Thread: I need advice on table leg name/type and how to make it

Sorry, can't help with a formal name for it.

The normal way to make them would be to make a template, and start with a square blank.
Mark the leg outline on two adjoining faces of the leg blank.
Cut just outside the line both sides of one marked face with a bandsaw, keeping the wastes.
Put the wastes back where they came from, securing either with double sided tape between the blank and wastes. This restores the square shape of the unit to provide the template marking for the 2nd cut and a flat smooth surface to run over the bandsaw table.
Cut just outside the line both sides of the 2nd marked face.
Remove the wastes from the first cuts.

To cleanup, sand the fairly straight zones with belt sander or linisher, depending on what's to hand. For the curved area, a drum sander slightly smaller than the radius of the curve, or oscillating spindle sander would be the go. A belt sander might work if the front roller is exposed and is a close match to the curve radius.

Main issue is that you don't have a bandsaw or spindle sander, and most of the drum sander attachments for a drill press etc are 50-75mm high. I have a wasp sander attachment for my drill press to convert to a small liinisher/ belt sander setup and it uses 100mm wide rollers and belts, and has three different diameter rollers so could probably get a close match to the radius.

Cant help with the name either. Art Deco perhaps but not real sure. Easiest way is on a bandsaw. May be the excuse you need to get one or see if you can get someone with a bandsaw to help out.
A jigsaw may work if you can get long enough blades and be very careful to stay outside the lines. Trouble with a jigsaw is the blade can wander in deep cuts so the reverse side has to be watched.
Last is hand tools. Most of the taper is a strait cut so do that with a rip saw. Stop just before the curve then a series of crosscuts (about 12mm apart) almost to the line and chisel off the waste. Clean up to the line with the belt sander.
Looks like an interesting project so keep posting as you go.
Regards
John

PS Welcome to the forum.

Thanks for this - it seems the answer is indeed a band saw. Hm... now I have to track one down.

Cheers

J

Originally Posted by malb

Sorry, can't help with a formal name for it.

The normal way to make them would be to make a template, and start with a square blank.
Mark the leg outline on two adjoining faces of the leg blank.
Cut just outside the line both sides of one marked face with a bandsaw, keeping the wastes.
Put the wastes back where they came from, securing either with double sided tape between the blank and wastes. This restores the square shape of the unit to provide the template marking for the 2nd cut and a flat smooth surface to run over the bandsaw table.
Cut just outside the line both sides of the 2nd marked face.
Remove the wastes from the first cuts.

To cleanup, sand the fairly straight zones with belt sander or linisher, depending on what's to hand. For the curved area, a drum sander slightly smaller than the radius of the curve, or oscillating spindle sander would be the go. A belt sander might work if the front roller is exposed and is a close match to the curve radius.

Main issue is that you don't have a bandsaw or spindle sander, and most of the drum sander attachments for a drill press etc are 50-75mm high. I have a wasp sander attachment for my drill press to convert to a small liinisher/ belt sander setup and it uses 100mm wide rollers and belts, and has three different diameter rollers so could probably get a close match to the radius.

HI - thanks for this. Hm... I did think about using the table saw and making up a jig. I didn't think about the crosscut idea - good on. I was actually thinking about a hole saw for the curvey bit, but again, it gets all a bit complicated.

Thanks for your welcome to the forum - I should have asked this question ages ago!

Still... if anyone has any other ideas I am keen for options before I have to start trying to get access to a bandsaw in Alice Springs (not a wood town...), or have a go with setting up a taper jig and cross cuts...

Thanks everyone!

John

Originally Posted by orraloon

Cant help with the name either. Art Deco perhaps but not real sure. Easiest way is on a bandsaw. May be the excuse you need to get one or see if you can get someone with a bandsaw to help out.
A jigsaw may work if you can get long enough blades and be very careful to stay outside the lines. Trouble with a jigsaw is the blade can wander in deep cuts so the reverse side has to be watched.
Last is hand tools. Most of the taper is a strait cut so do that with a rip saw. Stop just before the curve then a series of crosscuts (about 12mm apart) almost to the line and chisel off the waste. Clean up to the line with the belt sander.
Looks like an interesting project so keep posting as you go.
Regards
John

PS Welcome to the forum.

Hi,
I have found the answers.
It is known as a stopped taper and is machined on the jointer (which is also not on your list), The blank gets marked all round at the start of the taper and the stopped point, then set up the jointer fence with two stops one on the in feed side so the start line is at the blade and the other on the out feed side so the blank gets stopped when it reaches the stop line. Then lower the in feed about 3mm and plane all 4 sides then another 3mm and do it again and repeat till you have the required taper. As the out feed table does not move the taper only gets deeper on the bottom. Then the foot can be tapered on the table saw.
I would not have thought of that, but that could be because I do not have a Jointer.
Regards

Wow - I am amazingly impressed at how generous people are with their time and talents to share their experience and knowledge.

Thank you for this answer - it answers what I was pondering - how would this be done on an industrial scale? (the furniture, while nice, wasn't a once-off I suspect.)

So thank you for this - I think I will have to track down some serious equipment.

It is excellent to know the proper name for it, I'd be interested to know how you found the answer!

Regards

John

Originally Posted by A Duke

Hi,
I have found the answers.
It is known as a stopped taper and is machined on the jointer (which is also not on your list), The blank gets marked all round at the start of the taper and the stopped point, then set up the jointer fence with two stops one on the in feed side so the start line is at the blade and the other on the out feed side so the blank gets stopped when it reaches the stop line. Then lower the in feed about 3mm and plane all 4 sides then another 3mm and do it again and repeat till you have the required taper. As the out feed table does not move the taper only gets deeper on the bottom. Then the foot can be tapered on the table saw.
I would not have thought of that, but that could be because I do not have a Jointer.
Regards

Try this link Popular Science - Google Books

this link may help
AW Extra 11/29/12 - 3 Tapered Legs on the Jointer - Woodworking Techniques - American Woodworker

the leg can be a straight taper or gently curved.
If you don't have a spindle sander for the leg to spade transition, a suitably sized dowel (or rolling pin) wrapped in sand paper will do.
Perhaps ask on the turning forum for someone to make a pin if the curve you need is a non standard size.


for just 4 legs, the fastest "safest" (in terms of not making a mistake with expensive wood) is probably by hand.
use your template to draw the profile on all 4 sides of your blank,
use a hand saw to saw down to just above the line every inch or so -- the saw cuts don't need to be straight, they just need to stop short of the line
chisel out the waste on opposite sides and use sand paper (I'm assuming you don't own any spoke shaves or wood rasps) to the final profile.
repeat for the other two sides

Originally Posted by John_in_Alice

Wow - I am amazingly impressed at how generous people are with their time and talents to share their experience and knowledge.

Thank you for this answer - it answers what I was pondering - how would this be done on an industrial scale? (the furniture, while nice, wasn't a once-off I suspect.)

So thank you for this - I think I will have to track down some serious equipment.

It is excellent to know the proper name for it, I'd be interested to know how you found the answer!

Regards

John

Hi,
I did it the old fashioned way, I looked it up in a Book (you know those historic things with cover and pages)

Time life books, The art of wood working, Tables and desks, page 60.

We will all be looking for our reward in some pictures when you give it a go, so we can be impressed if you succeed or learn something if it is a disaster or both if you over come all problems along the way.
Yours in the hobby

Thank you very much everyone for these replies. Why I didn't seek the shared wisdom much earlier, I just don't know.

I have plenty of options, now, and I think it depends on what I can get access to.

I might post to see if there is anyone in Alice Springs on the forum! or do a search or something.

Anyway, thanks again.

Regards

John

Originally Posted by John_in_Alice

Hi, I am building a QLD maple table to match a bureau and chairs we bought c1930's??.
First thing is that I don't know the proper term or how you would describe this style, which means I can search for solutions on how to make similar on the 'net. Searching of 'table leg designs' and similar yields no answers.

I have heard this style referred to as "Depression" style before. In fact there used to be someone down here in Hobart who sold his handmade furniture at the Salamanca markets under the label "Depression Furniture".
He's not there anymore.....maybe he got depressed?
When you think about it even for a nano-second, it's not really an uplifting moniker. A bit like buying a car with a "Lemon" badge on it or a boat with a "Titanic" badge etc,etc.

I reckon that would peg the age of this bit of furniture. Thanks for that. Now (when I finally finish it) I will get depressed every time I sit down at it.

Table leg 003.jpg

This leg was cut on the band saw and then sanded on a linisher. The curved section is exactly the same radius as the wheel on the linisher.

Then scrapers were used to remove small bumps and hollows from the straight bits and after hand sanding with a block, it was done.

Made a set of similar legs in cedar when the band saw was broken. All shaping was done on the linisher ... because it was done before I had a decent dust extraction system set up it was messy, but it worked.

Many years ago, before I had a band saw, I found a cabinetmaker who would cut out shapes for me on his saw for a very reasonable price. He even cut the laminates for my sons longbows. If you can't find a forum member in Alice, that might be an option for you.

Have fun!

John

Hi John, that looks exactly what mine needs to end up like!

But I don't have a linisher or band saw or jointer...

So there are options - just need to source some equipment in Alice Springs - and find the time! Camping this Picnic weekend...

Thanks for the post.

John