Thread: Needing some legs for a large timber desk

Hi Af,

Seeing you are down that way you could call into Action Aluminium and see if any of their stock extrusions would meet your needs.

They are in Greens Road Dandenong, see Action Aluminium

As far as your design goes, it might need some bracing or something lengthwise to stop it from racking.

Ray

Thanks Ray. I'll give them a call tomorrow.

Thinking that the legs will run a full square/rectangle so they will also brace the top itself.

Cheers,
Af.

You state 10mm for thickness but what width?

If you can't find anyone else closer, I can do what you require in steel or alumimuin.

!0mm steel with a suitable width, would do it and you can bend it without it fracturing or loosing strength.
With aluminum, I just don't think 10mm would do it. I work a little bit with 6mm aluminium and 6mm steel and it doesn't come anywhere close to steel for rigidity or strength.
It also fractures very easily when making bends, even with carefully applied heat so it might be better to cut and weld
the bends at the base. With steel those bends would be considerably easier. Steel of course will be much heavier and make it
more difficult to move around, if there was a need.
As someone mentioned, you might have trouble with flexing or wobble but the could depend on the use of the desk. How much weight will be placed on it. If it was placed against a wall or fixed to a wall it might not be a problem at all.

If you are using solid timber remember to allow for movement with slotted holes etc.
H.

Originally Posted by Acco

If you can't find anyone else closer, I can do what you require in steel or alumimuin.

Thanks for the offer Acco. Will see how I go and might call on you if I can't find any other options nearby.

Originally Posted by GSRocket

!0mm steel with a suitable width, would do it and you can bend it without it fracturing or loosing strength.

As someone mentioned, you might have trouble with flexing or wobble but the could depend on the use of the desk. How much weight will be placed on it. If it was placed against a wall or fixed to a wall it might not be a problem at all.

Thanks Rocket. The top is three pieces of large slabbed timber, 40mm thick and around 2m long too so quite heavy. I can easily brace it against the wall so reduce any wobble, but will wait to see how it turns out before doing something like that.

Originally Posted by clear out

If you are using solid timber remember to allow for movement with slotted holes etc.

Yep, will absolutely be doing this. I've used self-made buttons before to affix tabletops to their bases and they've worked very well. Am thinking something similar with this setup or making slotted holes like you suggest in the legs to allow for that movement.


Didn't get a chance to shop around last week but will try this week. Will post my results for anyone else you might be interested (and of course some pics as I progress the project).

Cheers,
Af.

=Afro Boy;1788307
Thanks Rocket. The top is three pieces of large slabbed timber, 40mm thick and around 2m long too so quite heavy. I can easily brace it against the wall so reduce any wobble, but will wait to see how it turns out before doing something like that.
Af.

That's a nice solid bench
I'm wondering if the legs made from flat steel would really be adequate. I guess it will depend on how wide the bench will be.
I guess you want the legs like that for the 'look', But I fear that they will flex. Even it was say, 120mm x 10mm I think flexing
would still be a problem.

I'm more worried about the weight - a metre of 10x100mm steel bar is 7.8kg...

Michael

What about aluminium scaffold/painters extrusion? Supposed to handle 245kg load on 2.6m length

Weld up two squares and run a length on edge down the middle to join the two squares.

I have a feeling I've seen right angle joining pieces for that sort of extrusion, but can't remember where I saw them.. If you could find those, then you'd just about avoid welding.

Ray

Many years ago when I could afford an oxy set, I made a coffee table of exactly this design. My table is only 1500 mm long x 500 mm wide and stands 500 mm high.

The legs are made of 50 x 6 ms heated and bent at the floor in a tight radius. Plates were welded to the tops of the legs for attachment to the 25 mm veneered top edge thickened to 30 mm.

It is extremely stable with no flex any where. The legs after fabrication were chrome plated for the look and to prevent rust.

I reckon 100 mm x 10 mm would be more than adequate, perhaps a bit over kill, still, it's the look you are after.

I don't have enough light right now to take a snap but could tomorrow if you like.

Ken

Thanks again for all the advice folks. I'm finding it really useful. Much appreciated.

Originally Posted by neksmerj

It is extremely stable with no flex any where. The legs after fabrication were chrome plated for the look and to prevent rust.

I reckon 100 mm x 10 mm would be more than adequate, perhaps a bit over kill, still, it's the look you are after.

I don't have enough light right now to take a snap but could tomorrow if you like.

That's great to hear Ken, re. lack of flex. I haven't settled on the specific dimensions of the legs yet but will get a better idea once the top is glued up. Would love to see a pic of your table.

Cheers,
Af.

Originally Posted by Michael G

I'm more worried about the weight - a metre of 10x100mm steel bar is 7.8kg...

Michael

I am more concerned with what I could do with all that steel. A couple of bits of bed frame angle would cover the legs issue, then get on to fabricating some real stuff.

Dean

Hi folks,

Thanks everyone for the advice and thoughts. Finally got around to cutting the top to size and ordering the steel legs.

Will post some pics next week once they're arrived and I've had a chance to fit them.

Cheers,
Af.

Picking up the legs tomorrow and they'll be raw steel, not coated or anything.

The guys told me they'll have a bit of a black muck on them which I can easily wipe off with some mineral spirits. I'm wondering what I should coat the legs in to keep them from rusting? I prefer a natural grey/silver colour and a matt finish. Is there a varnish or simple treatment I can give it myself?

Cheers,
Af.