

https://kirkhmb.smugmug.com/Woodworking/Other-Galoots/Paul-Gardner/i-MChD65Q
https://kirkhmb.smugmug.com/Woodworking/Other-Galoots/Paul-Gardner/i-qrdKbMh
https://kirkhmb.smugmug.com/Woodworking/Other-Galoots/Paul-Gardner/i-wTkZvJG

 I ended up stripping the entire top, saving the best piece of the original
aside for color matching purposes.  I was able to get the closest color
match using approximately 6 parts General Finishes  "New Pine" gel stain to
1 part General Finishes white gel stain.  Over that I did about 5 coats of
GF High performance satin water based topcoat.  Then I stripped the
remaining piece and color matched it with the rest of the pieces.

Glue up was done with hide glue (per original) and I even noted that
information for any future restorer on the underside of the table, along
with the date of this restoration.

Here are the after shots which got a thumbs up from both parents.  Delivery
is set for Thanksgiving.

https://kirkhmb.smugmug.com/Woodworking/Other-Galoots/Paul-Gardner/i-sBrrH5k
https://kirkhmb.smugmug.com/Woodworking/Other-Galoots/Paul-Gardner/i-zX2Q5mq

Paul, in SF