Cutting shoulder/tenon on chair legs

[Lee Alkureishi]

Hi all,

For my next project, I'd like to create a small side table from a 2.5" thick slab of maple. I'm planning to turn the legs from the same stock, and they'll be fixed to the top with through mortise & tenon joinery. Easiest would be to have the 4 legs at 90 degrees to the top, but I'm thinking it would look nicer and be more stable if they're at about 15 degrees.

I understand the need for a drill press jig to cut the round mortise in the top, but I'm having a hard time visualizing how to cut the tenon in each leg at a compound 15-degree angle. Should I do it before mounting in the lathe, while the leg is still square?

Does anyone know of a link to a good walk-through of something similar?

Thanks in advance!

Lee

[John Keeton]

Lee, isn't it only the shoulder that will need to be 15*? Why not use the tablesaw, with the blade only partially raised, and cut your shoulder from the four sides. After turning, you would need to remove the corner scrap, but that would be an easy task with a chisel and wouldn't show. The process would take a couple of different settings for the blade and angle/miter gauge, but should work.

[Lee Alkureishi]

[QUOTE=John Keeton;1907028]Lee, isn't it only the shoulder that will need to be 15*?/QUOTE]

Hi John,

Thanks for the response. That sounds like a good plan - I think I'll modify my crosscut sled to let me cut the required angles.

I'm not sure what you meant by "only the shoulder" though. As I understand it, the hole in the top will also need to be at 15* in 2 planes.

Thanks

[Reed Gray]

You can drill a hole through a square piece of stock and then cut one end of the stock at 15 degrees on the miter saw or on a sled on your table saw. This would be an angle guide that would prevent skipping when drilling at an angle. You may need to glue the guide to a piece of plywood (and drill through the plywood as well, so you can clamp it. You might be able to get away with hand drilling, but angling the drill table top, or making a 15 degree sled might be more simple.

If you are going to turn the table top. I would drill first, then turn second. If you are just using a slab, I would drill first again because of possible tear out issues when the drill bit breaks through, or at least have a solid surface for the top to sit clamped onto to prevent or reduce tear out.

You may be able to turn an angled shoulder by doing an off center set up on your lathe, or simple round over the shoulder so the top part will meet flush, and the lower part (towards the center) will be proud of the table bottom. If it is only a 16 inch leg, the off set won't be too big, but with a 30 inch leg it might be bigger. Have the off set/floor end of the leg on the headstock, and the top/table part on the tailstock. Draw out full scale on some cardboard or craft paper. Or like John said, do the 15 degree lay out all the way around the square stock before turning and then pare off the corners after you are done turning.

robo hippy

[John Keeton]

Lee, the hole in the top would obviously need to be at an angle, but your question was "how to cut the tenon in each leg at a compound 15-dgree angle." The tenon is not at an angle - it will be in line with the axis of the leg - only the shoulder of the tenon needs to follow the angle of the bottom of the table top and be compounded. That is where the tablesaw setup will come into play. It will take a series of cuts, but if done cautiously, it should work.

One other method would be to make the tenon a bit long, and after dry fitting the leg, use a marking jig to go around the leg and mark the shoulder to match the compound angle produced by the bottom surface of the table top. You would then need to cut the tenon shoulder by hand. That may present difficulty unless you leave the leg stock square so it can be clamped. You could turn it after cutting the shoulder.

[Michelle Rich]

Lee: I have made & sold shaker & windsor chairs for 25 yrs. I don't quite understand your question.You can use a compound angle, but your drill press can't ususally swing left & right & forward & back. So most folks just use a simple angle to the sides of the table You can drill your leg mortises with a brace, with a handrill, or on a drill press. Your legs, are coming up into the top, a few inches in on the top right? Turn your tenon on the lathe, so it fits perfectly. Then, take it back to lathe and cut the shoulder back a bit. Legs on tables don't need a ton of splay. Are you cutting the mortise thru and using a wedge in the top? or are they blind mortises? With today's glues you can do blind ones and have confidence if they fit very very well. I would suggest you get a book or two from your library on making "old fashined" furniture. it will help you immensly with your project