How would you make these legs

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  • Michiganwood
    Forum Newbie
    • Jan 2019
    • 23
    • Michigan
    • Shop fox, no complaints

    How would you make these legs

  • capncarl
    Veteran Member
    • Jan 2007
    • 3564
    • Leesburg Georgia USA
    • SawStop CTS

    #2
    It depends on the size of the legs. Probability make a wooden square tube like a column on a building, and trim it to look like you want it.

    Is this a coffee table or a dining table? If it is to be a dining table I would suggest actually pulling up a chair and setting at this design table before actually building one for your own use. Why? Because this is a 6 or 8 person table that only seats 2 comfortably. The 2 end seats and the side seats at the legs are impossible to get your chair and feet under the table.

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    • oakchas
      Established Member
      • Dec 2002
      • 432
      • Jefferson City, TN, USA
      • BT3000

      #3
      If you want those legs, with flares at the bottom and top of the main leg. And trimmed with square stock at the ends, you will have to make a template of 1/4 of the leg from top to bottom.

      Why 1/4? Why not 1/2 or one side complete? In a word, symmetry. If you do 1/2, your curves must be symmetrical; that's 2 perfect fair curves, identical to each other, exactly. Likrwise, the whole side, only twice as perfect; 4 curves, equidistant from each other.

      Now with your template made, you have to cut 8 exact copies of each side. Out of mdf, probably, thick enough that you can kerf cut the back of each flare without breaking when you bend it to meet the curve of the side perpendicular to the one you are bending, which also has to bend to meet the one you're working on... Don't forget, the flare needs to be more pronounced than it appears, because of the extra dimension added. (You're bending in the z axis, and flaring in the x axis.)

      Had enough yet? That's just the beginning.

      You'll have to veneer the assemblies, and probably ought to consider vacuum bagging the veneer.

      You could do each leg as a build up of solid wood, and veneer over each, but that would be a massively heavy leg.

      You want more? I can tell you more... But it's not something I would do on my own. I can't even figure out how to get a 4x4 in untreated pine to quit splitting.

      Good luck, best wishes!
      Last edited by oakchas; 03-16-2019, 10:36 AM. Reason: Fixed a couple of things

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      • oakchas
        Established Member
        • Dec 2002
        • 432
        • Jefferson City, TN, USA
        • BT3000

        #4
        Oh, AND I just noticed that's a rendering. Not an actual table or bench... I'm sure it can be done, but the effort and expense would be prohibitive.

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        • Michiganwood
          Forum Newbie
          • Jan 2019
          • 23
          • Michigan
          • Shop fox, no complaints

          #5
          Wow what a good explanation. That’s a lot more than in interested in doing. Sorry it took me so long to reply

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