Table Leg Glue Up Question

[Michael McCoy]

I have some 4/4 oak that I'm trying to figure out how to glue up/cut so that I don't have a too visible seam. I know I read it somewhere and seem to recall that you had to cut the stock on edge but..... This is another one of those mag/forum useful how-to's that I saved at some point but can't locate. :) Appreciate it if someone can point me in the general direction. I know it would be easier to just get some stock sized for the project but it's become one of those things that I have to figure out.

Mike

[Steve Jenkins]

Not sure just waht you're asking but I think the answer is to miter all the edges and glue it up. the joints are on the corners and if the miter is good they are invisible. Since it is a long grain joint you don't need to use any biscuits or anything.

[Ted Shrader]

Mike -

How big (square) do the legs need to be? One option for 'smaller' legs is a solid glue up. Then cut two veneer faces and apply them to the sides with the glue lines. The grain will be similar all the way around just as in Steve's recommendation with a mitered glue up.

Ted

[Michael McCoy]

Thanks gents - the legs will be tapered - 2 1/2 at the down to 1 3/4 at the bottom.

[Doug Shepard]

My guess is that this probably means they'll be square until they get past the table aprons and then start tapering? If so, the mitering approach isn't really going to work out for you and Ted's suggestion is probably the way to go. If they are tapered from top to bottom you can do the mitering, but you'll have to deal with the compound angle cuts. Ted's suggestion would still work as well. You're right - it would be easier to just get some thicker stock.

[Christopher Pine]

I read an article recently where they mitered two pieces of 3/4 stock for the front two visible sides in a bookmatch type of scenerio that made a waterfall like pattern with the grain. Then the back part was filled in with another piece of wood. You could taper these as long as your taper did not exceed 3/4 of an inch on one side.

Chris

[Michael McCoy]

Chris - that's the article I was thinking of but couldn't remember if I'd read it at home or on line. I just tried that with some scrap and worked fairly well. I just need to change my dimensions a hair.

[Jim Becker]

If you have to glue up for the legs, rift-sawn is going to give you the best faces as well as the most invivisible joint. You want that grain straight and running from corner to corner in the blank.