need advice on a rustic coffee table

[cody michael]

I'm building a coffee out of a slab of applewood. for legs i have 2 peices of wood about 14 inches wide 2-4 inches thick. bark on one side wood on the other. i am planning on drilling holes in top of legs and bottom of table then using a dowel and epoxy, probably 3 dowels each leg. will that be strong enough? or should i brace the legs. if i should brace it how? i am putting the bark side in. just run a 5 inch board across to connect them? how to attach through bark?

[Prashun Patel]

I don't know the dimensions or weights of the pieces, but if you are going to make this table 'apronless', then the strongest joint will be an M&T joint. Your dowel might work if it's deep and thick enough.

I think a more stable design all around will be with an apron.

You can also vastly improve the stability with stretchers near the bottom or a bottom shelf.

[cody michael]

about 20 inches across, 3-4 ft long. yes i'm doing apronless. i want it very simple looking, just my 2 inch slab of wood on top then legs, i have a 1 inch dowel i using. would a 4-5 inch board going between the legs vertically, like touching table top bottom, going down like 4-5 inches give it the neccessary strength? the legs are only 13-14 inches. if i did a board across like that how would be best way to connect to legs. they are rough with bark on the side facing eachother.

[Prashun Patel]

about 20 inches across, 3-4 ft long. yes i'm doing apronless. i want it very simple looking, just my 2 inch slab of wood on top then legs, i have a 1 inch dowel i using. would a 4-5 inch board going between the legs vertically, like touching table top bottom, going down like 4-5 inches give it the neccessary strength? the legs are only 13-14 inches. if i did a board across like that how would be best way to connect to legs. they are rough with bark on the side facing eachother.

A board across would be like a strecther; if I'm picturing it correctly. Are you averse to strecthing a board in between the tops of the legs at each end, into which the vertical stretcher could terminate?

(Unsolicited): You might consider splaying the 4 legs out, at least in one direction. IMHO, this results in a stable, more visually appealing design on tables like this.

[cody michael]

only 2 legs. i have slabs of wood about 14 inches across 2-4 thick that are legs.

[cody michael]

here is rough drawing. the red board is what i was thinking of doing as brace. would that be neccessary? would it be enough to make it strong? how big should i make it? inches up and down. legs are 14, would 5 inches be good?

[Joe Chritz]

Check out woodworks episode 704 for one idea on a table like that. Obviously the lower the stretcher within reason the more stable and secure.

Joe