I have agreed to help a friend modify & assemble a small, pre-finished table to be used as a tv stand. The table top is already made; the height is fixed by the existing length of the legs and We do not want to alter them. The table dimensions are 16 in x 28 in; the legs are 28 in long. The legs will be secured by metal brackets at each corner of a wood skirt (1 in x 4 in) that will be set back from the table edges by about 4 in.
I need to determine the setup to cut the correct angles on the skirt pieces to hold the table legs. The finished table needs to have the legs flaring slightly – so the footprint on the floor is greater than totally vertical legs would achieve.
Is there a standard angle to do this? Failing that, is there a recommended ratio (height to amount of flare)? I need enough flare to provide stability but not too much – want to avoid the “newborn colt” look.
Any sites that might have some detailed explanation? While I dabble in wood – more do-it-myself home repairs- I am remote from having cabinetmaker skills or knowledge.
Thanks for assistance
Replies
The basic rule for legs on any type of furniture is that they should never extend past the top, if they do they become a trip hazard. In this case I would position the legs so that they stop about an inch, or a bit more, in from the corners of the table top.
You can find formulas for determining the angles, but in most cases it is easier to make a rough mock up of the skirt from scrap, you just need one corner, and then tweak the angle settings on your saw to get the flare you need.
John White
Shop Manager for FWW Magazine, 1998-2007
Thanks for replying. Your tip about the legs being beyond the tabletop is an issue that was not considered.Will use the mock-up idea. Dunc
Level the table top;
Using a plumb bob, establish the vertical line from the table corner;
Measure the offset from vertical of the leg, then calculate the required angle.
or make a jig that matches the offset you have determined.
Frosty
"I sometimes think we consider the good fortune of the early bird and overlook the bad fortune of the early worm." FDR - 1922
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