Tapered table legs

[Steve Sowden]

I am building my first table and would like to taper the legs. My question is how much? Is there a standard? When do you taper 2 sides or 4? Is it just determinded by visual appeal? Legs are 1 1/2 square at top and 31 1/4" long. Table is 51" long and 15" - 18" in depth (bow front hall table in the latest FWW). I made a nice adjustable taper jig, now just need to make the cuts.

Thanks for the advice.

[Brent Leonard]

Tapering all 4 sides or just 2 is a matter of design and taste. Tapering 2 sides give a optical illusion effect of almost a curve,,,, which I like and use often. Tapering all 4 sides gives a spindle effect IMO. One look is more beefy and the other is more delicate. The look should be reflected by the style and the rest of the piece. Don't have skinny tapered legs with a thick top and breadboard ends.

I would mark out a taper down to 7/8" and see how that looks. If not the eefect your looking for, try 1".

I am building some nightstands with 1 1/2" posts. The bottom 4" of the legs taper on 2 sides (the in-sides) down to 1" and looks very good. Not too steep of an angle but not too subtle either. For longer tapers, I have found 1 1/2" down to 7/8" to look good.

[Steve Sowden]

Thanks Brent. I also prefer the look of 2 sided taper. Will go with the 7/8" and see how it looks.

[BOB OLINGER]

Hey Steve,

FYI, the Woodsmith show yesterday afternoon had a session on cutting tappered legs using jigs. They said the same info is available on their website. Sounds like you have your jigs set, but you might want to check this out, also.

[Brad Patch]

My comments apply to tapering two side, no experience with four sided tapers. I was making a table some years ago and did some research and found that for most smaller legs (1 1/2 square), that a 3/4 inch difference from top to bottom was standard. A mock up would pay great dividends.

[Bill Houghton]

A mock up would pay great dividends.

Nothing helps with seeing how something will look more than mocking it up. You can use cheap wood, cardboard, whatever.

Some years back, I made an oval-topped coffee table, and mocked up the top from particleboard, which then sat on those plastic milk crates for height. Was I EVER glad I did, because the first top, which looked good when I drew it out in layout, was obviously way too thin (minor diameter too small) when I cut it out. Since I had only enough quarter-sawn white oak salvaged from an old desk to make one top (and no money), it saved the project.

[Steve Sowden]

A mockup is a great idea. Will also allow me to practice with the new taper jig.

[Tony Bilello]

The legs in the photo were 1 1/2" square to start.
The taper starts about an inch or so below my apron and tapers down to 3/4" on the bottom. The legs were 30" tall.
The reason that the taper starts below the apron is 2 fold. One is that if the upper part of the square leg remains square, it is very easy to mortise and the other reason is that the apron will also be at 90* to the leg.

The taper is only on two sides - the insides. The outside corners of the legs are square. This is the traditional way mainly because it is more pleasing to the eye.

[John Thompson]

Ditto Bill and Steve on a mockup made from scrap. Anything else is just an educated guess and it depends on your previous experiece.

Good luck...

Sarge

[Mike Wellner]

Heres one I did a long time ago using an duplicator attachement on a lathe, I can also post the lathe pics if interested.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v122/mikew13/table9.jpg