Replies

1. 
   joinerswork | Sep 09, 2004 04:44pm | #1

   reepenstien,

   I think they're called "freedom feet" now. ;-))

   I don't know of a reference for you to look at right off the bat; here's how I do them.

   The   side feet are often extensions of the case ends.  The profile of the feet and end apron is cut out first.  Then the flare is introduced into the foot by sawing into the end of the foot to a depth of 3" or so.  Make the cut about 1/16" or 3/32" in from the outside surface of the case end.  Cut out a wedge the shape of the flare you want, coat it with glue, and drive it into the kerf.  You'll need to put a clamp just below the kerf to keep it from splitting off.  Clamp the off-cut from sawing the wedge to the outside of the foot, to make it conform to the shape of the wedge's curve.  You may want to soften the thin outer portion of the foot  with hot water beforehand.

   The front feet are applied after the case is assembled.  Cut out the front apron, and put it in place.  Normally it's glued to the underside of the bottom rail, and reinforced from the back with glue blocks.  The ends of the apron are butted to the case ends.  Then rout out a recess at the end of the apron, and down the edge of the case end, for the front foot to fit into.  Usually the front foot is  about 1/8" to 1/4" thick at the top, and swells to 1/2" or 5/8" at the floor-- or whatever your pattern dictates.  The outside of the foot overhangs the case end, to be trimmed flush after glue is dry.  The inside edge is mitered at its intersection with the apron, where its thickness is equal to the depth of the recess.  If you match the grain at the overlap on the case end, the joint is not noticeable.  Reinforce the thin front foot from the back side with a corner block, running from the bottom rail to the floor.  Lots of times this block fills the entire inside corner and is cut to the profile of the foot on front and side.

   Sometimes the base is built as a separate frame.  The advantage of this is that the front corner can be mitered, structurally I feel that it is not quite as strong as having the side feet integral to the case.

   Regards,

   Ray