General Woodworking

[tyonkin1]

Is there a fairly easy technique to cut the angles for table legs where they attach to the bottom of the table top? 

[mathisonr1]

First of all I hope I understand what you are asking.

Make your self a jig by ripping a "V" lengthwise down the edge of a 2 x 4. On the opposite side rip the angle that you wish the legs to splay out. Place the table leg in the jig and cut it to length at your power miter saw. You can omit step two if your miter saw bevels. 5 to 10 degrees would be about the angle that you are looking for.

If you are simply looking for a way to taper legs look HERE .

Rick

[wallyjacque]

Table legs are easily tapered with a tapering jig. You dont need a expensive one, I bought mine at Sears and it is made of aluminum.  Legs should only be tapered on the inside edges otherwise they will look awkward.  The taper does not go all the way up to the top.  The top of the leg should be square with mortises in it to accept tenons from the side streachers.  Attach the top with figure 8's or homemade wooden blocks with a slot made with your router or biscuit cutter, the top needs to move.  Make sure the streachers are a little proud of the legs, about 1/16 " for a shadow line, it looks much better than making them flush.

Walter

wallyjacque@gmail.com

[tyonkin1]

Thanks.  You correctly understood my search.  I was not interested in tapering the leg but in cutting the angles needed at the top of the leg where it meets the table.

However, I'm still not clear on your explanation.  I had created a jig by connecting two 1 X 4s at a right angle and then attaching an additional 1 X 4 at the 90 degree so that the first two would have a flat surface.  I put the leg in this jig, set my power miter at 7 degrees and made the cut.  I think using a 2 X 4 to create the right angle would be less work though. 

I still think most table legs have two angles--one to the side and another to the front.  These angles won't extend beyond the edge of the table so they are small--7 or 8 degrees each I'd guess.  Is it sensible to make the compound cut by angling the power miter saw to 7 degrees and rotating the power saw table to five degrees?

[tyonkin1]

I wasn't looking for a technique to taper the legs but thanks anyway.

[mathisonr1]

tyonkin1, you're on the right track with your 1x4 jig. Is your jig holding the table leg rotated 90 degrees to the table? If so, set the bevel on your compound miter saw to your desired angle and trim the leg to length.

Rick

[mathisonr1]

Here's some photos for you

This is a jig for drilling holes in the center of a dowel but the premise is the same for trimming the tops of your table legs so that they "splay" out from the corner.

You then place the table leg in the jig like this, take it to your compound miter saw, tilt the saw to your desired bevel angle and trim the leg to length.

Hope this helps, Rick

[jackal6 · Accepted solution]

Is it sensible to make the compound cut by angling the power miter saw to 7 degrees and rotating the power saw table to five degrees?

No need for a jig at all, this set up will get the cut you want.

[grumpyoldbill]

Yup. That's the way Norm would do it or he would use his old RAS.