Hall Table Legs

Ben Roman

Member
Messages
24
Hello All,

I am starting my next project this week. I will be making a hall table out of walnut and mahogany. The question I have is about the legs. My plans are to make the legs 28 inches long. 26inch long walnut and a 2 inch piece of mahogany. I will be tapering the inside edge of the legs. How should I attach the block of mahogany to the bottom of the leg. I was planning on using a single dowel and glue. Do you have any other ideas to attach the block to the walnut? Keep in mind that the taper will cut through some of the block. I don't have a doweling jig but it might be a good time to get one if there are no ideas.;) Any recommendations on doweling jigs are also appreciated.

Ben
 
Ben, another way to do the feet is described in FWW 180 Dec 2005 pg 106, using veneer rather than solid wood. In this case the craftsman built a mahogany federal-style folding card table with lots of stringing and banding, as well as 3" high ebonized feet (on tapered legs).
First he cut the tapered legs to shape and final size. Then he set his jointer to remove the thickness of his veneer and set a stop block just shy of the 3" length he wanted for the 'ebony cuff'. Ran all 4 legs, all sides through jointer. Next used a very sharp chisel to clean up to the 3" point. Then applied veneer pieces to each leg, starting first with the back of the leg, then sides and finishing with front side of the leg (the money side) so no joint is evident.
This might not be my choice considering the wood you have selected, but is an alternative that also does the job without a ton of extra work.
 
Hi Ben,

Regardless of how you go about it, make sure to do the doweling before the taper is cut--which is sorta how I read your post but I wanted to make sure to mention it.

As long as both adjoining ends are square, straight and smooth--I shoot mine with a plane--and one can hold them together and see that there is a seemless fit, and assuming the dowel is straight into both sections, the join will be good all the way to the dowel, all the way around. So once tapered it should look nice and clean.

I typically chuck the pieces into my vise and use a brace to bore the holes. I shoot for a hair over-sized on the holes so the dowels fit OK. Not so loose they can simply fall out, but not so tight they need tapped in. I turn my own dowels to get that fit. The slight looseness allows the parts to clamp tight at the seem. I use epoxy for the glue.

Take care, Mike
 
Ben I hate to Poo Poo a project before it is started but.... In my experience Walnut and Mahogany do not work well as complimentry woods. Either go with Walnut OR Mahogany.

Their grain structures are too different and their colors are too close to make accent color differences. MHO I undersrand but I couldn't help but voice my concerns. Do as you may, but I fail to see why you would want to mix them in a project.
 
I love all feedback :)

Ben I hate to Poo Poo a project before it is started but.... In my experience Walnut and Mahogany do not work well as complimentry woods. Either go with Walnut OR Mahogany.

Their grain structures are too different and their colors are too close to make accent color differences. MHO I undersrand but I couldn't help but voice my concerns. Do as you may, but I fail to see why you would want to mix them in a project.
Poo Poo. I love it.. Here is a picture of a end table I did a while back. I used quilted mahogany veneer and walnut frame. The legs are walnut as well as the aprons. The idea is to make a matching hall table with the same quilted mahogany veneer same style but I wanted to take it a little further and put the leg tips in mahogany. The wife likes the piece so I better git r done so I can buy more tools!!!! After all isn't that what we really want anyway:) Thanks for the tips and the advise! :wave:
 

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