# Splayed legs on coffee table - design problem



## Furnitude (Oct 18, 2008)

I've got a bit of a design conundrum. I am making a coffee table with kind of a slab top. The legs need to be splayed and angled out at about 45 degrees-out toward the corners of the top. I don't want there to be an apron, but I also don't want the legs to come through the top (like with through tenons). This is kind of hard to explain and I haven't been able to draw it yet. I'm envisioning a tapered leg with some kind of brace unit that could be directly mounted to the underside of the top-maybe even with screws. I'm having trouble finding examples of this sort of thing. Here's an example of how the legs might be:
http://www.nakashimawoodworker.com/furniture/4/106

Here's another example where you can sort of see how the leg is mounted: http://www.nakashimawoodworker.com/furniture/4/50

Can anybody figure out how there would be enough mechanical support? I see a horizontal piece that somehow joins the leg, so I'm wondering if there is another horizontal piece on the other side. If so , how are those actually mounted to the leg itself?

Any suggestions are appreciated.
thanks,
M


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## LeeBarker (Aug 6, 2010)

Those legs appear to be at about 30o to the top. At 45o you're asking much more of the structure.

Imagine someone sitting on the corner of your table-people do that-and ponder what kind of bulk you'd have in the substructure in order to withstand that moment.

Kindly,

Lee


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

Go through the pictures and you'll see the leg shown from 
the other side. It's probably mortised and pegged into
a notch in a single horizontal piece the same width as
the horizontal sticking out through the hole in the
slab leg at the other end.


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## Furnitude (Oct 18, 2008)

Lee, sorry I wasn't clear-the splay angle wouldn't be 45 degrees. I meant as if you were looking down from the top. Not sure what the splay angle would be-I would say 30 degrees or less. You are absolutely right to consider what kind of load it would need to support.


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## Furnitude (Oct 18, 2008)

Loren, I see the picture you are referring to. Missed that earlier. I think I understand what you mean. From different angles, you can see a horizontal piece on both sides of the leg. So are you saying the horizontal piece is wide-maybe 4"-and there is an angled notch to accommodate the leg? And then it is pinned?

Actually found another example with a head-on view: https://www.google.com/search?q=nakashima+leg+joint+splay&espv=210&es_sm=93&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=eUezUuPqCI2lkQeC6IDYCw&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1551&bih=774#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=Fy1hHvVb8dJzuM%3A%3BgYmy-kAVqrnY3M%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fshard2.1stdibs.us.com%252FarchivesE%252Fupload%252F8048%252F23_13%252Fface%252Fface_l.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.1stdibs.com%252Ffurniture%252Ftables%252Fcoffee-tables-cocktail-tables%252Ffree-edge-walnut-coffee-table-george-nakashima%252Fid-f_820090%252F%3B768%3B654


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## madts (Dec 30, 2011)

This is how I did more or less the same thing. Used good quality epoxy for the joint. In this case West System with fillers. I can stand on the table and I weigh 190 lbs.
http://lumberjocks.com/projects/66647


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## Furnitude (Oct 18, 2008)

Madts, very cool. thanks for posting that.


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## CanadianWoodChuck (Sep 8, 2007)

I was just playing with ideas to mount your splayed legs. I think a heavy dovetail on a tapered mount would work quite well. Just a thought. Bruce


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## richardwootton (Jan 17, 2013)

Bruce, I really like your idea. I will be building a couple of coffee tables that will require a little creativity in the base design and this could come in handy. Do you think your design would appropriately allow for movement?


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## CanadianWoodChuck (Sep 8, 2007)

I would elongate the screw holes where they attach to the table that should solve any wood movement issues. I'm glad you like the idea.


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## Furnitude (Oct 18, 2008)

Very cool, Bruce. I think this independent leg approach would allow for wood movement certainly more than a traditional apron structure would. Each leg (or double leg, per Bruce's drawing) would be independent of the other legs, so they could move all over the place and not cause any damage to the top because the top wouldn't be constricted at all.


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