Cutting a Custom Profile: Replicating a Missing Antique Table Apron

Replicating a Custom Table Apron Profile for Our Antique Restoration Project

In this chapter of our antique table restoration series, we tackle one of the trickiest parts of the entire project: recreating a missing piece of apron for a 19th‑century Choate‑Hollister dining table. When the table came to us, one apron section was completely gone, and replacing it meant we had to match the original profile as closely as possible.

We decided to dedicate a full post to this step, because it’s detailed, time‑consuming, and honestly pretty satisfying once everything comes together.

Preparing the Red Oak Blank

We started with a leftover piece of red oak — not the white oak the table is made from, but close enough that we can color‑match it later. The board was still rough, so the first step was planing it down to the correct thickness: ¾ inch, just like the original apron pieces.

Once planed, Bryan edge‑jointed the board and ripped it to the exact width of the original: 3½ inches. Then we cut it to length at 21½ inches so it would fit perfectly once installed on the table frame.

Tracing the Original Profile

To match the decorative edge, I butted the new piece against one of the original aprons and traced the profile directly onto the end grain. The design isn’t overly intricate, but it’s unique enough that ordering a custom knife would have been expensive and unnecessary for a single piece.

This hand‑traced line became our guide for the next — and most challenging — step.

Cutting the Profile on the Table Saw

This part is all Bryan. Using the table saw, he raised and lowered the blade in tiny increments, sliding the board across the blade repeatedly to “carve” the shape. It’s a slow, careful process, but it gets surprisingly close to the original contour when done patiently.

Once the rough shape was cut, it was time for a whole lot of elbow grease.

Refining the Shape: Chisels, Sandpaper, and a Dremel

I used a chisel to knock down the small steps left by the saw, then shaped the curves with 60‑grit sandpaper until everything flowed smoothly. For the tight crevice in the profile, I switched to a Dremel with a 120‑grit sanding drum, gently rounding the edges until they matched the original piece.

Side‑by‑side, the two profiles were already looking impressively close.

Routing the Edge and Final Shaping

One detail the original apron had was a rounded‑over top edge. Since this was right on the edge of the board, we were able to match it perfectly using the router before moving on to the final shaping.

The last major step was adding a ½‑inch round‑over to the corner, just like the original apron pieces. After that, we did more hand‑sanding to blend everything together. It may never be a perfect match, but since only one corner is visible at a time, it will blend beautifully once installed.

Cutting the Dado Joint

Before calling it finished, we cut a ¼‑inch dado into the end of the new apron piece so it will join cleanly with the adjacent apron section — just like the original construction.

Next Step: Color Matching the Stain

The woodworking portion is complete, but the hardest part may still be ahead: matching the stain to the antique white oak. We’ll be taking one of the original apron pieces to the hardware store to get a custom color match so the new piece won’t stand out once the table is fully restored.

Final Thoughts

This was one of the most rewarding parts of the restoration so far. Recreating a missing piece from scratch — and getting it to look like it’s always been there — felt like a major accomplishment!

If this post about cutting a custom profile was helpful, be sure to check out all parts of our antique table restoration series.

And as always, happy woodworking!