Apothecary box stand, how big?

[Alan Tolchinsky]

Hi All, I just made this box and built a stand that is about 30" tall. My wife didn't like the height and thought the whole thing looked too big and tall. The box measures about 22" high x 13" deep x 12" wide. So on my stand the top of the box was at 52". What kind of base would you build and how high did you make it? Here's a pic of it before finishing. Thanks

[Cecil Arnold]

Okay, you asked for an opinion, so here goes. I think I would put a 6-8" stand under the unit, which would make it 28-30". I also think I would make them in a modified cabrolet style, rather thin looking but with enough curve to break-up the rectangular effect of the piece. Now if Mark Singer chimes in and agrees, I'll feel like a real design wizzard.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Alan...I agree with Cecil's idea but I'd make the base a little taller to bring the top of the box up to a normal "table" surface height. I bought a set of plans for an apothecary (sp?) cabinet to make for my pharmicist DIL. It's top is about the same height as a normal table. I like Cecil's idea of making it cabrolet style to break up the rectangular look.

[Alan Tolchinsky]

Thanks Ken and Cecil. My wife will be glad to hear your recommendations. So table level it is but I've never done any cabrio legs before. Are they hard to do? Thanks for your ideas! Alan in Md.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Alan....check Andy London's thread "breakfast bed trays"....http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=20488 for an example of the legs. They are curved and delicate. They give a the rectangular piece a more pleasing shape IMHO.

[Alan Tolchinsky]

Thanks Ken; I'm still trying to come up with some leg shapes. I like simple shapes so the search continues.

[Cecil Arnold]

Alan, if you have a bandsaw the cabrio legs are not too hard, but I like Ken's idea of something like the tray legs from And'ys thread.

[Alan Turner]

My thoughts are as follows. I would shy away from cabriole legs for this piece. In my mind, an apoth. chest was a working cabinet, simple and direct, without unneeded adornment. I would make a base of 2 way taperd legs and aprons for the chest to sit into or on. About 6-8" tall, with perhaps 2 1/2" aprons or so, with standard M&T joinery. Sam ewood as the chest. Nothing fancy. Let the drawers do the talking, so to speak.

[Alan Tolchinsky]

My thoughts are as follows. I would shy away from cabriole legs for this piece. In my mind, an apoth. chest was a working cabinet, simple and direct, without unneeded adornment. I would make a base of 2 way taperd legs and aprons for the chest to sit into or on. About 6-8" tall, with perhaps 2 1/2" aprons or so, with standard M&T joinery. Sam ewood as the chest. Nothing fancy. Let the drawers do the talking, so to speak.

Thanks Alan, Your idea is what I was thinking of doing at this point. I was looking at a lot of leg forms from different vendors online and I didn't like most of them. I kept thinking just a simple tapered leg is what fit here and you confirmed it. Thanks. Alan