I am in the middle of building a kitchen worktable. The top is 1 5/8 maple butcher block 30 x 54. The legs and aprons will be cherry. I bought a piece of 8/4 cherry to make 1 7/8 square legs, but am thinking that, that might not be big enough for a 36″ tall worktable, both functionally and aesthetically. I am planning on stretchers on the short sides with a long stretcher between those two. I have thought about gluing some stock to the square legs to make them 2 3/4 square, but am afraid of glue lines. I have not cut the thick stock yet, and am looking for advice and/or suggestions.
Thank you ahead of time
Paul
Replies
I tend to agree that 1-7/8 legs are just a bit light-looking for a top that is 1-5/8 thick. And I think that you could get away with adding thickness, so long as you are bit creative.
If you plan to have some sort of chamfer or round-over on the edges of the legs, then maybe you can hide the glue lines in the molding.
If you were to add 3/8 in thickness to each of two sides of a leg, and if your chamfer was 3/8, then the glue line will be hidden a bit by the corner of the chamfer. (And the overall leg thickness would now be 2-1/4, which fits better.)
The same could be done by adding 1/4" to each of the four sides, and using some sort of roundover. And now your legs are 2-3/8.
Paul,
Functionally, I see no problem with 1-7/8" legs. Aesthetically, possibly problematic, but it not necessarily. I would go ahead with 1-7/8" legs.
If your stock is flat sawn and clear, you should be able to laminate thicker legs without visible glue lines. Or you could laminate legs and not worry about the glue lines, then veneer over them.
Chris @ www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
(soon to be www.flairwoodworks.com)
- Success is not the key to happines. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
A couple of good ideas guys. My apron will be about 6 inches wide with 2 drawers. I may mock up some scraps for the legs and apron to set the top on (it is almost done) and go from there. Was planning on straight legs with beaded corners (to match the cabinets i built), but now have thought about making tapered legs and just having to add stock to the upper leg and help hide the seam that way.
Any other takers
Paul
mile,
A quick sketch drawn to scale ought to show you if the legs are going to be too thin for your taste. Personally, I think it is ok. ymmv
btw, 1 3/4" is more likely than 1 7/8" from 8/4 unless it was sawn plump.
Ray
btw, 1 3/4" is more likely than 1 7/8" from 8/4 unless it was sawn plump.
I'm always an optomist<grin>
Paul
FWIW, I took my 8" plus wide cherry board and ripped it in half. I then built a taper jig and ripped the two 4" halfs from 1 1/2" to 2 1/2" and got my 4 legs. Thank you for the advice.
Paul
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