Joining three 1-1/4" Dowels for Tripod Table

[Chris Tsutsui]

I'm trying to figure out an easy and effective way to join three dowels in a fashion similar to this picture below.

The picture below shows black epoxy or maybe that's just filler?

Instead of branches I'm using 1.25" diameter dowels / wood closet rods.

I'm building a couple of these from a request and it's for a wedding so I'd like the joinery to not look too obvious once it's stained black.

I want the table to be fixed with nothing that come apart easily. Thanks for any suggestions.

231269

[David Hawxhurst]

how about some line (rope)? it could be left natural or paint black to match.

[Keith Westfall]

Used to have one of those stools many years ago. As I remember it had a special 3 legged bolt (one leg for each leg) with an acorn nut on it.

Not that this will help very much as I have no idea where to find one of those!

If it doesn't have to be a really tight joint, maybe you could use 3 "eye bolts" (one in each leg) fastened to a small ring in the middle...

[Jack Vines]

FWIW, I've used a couple of similar three-legged tables as plant stands. I just lashed them together tightly in the middle with nice cotton cord. I left the wood and cord natural, but it could easily be painted black. If the top is fixed, the lashing isn't going anywhere. They've supported forty-pound indoor plants in ceramic pots for several years with absolutely no problems and still look good today.

Drilled holes metal fasteners may actually be weaker, because they would concentrate all the load right at the weakest point. The beauty of lashing is it actually reinforces the wood and makes the joint stronger.

jack vines

[Sam Murdoch]

Create fitted flat spots for each to nest just a bit in the other. Bore a hole through one dowel to start your cord through. Knot one end, pull through the hole, then do a nice tight wrap with everything saturated with epoxy. This can all be painted or not. It will last longer than if secured with screws (assuming the wrap is tight and epoxy is worked into the entire assembly). Below your "joinery", skirt your legs with paper or shrink wrap or something else that will keep off the messy epoxy overflow. I would use a brush to work the epoxy into the assembly. + 1 to what Jack says above.

I have repaired things this way - including my favorite shop ear muffs- one ear broke off the head band leaving enough of the head band on the ear piece to reconnect. I open and close those things regularly to fit over my fat head and even after a year of use there has been no failure. :D

Sam

[Chris Tsutsui]

Cord and epoxy seems like it will do the trick just fine. I have a spool of sissal twine type of rope that I think will look good and stain black. Maybe I can find black epoxy.

[David Hawxhurst]

you can make your own black epoxy, just add a few drops of black dye (i use trans tint) to your epoxy.