# Table Leg Construction



## winzor (Sep 14, 2014)

Looking for help in creating these legs. What would be the best/easiest way? Two piece construction with dowels/dominos or tenons or something else? Does anybody know of videos on this or plans somewhere?


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## Jim Frye (Aug 24, 2016)

The legs look to be one piece, likely band sawed to shape from thick stock. I don't think a join at the bend would last long regardless of the joinery.


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## yomanbill (Jul 7, 2020)

That's where you make use of your bowed lumber.


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

Most efficient way would be cut triangle off bottom and glue it to other side, then cut taper to narrow bottom.


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## swp (Dec 17, 2021)

I would do a bridle joint, but it will take an interesting jig to cut the cheeks on the diagonal on the table saw. Of course, you can use a tenon saw if you have one.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

Jim Frye said:


> The legs look to be one piece, likely band sawed to shape from thick stock. I don't think a join at the bend would last long regardless of the joinery.


It has been said, and repeated many times, that a clue joint is as strong as the original lumber. If this statement is correct, then there is no problem in making this leg from 2 pieces of lumber. I would use a mortise and tennon joint that is about 1/2 the size of the lumber dimension. 

george


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

FrankC said:


> Most efficient way would be cut triangle off bottom and glue it to other side, then cut taper to narrow bottom.
> 
> View attachment 434352


I like. This gets away from the end grain problem.

george


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## DrRobert (Apr 27, 2015)

It’s a disaster waiting to happen. My 2 questions about tables are 


Will it pass the vacuum ramming test?
Will it pass the 300# uncle Buck sitting on it test?

Poor/risky design. Wood isn’t meant to do some things.

Ana White?

Steam bending is probably the way to get there.


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## winzor (Sep 14, 2014)

FrankC said:


> Most efficient way would be cut triangle off bottom and glue it to other side, then cut taper to narrow bottom.
> 
> View attachment 434352


I think I might try experimenting with this. I don't have all the fancy tools but I think I can do angled dowel joint with a jig. I'll maybe do a test joint and see how much stress it can take. Thanks.


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

You could do ordinary dowels, that and a good quality glue joint should be sufficient.


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## yomanbill (Jul 7, 2020)

winzor said:


> I think I might try experimenting with this. I don't have all the fancy tools but I think I can do angled dowel joint with a jig. I'll maybe do a test joint and see how much stress it can take. Thanks.


While you are testing, I suggest that you also test a bridle joint. It would be very interesting to see a strength comparison.


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## Dave McCann (Jun 21, 2020)

Jim Frye said:


> The legs look to be one piece, likely band sawed to shape from thick stock.


I agree. Two reasons; (A) Not only does the grain appear to be uninterrupted (B) the flare of the lower leg flares outward from the corner created by the two adjacent surfaces of the upper leg


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

The strongest would be a laminate of thin strips on a "dogleg" shaped form.
The most wasteful would be one bandsawed out of a large solid piece.
The "cut off the angle and glue it on the opposite side" method would also be quite strong IF the grain is straight. The glue joint would be all but "invisible" that way.


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## Dave McCann (Jun 21, 2020)

woodnthings said:


> The "cut off the angle and glue it on the opposite side" method would also be quite strong IF the grain is straight.


Considering that the flare in the leg extends outward from two adjacent faces, I'm trying to visualize how this would be accomplished. 
"cut off the angle and glue it on the opposite side" would only add material to one of the two faces needing material for the lower flare. Would it not?


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## B Coll (Nov 2, 2019)

I would glue up stacked laminations for both sides. Then, using a template and bandsaw, cut away the waste. Pretty much the same way you would approach a large cabriole leg. Gluing on solid stock could cause issues with strength due to grain direction.


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## BigCountry79 (Jun 2, 2021)

FrankC said:


> Most efficient way would be cut triangle off bottom and glue it to other side, then cut taper to narrow bottom.
> 
> View attachment 434352


This is literally how queen Anne legs have been made for 200 (?) Years.


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## Dave McCann (Jun 21, 2020)

FrankC said:


> Most efficient way would be cut triangle off bottom and glue it to other side, then cut taper to narrow bottom.





BigCountry79 said:


> This is literally how queen Anne legs have been made for 200 (?) Years.


I have never made a queen Anne leg before and so in an effort to learn, I watched a few videos.
How to make a Queen Anne leg preliminary cuts - YouTube
Making Cabriole Legs with Dave Heller Part 1 - YouTube
Making Cabriole Legs with Dave Heller Part 2 - YouTube

The videos above, do not use the method you describe. I'd really like to learn both methods. Would you, please share some instruction (a link to a video would be great) in the "cut triangle off bottom and glue it to other side method" for queen Anne legs, that you mentioned? Thanks


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## BigCountry79 (Jun 2, 2021)

Silly but interesting





Similar info but shorter


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## Dave McCann (Jun 21, 2020)

BigCountry79 said:


> Silly but interesting
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Yes, those are interesting, but I am still left wondering how this applies as a 200 year old method making queen Anne legs?


BigCountry79 said:


> This is literally how queen Anne legs have been made for 200 (?) Years.


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## Rebelwork (Jan 15, 2012)

Jim Frye said:


> The legs look to be one piece, likely band sawed to shape from thick stock. I don't think a join at the bend would last long regardless of the joinery.


Agree…


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## Tony B (Jul 30, 2008)

I dont have the time or desire to experiment with @FrankC Post No.#4, but I am sure it would work. 
My certainty is based on the theory that a glue joint is stronger than the wood itself unless that theory does not apply to shear stress. 
About the only change I would make to the sketch in Post #4 is that I would leave a little more of the vertical piece in place (not such a sharp point at the bottom) to help take some of the vertical load off of the added part.


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## Marvinps1952 (Sep 14, 2020)

winzor said:


> Looking for help in creating these legs. What would be the best/easiest way? Two piece construction with dowels/dominos or tenons or something else? Does anybody know of videos on this or plans somewhere?


Start with a full length piece as you'd use for a straight leg. Then cut a piece of the same stock a little longer than the splayed out section. Glue that next to the full length piece. After glue joint is fully set trace the desired shape onto the leg and band saw to correct dimensions.


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## B Coll (Nov 2, 2019)

winzor said:


> Looking for help in creating these legs. What would be the best/easiest way? Two piece construction with dowels/dominos or tenons or something else? Does anybody know of videos on this or plans somewhere?





winzor said:


> Looking for help in creating these legs. What would be the best/easiest way? Two piece construction with dowels/dominos or tenons or something else? Does anybody know of videos on this or plans somewhere?


The legs appear to be one piece. I would approach it similar to making a cabriole leg. Start with a piece of stock dimensioned to accept the size of the leg. Make a template and carefully mark the wood you will be removing on two faces. Make the first cut on the bandsaw removing the waste. Do it in one pass because the waste will have to be taped back on to make the cut on the adjacent side. I would then use the template and a pattern bit to fine cut it to the pattern.


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## DrRobert (Apr 27, 2015)

The standsrd way that has been described is much different than a Cabriole leg and IMO is going to have a problem, namely the lower portion will have vertical grain where the angle progresses and therefore will be prone to splitting. You know a coffee table still needs to handle the weight of someone sitting on it.

You could do it in two pieces, you would need to reinfoprice it with a large dowel.

If you can stand a bit if a curve, and have the fortitude to build a mold, a bent lamination woukd by far be the strongest.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

I drew a sketch showing the grain direction and no matter how I could orient the two pieces, there was an end grain to end grain or end grain to face grain joint.
So, I decided either would work BUT a spline running up the inside would be the best way to reinforce it.



DrRobert said:


> You could do it in two pieces, you would need to reinfoprice it with a large dowel.


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## Serg Cooper (3 mo ago)

Thank you for the video


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