# How to make angled leg cleat? Mid-century style



## takenotice (Nov 2, 2015)

I can't seem to find any resources for making angled leg cleats like these for a mid-century type coffee table.

https://www.tablelegs.com/Mid-Century-Modern/Angled-Cleats.aspx

Its a tricky angle to cut since it is tilted toward the side and also toward the end of the table. Has anyone seen a method or jig for cutting these complex angles?


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## jerryminer (Jun 15, 2014)

Tablesaw could handle that with a tapering jig and with the blade set at a bevel.


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## takenotice (Nov 2, 2015)

Thanks. Yes i figured something like that. I suppose i also was looking for a way to figure out the different angels.


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## BLarge (Aug 29, 2011)

I'll bet those are CNC. But you could use a wedge and tilt the table on the bandsaw, or I'm think a way to build a planer sled that would cut it. TS tapering would do the trick.


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## jerryminer (Jun 15, 2014)

The angle is up to the builder/designer. You can also buy the metal brackets that accept a hanger bolt. They are typically set at 15 degrees:

Angle mounting plate

15 degrees, splayed out at a 45 at the corner (like a hip rafter) creates about an 11 degree splay on each face. This is a rough sketch of a table with 11 degrees of splay in each direction (HTH):


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## jerryminer (Jun 15, 2014)

For the cleats: wouldn't be too hard to lay out the cuts and taper with a hand plane


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## takenotice (Nov 2, 2015)

Jerryminer is getting close to the issue. For leg splayed at 15 degrees, the angle is actually 11 degrees from either side of the table. These would be the angles to cut the cleats with. The blade tilted on one axis at 11 deg. and the cleat tilted 11 deg. on the other axis.

However, I don't remember my trigonometry as well as I'd like, and this gets further complicated when you want to splay the legs in a direction that isn't 45 degrees from the center of a square table.

Here's an example: a 2'x4' table with legs each splayed 15 degrees. For the legs to splay out radially from the center of the table and attached to the table around 3" from the edges, the legs are angled at 13.8 degrees on the length axis and 5.9 degrees on the width axis.

These are the angles you would use to cut the cleat. I am looking for a process or formula to figure these angles without making a computer rendering to measure. Also, I would be confused as to how to set up the cut. Which angle is for the blade, which for the stock and what orientation.


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