Proper table leg usage - Woodworking Talk

mdeiley · 01-09-2009, 12:03 PM

I am building a hall table and I am simply tapering two sides of each leg. My question is should the two square sides be on the outside or should the tapers be on the outsides? The legs are 1.5"x1.5"x32" The taper will end 6" before the top and leave about .5"x.5" at the very bottem. Is there a rule or is there standard procedure? Any help would be great.

Mike

bradnailer · 01-09-2009, 12:22 PM

The tapers are normally on the inside of the piece.

red · 01-09-2009, 12:23 PM

The outside of the legs will be square. Taper the inside of the legs. Very easy to do and they look sharp. Good luck. Save the leg "scraps". The make nice wedges for shimming or whatever. Red

Sawduster · 01-09-2009, 12:34 PM

Yup, what they said.

mdeiley · 01-09-2009, 01:00 PM

I just want to say thanks to all This post has been up for maybe an hour and already 3 responses. You all owe yourselfs a pat on the back. It is truely a pleasure to have the pool of knowledge found here. Much apreciated.

Now what if I put the tapers on the outside? (which I did)

I would think you would want to see that little flat where the taper starts. If the tapers are on inside you wont see it. What are the problems with them on the outside and why is that the norm?
Thanks again for all your input.

Mike

Sawduster · 01-09-2009, 01:09 PM

I think it's strictly an aesthetic decision. I think that having the perpendicular surface on the outside and the taper on the inside would give the table more of a look of stability because of the slightly wider stance.

bradnailer · 01-09-2009, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mdeiley

I just want to say thanks to all This post has been up for maybe an hour and already 3 responses. You all owe yourselfs a pat on the back. It is truely a pleasure to have the pool of knowledge found here. Much apreciated.

Now what if I put the tapers on the outside? (which I did)

I would think you would want to see that little flat where the taper starts. If the tapers are on inside you wont see it. What are the problems with them on the outside and why is that the norm?
Thanks again for all your input.

Mike

Structurally, there's no problem with putting the tapers on the outside and 95% of the people who see the table will not notice it. It's the norm because it keeps the outside of the table looking square and theoretically, allows for more leg space on the inside of a table. Personally, it would make me hurt to see a table like that. Kinda like fingers on a chalk board. But then, I'm kinda anal that way.

raskgle · 01-09-2009, 07:16 PM

With the taper on the inside, it makes it easyer to mortis the leg because the leg will lay flat to make the mortis. For me the mortis always goes on the tapered side. Carl.

kentuckytwostep · 01-12-2009, 10:09 AM

Regarding the aesthetics of the taper being on the inside; with the tapers on the inside, it gives the table a more stable appearance. I've never seen a table with tapers on the outside but I would expect the table to look (and be) less stable...