# Help! Trimming Barstool Chair Legs



## clarionflyer (Apr 27, 2008)

I'm beaten... by 4 pieces of wood!
My neighbor asked me to trim his round barstool chair legs. Not only were they too long, but the foot was cut square to the leg - and the leg is angled from the seat (how unprofessional).
Cutting the legs down square to the sides is easy enough. But I'm trying to impersonate a woodworker :huh:, and want to cut the foot of the legs parallel to the seat (flat to the floor). And I can't seem to get it right (ticking me off).

The legs are round, I usually work with square tapered legs. And the outside angle between the seat and leg is 13 degrees. My attempts have been on the table saw. 
I always thought if you cut the angle in half it would work - Put the blade at 6 1/2 degrees and the miter at 6 1/2 degrees. But it's not working out (close but not right), and I'm gonna run out of leg room soon! I've been using my fence as a set guide, to keep the legs the same length.

Any help would be appreciated. 
Dave


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## ihackwood (Sep 5, 2009)

forget trying to do like a woodworker,

take a compass and use it as a scribe set it on the floor and trace it cut by hand, i myself would use a sawzall lol because i hackwood hahahaa


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## The Everyman Show (Jul 10, 2009)

Clarion, sorry for your situation, but it is an easy fix. 
You will need a flat surface to work on – just like your table saw - and set the stool on top. Then make sure you shim the feet to where the seat area of the stool is parallel to the table top. Easy so far. Then decide how much you need to cut off the bottoms of the legs. Make yourself a block of wood equal to the distance you need to cut - 2", 4" it doesn't matter. Then simply hold the block of wood flat on the table top run the block of wood around the bottoms of your stool legs and just run a pencil line at the top of the block on all sides of the legs to transfer the line to the leg. Then simply use a hand saw and cut to the line. This method will work with any shape leg and at any taper.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

I can see the angle between the leg and vertical being 13 degrees, but I cannot see the angle between the seat the leg being 13 degrees. By outside angle I assume that you mean outside of the stool. That would have the legs splayed very wide, almost horizontal.

You should be cutting the bottom of the legs at the same angle as the angle that the legs are off vertical at the seat.

G


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

The Everyman Show said:


> Clarion, sorry for your situation, but it is an easy fix.
> You will need a flat surface to work on – just like your table saw - and set the stool on top. Then make sure you shim the feet to where the seat area of the stool is parallel to the table top. Easy so far. Then decide how much you need to cut off the bottoms of the legs. Make yourself a block of wood equal to the distance you need to cut - 2", 4" it doesn't matter. Then simply hold the block of wood flat on the table top run the block of wood around the bottoms of your stool legs and just run a pencil line at the top of the block on all sides of the legs to transfer the line to the leg. Then simply use a hand saw and cut to the line. This method will work with any shape leg and at any taper.



Believe it or not, I'm told woodworkers do it that way too.:yes:


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## clarionflyer (Apr 27, 2008)

Well then... here we go, and thanks for the advice! I guess I've been making it too hard.

Sorry, George. I meant 13 off of square... 77 degrees.

I'm out to the shop for a try.

Thanks again.


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## clarionflyer (Apr 27, 2008)

Worked great guys. Touched up the tiny wobble with the belt sander.
Thanks again.
Dave


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## rrich (Jun 24, 2009)

clarionflyer said:


> Worked great guys. Touched up the tiny wobble with the belt sander.
> Thanks again.
> Dave


Dave,
Now go to HD and get some of those felt stick on pads. If your work or the floor is the slightest bit off the felt hides the problem.

I has a similar issue and used the hand saw solution. I used the "Perfect Butt" device to draw the line.


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## John in Tennessee (Jun 11, 2008)

*The stand II made for my miter saw kept rockin'*

After 6 in or so I decided my shop floor wasn't level Thats my story and I'm stickin' to it.


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