Ideas for turned table legs?

[ChrisD]

My woodworking plans got interrupted by the "need" to complete the second floor facelift by the new year. Pretty much since Thanksgiving, I have been ripping up carpet, painting, laying hardwood floors, and installing baseboards and quarter-rounds.

Now that the kids' bedrooms have become a blank slate, the CEO/COO/CFO reviewed the open woodworking projects and gave it a major reprioritization.

A desk for our daughter's room is now at the very top of the list. ("French Country With A Hint Of Shabby Chic" -- whatever the heck that means -- is the overall theme of the room).

I came up with a couple of designs, including a double-pedestal (to maximize storage). LOML liked it but changed one of the pedestals to a pair of -- you guessed it -- turned legs.

So my question: Where/How do you get design ideas for turned legs? My plan is to take pics at a couple of stores that specialize in French country furniture and, with my best efforts, scale up the profiles to a full-size drawing. I was just wondering if there is a style guide/reference available that you can recommend.

I have looked online, but the pics of the ones that I like do not provide enough detail. Unfortunately, this is one area where I simply do not have the design sense to be able to just "fill in the blanks".

Also please note that this is an opportunity for me to advance my skills in turning (and hopefully buy a couple of new tools in the process ), so buying manufactured legs is really not an option I would consider. Without any question, I had much rather commission another BT3Central member to make them for me.

Thanks much in advance!

[Pappy]

There are a couple of companies that specialize in turned legs/columns. Adams is one. Might try browsing there offerings for ideas.

[kwgeorge]

Well Chris, I will let you in on my secret way of turning.

1) Figure out how long and thick of a piece and what species you need.
2) Put it on the lathe.
3) Keep removing wood till it looks good to you!


Seriously though, there is much truth in this but what I like to do is get inspiration and I have found no better way to do this than to visit Antique stores, shows and museums. Get your plan together, figure out the critical dimensions and then just go for it. This is basically what I did on my Tilt-Top table.

Ken

[Doug Jones]

Well Chris, I will let you in on my secret way of turning.

1) Figure out how long and thick of a piece and what species you need.
2) Put it on the lathe.
3) Keep removing wood till it looks good to you!
Ken

I like the concept behind this method,,

[ChrisD]

Pappy, I like the Adams profiles more than the ones found on the Osborne and Rockler sites. Thanks.

Ken, I have the critical/structural dimensions worked out, e.g. how much of a square section I need at the top for the tenons; how much of the bottom section will be copied to the bottom portion of the pedestal posts; etc.

"Sketching" the design on the lathe actually makes sense (much like Sam Maloof "pencils" his design with a bandsaw), but unfortunately the method is not as intuitive to me yet as it is to Sam or Ken!

I will visit a couple of shops, including antique dealers. Fortunately there is an Antique Row in the city, just a few miles from my house. There is also one profile that calls out to me from the Adams site, so I might use that as a starting point.

Thanks for the advice.