Paul Edgar Posted April 19, 2016 Report Share Posted April 19, 2016 Looking to build an accessories table and I want to splay the legs out a few degrees so that the bottom has a wider stance than the top. I figure a few degrees should do the trick. The overall height of the table will be in the 20"-24" range. Planning on using premium plywood with a hardwood piece at each corner. I'm thinking that whatever the taper on the legs, I would reverse the taper on the adjoining pieces (plywood panels). I'm thinking two faces of the corner pieces need to be tapered and the other two can be perpendicular to the base. Is my planning sound or am I missing something? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brendon_t Posted April 19, 2016 Report Share Posted April 19, 2016 Ain't too proud you answer... I'm freakin lost.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted April 19, 2016 Report Share Posted April 19, 2016 Huh? Is the thing you drew actually the front view of a topless table, having aprons that extend nearly to the floor? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Edgar Posted April 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2016 My question is: if I taper the legs or corners of this stand, the panels that adjoin them should be the reverse taper so as to meet without a gap. Here is a picture of a mock-up with three scrap pieces. Having been satisfied with the joinery, I decide to add a degree of difficulty by making the base slightly larger than the top. I'm thinking tapering the corner supports would be the way to go. My question pertains to the angle of the plywood that joins the corner support. An opposite angle of the taper is what I have come up with. Looking for confirmation or another pair of eyes that see something I am missing. Cheers.... 12 minutes ago, wtnhighlander said: Huh? Is the thing you drew actually the front view of a topless table, having aprons that extend nearly to the floor? Yes, pretty much. Probably add two drawers to the front. Trying to get some input so as to keep the waste to a minimum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted April 19, 2016 Report Share Posted April 19, 2016 Most of the tables I've built with tapered legs have the taper start just below the apron. Doing this makes the joinery from apron to leg easy as everything is square. If you're dead set on tapering the entire leg, you simply need to know exactly what that angle is and adjust your chop saw or miter gauge (TS) accordingly. Also, suggest cutting all your aprons at one time so that your set up doesn't get messed up. Once your machine is set up, batch out all the parts. Use scrap to test until you get the piece to fit precisely before moving to your "good" material. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted April 20, 2016 Report Share Posted April 20, 2016 Paul's initial statement was that he wants to splay the legs and taper them. From the drawing, the taper is small on top to wider on bottom? 1) The fact that the taper is wider at the bottom, does not in itself, mean that the legs are splayed, right? 2) In John's (Janello's) journal, Roger Heirzman Table, the foot print is wider than the top but this does not constitute splayed legs, right? I'm just trying to understand that there is a difference between splayed legs, tapered legs and splayed tapered legs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted April 20, 2016 Report Share Posted April 20, 2016 To me, the difference is with a tapered leg, you give the appearance of a splayed leg by tapering it. A splayed leg would be the entire leg on the angle. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted April 20, 2016 Report Share Posted April 20, 2016 5 minutes ago, TIODS said: To me, the difference is with a tapered leg, you give the appearance of a splayed leg by tapering it. A splayed leg would be the entire leg on the angle. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.. That's what I'm thinking, that the splayed leg starts the angle at the the top of the table, regardless if the legs are tapered or not? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted April 20, 2016 Report Share Posted April 20, 2016 I would practice with some MDF and some poplar. I have found that sometimes drawing it full scale answers so many questions. Then cutting something cheap lets you refine the size, angles and proportions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted April 20, 2016 Report Share Posted April 20, 2016 I'm getting confused by the use if "splay" and "taper" in the same description of the legs. Doing both will require a bunch of compound angles, similar to coopering a cone, except rectangular. Really crazy if the taper of the legs is opposite the splay, i.e., legs are larger at top, but footprint is larger at bottom. Sounds like a good application for a 3D printer that squirts MDF. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janello Posted April 20, 2016 Report Share Posted April 20, 2016 The original picture has a splay, and a taper. So, leave the panel wide and figure the splay angle, then add to each top side of the panel the angle of the taper. In other words...Draw out your legs with the splay before you taper them on MDF. Then draw the reverse taper on the MDF for the correct panel size. Assuming all four sides of the piece will be the same then all of the legs sides that touch a panel will need a taper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted April 20, 2016 Report Share Posted April 20, 2016 32 minutes ago, wtnhighlander said: I'm getting confused by the use if "splay" and "taper" in the same description of the legs. Doing both will require a bunch of compound angles, similar to coopering a cone, except rectangular. Really crazy if the taper of the legs is opposite the splay, i.e., legs are larger at top, but footprint is larger at bottom. Sounds like a good application for a 3D printer that squirts MDF. I've never coopered a cone. Sounds, well, different! And so John, yours are not splayed, right? Sorry op for the hj. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Llama Posted April 20, 2016 Report Share Posted April 20, 2016 I think if you look at a wooden highchair you'll see your answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janello Posted April 20, 2016 Report Share Posted April 20, 2016 8 hours ago, K Cooper said: And so John, yours are not splayed, right? Sorry op for the hj. Correct. Just the outside edge it flared. No splay or inside taper. I had to look at the original for a long time to figure out it was that simple. They certainly give the appearance of a taper or splay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted April 20, 2016 Report Share Posted April 20, 2016 2 minutes ago, Janello said: Correct. Just the outside edge it flared. No splay or inside taper. I had to look at the original for a long time to figure out it was that simple. They certainly give the appearance of a taper or splay. Now we're adding "flared" to "taper" and "splay"! Yep, clear as mud Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janello Posted April 20, 2016 Report Share Posted April 20, 2016 Just now, TIODS said: Now we're adding "flared" to "taper" and "splay"! Yep, clear as mud Flared = taper with curve. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Edgar Posted April 20, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2016 I'm thinking that with all the replies I have solved ( or you all have) my dilemma. If I splay the legs, all I need is the proper angle on the bottom and top, so that the cabinet will sit on the floor with out rocking. I'm intending on keeping it simple as in all four sides will be identical save for one side with two drawers. I'll try to remember to document as I progress. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jplemons Posted April 20, 2016 Report Share Posted April 20, 2016 Is this similar to what you're asking? http://www.finewoodworking.com/FWNFREEPDF/free-plan-splay-legged-table.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Edgar Posted April 20, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2016 2 hours ago, jplemons said: Is this similar to what you're asking? http://www.finewoodworking.com/FWNFREEPDF/free-plan-splay-legged-table.pdf Yes, thanks. I've decided to dumb it down by only splaying and not tapering the legs. I may hang on to that plan for future use. I came up with 16"x16" for the top and 18"x18" for the bottom with a total height of 22" plus whatever I use for the top. A couple of drawers will finish it off, it will help with the clutter at the kitchen table. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Edgar Posted April 22, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2016 Here are a few progress photos of the splayed leg utility table. I used a taper jig made by the same outfit that makes the gripper push block. Works very well! I added a 3/4" strip to the edge off the 1/2" plywood as the hardwood corner wanted to roll during dry clamp up. Didn't foresee that the 3/4" filler would be in the way when the next panel was fitted, so had to rabbet a channel to make the sides fit flush. The added benefit is a larger glue area and sturdier construction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaneymack Posted April 22, 2016 Report Share Posted April 22, 2016 Looking good Paul ! Keep the pictures coming! Sent from my SM-N910W8 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Edgar Posted April 23, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2016 Some more progress..... worst so far has been removing material where the drawers will live...what's the hot lick? Free hand is out, hand shake and can't see well enough to stop in the corners. Tried to use a guide for the jig saw shoe, but there wasn't enough material on some cuts and on others half of the shoe would be unsupported. Finally arrived (by sanding for way too long) at a compromise before the drawer rectangles got too large. Tomorrow we'll start making the drawers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted April 23, 2016 Report Share Posted April 23, 2016 You could have cut that into rails and stiles which would have made that opening perfect. Coming along. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Edgar Posted April 25, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2016 On April 23, 2016 at 6:55 PM, TIODS said: You could have cut that into rails and stiles which would have made that opening perfect. Coming along. I will the next time. There are more pieces, but the corners will be crisp, Thanks... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Edgar Posted April 25, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2016 Almost at the final glue up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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