Angled Legs for Coffee Table - What's the recommendation?

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  • radhak
    replied
    Thanks Mark!
    Yeah, that Bowie knife was a gift from a hunter friend; I don't hunt, but I found it very useful to strip/peel sugarcanes to eat!

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  • Black walnut
    replied
    That table turned out nice. Like the looks and finish. The knife, a real pig sticker, that Bowie is a knife! Nice.

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  • capncarl
    replied
    Very good. Great adaptation of an existing design. I kinda like the longitudinal slats vrs the perpendicular….. just look at all the big words I did in a sentence! slats like I use. My slats are spaced to be used as a wine rack if desired. (Nothing says buy me like a nice piece of furniture with a bottle of 6 month old Mad Dog 20-20 setting in its wine rack!) I think I will build a couple of tables with slats longitudinal. Thanks for sharing!

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  • radhak
    replied
    Originally posted by capncarl
    Radhak… did you build this table? We need photos and build tips!
    Yes, Cap I did build this! And came out pretty ok, if not a classic heirloom.

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    Notes:
    a. All the wood (yes, top, legs, aprons, lower shelf, everything) came from an old dining table top bought from Kmart. That last pic shows the leftover part of that old top. 1" thick wood laminated on some machine.
    b. That glass measures 12x18". Bought it online for $65. Very good stuff - heavy and tempered and all
    c. I was concerned about the finish, so spent a lot of time sanding the surface all around to bare wood. Looked great, but of course I did not take a picture!
    d. SWMBO asked me to paint the table, not stain it. I painted the bottom part, and hated it so much that I did the top my way: stained with Cherry (non grain raising stain from Constantine) then poly.
    Am waiting for an opportunity to take it back to the garage and strip the paint and stain it.
    e. The outer angle of the legs worked out to 43 degrees.

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  • capncarl
    replied
    Radhak… did you build this table? We need photos and build tips!

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  • radhak
    replied
    Great points there about the stability of the table. I have to think that thru.

    I have found pocket-holes to be very strong too. Definitely should be for a coffee table. Fastening the top with pocket-holes might add strength, true.

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  • capncarl
    replied
    The problem with not having splayed legs? I’m guessing the width of the table is 24”, the apron and legs are 6” inset, x2, that only leaves a 12” wide leg and shelf assembly and could be easily toppled over. Looking at the urban outfitter photos I’d venture to say the sides of the table do not have the 6 inch overhang that you are allowing on the 2 ends, and does not have splayed legs.
    My friend with the local barnwood shop ( the one that absolutely needs a SawStop) builds all of his farmhouse tables, and all of his cabinets using only a Kreg jig for jointery.
    Im not saying they are durable as dowels or a domino, but they seem really sturdy.
    To add some stiffness to the table I might recommend even fastening the top to the aprons with the Kreg pockethole screws rather than the little hangy down metal cleats.

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  • radhak
    replied
    Wow, it's as nice to discuss these small aspects with y'all as it is to build the thing itself! Thanks for all the great points to think about.
    That's a nice table, Cap!

    I am now definitely leaning towards the shelf below. I like the idea of having a space below to hold books temporarily while clearing the top-surface for a coffee tray.
    I wanted to keep the table as light as possible, and looking at cap's pic now want to put a slatted shelf there instead of a solid plank.

    Answer to your question - no, the legs are probably not splayed, just the angled in one direction.
    I did ponder about rounded legs that would allow splayed legs, but am settling for the design above with straight cuts.

    And the other design aspects are great too - legs tucked away inside to avoid tripping over somebody, and the height of the shelf to be practical.
    I don't have the Festool, but am weighing between Kreg's pocket-holes or the Dowelmax.

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  • capncarl
    replied
    Is table to have splayed legs?

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  • capncarl
    replied
    This looks like a perfect project for the Festool Domino

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  • capncarl
    replied
    At this angle you must have a shelf, or the legs will split apart when someone sits on it. For large tables I like to set the legs in under the top 2-3 inches to help prevent big footed people from snagging a leg when they walk around it. On a coffee table I do not see the legs set in that much, but 1-2 inches is commonly set back under the top. Probably for the same reason.
    I started building my Tiny Tables about 12 yrs ago, and went through many revisions until I came up with a design that I liked. I made mock up prototypes out of scrap wood to visualize the leg angles and shelf height. ( Don’t forget about shelf height above the floor, can the vacuum cleaner or broom get under it or will you have to move the table for floor cleaning every time! ) The prototypes were usually assembled with kreg screws, and the tops had rows of holes for different angle set ups.
    Is your coffee table going to have sharp, crisp edges and corners? It is a matter of preference. Furniture that I have built with sharp corners and edges have shown more bumps, scratches and knocks than the pieces I’ve made with rounded/softened edges and corners.

    I could not find a photo of earlier prototypes but this is a mock up table with no aprons and almost round legs.

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  • cwsmith
    replied
    Without the lower shelf, you'll have to ensure the apron is wide enough to secure the the leg's stability as a fastening point. Otherwise, any significant amount of weight added to the top will stress the mounting point and the angled legs will have a tendency to just splay outward and cause the table to collapse. Normal use would probably never cause that, but one day you might have a grandchild decide that would be a good place to stand or play upon.

    CWS

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  • leehljp
    replied
    I am overly "practical". I love a shelf to put coffee table books on - when sharing coffee, tea and cookies/cake with a guest or two. And it will add much more strength. After they leave, the book or two goes back on top of the coffee table. (Learned that from LOML.) Just my opinion.

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  • LCHIEN
    replied
    The proportions look nice. 75/15° sounds like a good choice.
    I guess the need for the shelf depends on how sturdy you need to make it.

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  • Angled Legs for Coffee Table - What's the recommendation?

    So wife wants a coffee table that she can move around a bit in the room.
    I have the wood, and landed on this design


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    I like the angled legs, but am trying to guess what is the ideal angle for both strength and aesthetics - I believe I have seen 75◦ somewhere, but is there any dependency on the table size or height?
    The table will be 16" tall, and I want to offset the legs by 6" from the edge of the table

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    I know a coffee table does not need to be this over-engineered, but am curious too.

    Also, any comment on whether the lower shelf is needed, for strength/stability? Will the aprons below the table top not be sufficient?
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