# Table leg attachment



## Puumies

Hi,

I need to attach table legs straight to corner of the table top and I have never done such a joint. Does anybody know good methods?

Pauli


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## cabinetman

Puumies said:


> Hi,
> 
> I need to attach table legs straight to corner of the table top and I have never done such a joint. Does anybody know good methods?
> 
> Pauli



A few questions:

What type of table...dining, cocktail, end, corner, outdoor?

What is the top size?

What is the top material and thickness?

Is the underside flat out to the edge, or is there an apron/skirting on the edge that protrudes down?

What is the leg material and its thickness at the point of attachment?


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## Puumies

It's a dining room table made of white oak. It's 4 cm thick (about 1,5 inch), 90*180 cm (about 36"*72") and underside is indeed flat and straight to edges. Legs are going to be about 3*3".
Pauli


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## cabinetman

If you could install an apron or skirt to the underside, like 1 1/2" - 2", and recess it say an inch or so from the edge, that would hide a built up bracing for an attachment.

But, if you can't do that and you just have to mount the legs in a butt method, the easiest way would be to use a hanger screw. It has a wood thread on one end and a machine thread on the other. 








On the bottom of the table top install a threaded insert. It threads into a specific sized hole drilled into the wood, and accepts the machine thread.


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## Puumies

I didn't want use hardware, so I decided to make dovetails. Those seems to be strong joints even in dry fitting. I'll use glue in assembly and I'm pretty confident that those will last long time.


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## mics_54

Me thinks you did this before! :ninja:

I was thinking maybe a through mortice but I didn't know the leg would be edge flush. A through mortice would probably need to be moved inboard a bit.


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## rodney

*tableleg attachment*

My experience with this type of dove tail joinery is fine if the table is not going to receive hard use, i.e. children leaning, pushing, etc. The constant pressure of hard use added to the natural tendency of wood movement, expansion, and shrinking due to heat, humidity, cold, hot, and how the wood was cut and dried may, in a few years, loosen the joint (even with the best of glue) and create a wobble affect. I would agree with the full or half skirt with tendon/mortise joinery, followed with two pegs through each tendon, and finshed with a cross brace on the inside that attaches to each skirt with an attachment, i.e. bolt or dowel, in the middle of the table leg on the inside. over the long run, this method seems to give the most lasting stability to the table legs.


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## jp_over

Puumies said:


> I didn't want use hardware, so I decided to make dovetails. Those seems to be strong joints even in dry fitting. I'll use glue in assembly and I'm pretty confident that those will last long time.
> View attachment 14878
> 
> 
> View attachment 14879


Puumies,

How did this joint work out long term? Did you end up keeping that design or changing it?

I realize this is an old thread but found it while searching for a similar woodworking question.

Thanks!


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## DrRobert

When I see work arounds for aprons, it always reminds me why furniture has had them for hundreds of years :wink: That said, its a novel idea and I can see you did some nice work and put a lot of thought into it.

But I would be concerned about the integrity of the joint for a few reasons. A dovetail is always stronger in the cross grain direction. With this in mind, if you'll take note of the grain direction with side ways pressure the wood could break out along the grain. The offset dado to the inside actually creates a pivot point so if the bottom of the leg is hit a lot of torque will be transmitted to the joint.

Please I'm not intending to pick your work apart I just wanted give my POV and would love to hear what others think. That's how we all learn.

Its oak and will most likely be ok, but I think there are other woods that you might have an issue.


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