Splay Legged Table, Butternut and Ash

[Jim McCue]

I recently finished a splay legged table. It was actually practice for a coffee table I plan on making. And since I am a beginning carver I tried carving the aprons.

The purpose was to angle the ends of the aprons and get the legs to splay. So that was succesful. I also completed the carvings and used pins and drawbores for the first time.

But mostly I’m unhappy the top is so big and has so much overhang. It’s basically the same size as the footprint, it’s just the legs are angled so the apron is tucked up underneath.

I was under the impression I shouldn’t make the top smaller than the footprint, otherwise it might be a tripping or stumbling hazard. Does that sound right or am I making that up?

This top is chamfered and lacquered so I think it would be too much trouble to alter it. It would be easier to make a new top. But that doesn’t get high on my list of woodworking priorities, so I’ll let it sit for a while and see how I feel in the future.

blog posts:
https://jkmwoodworking.net/2024/02/29/splay-legged-table/
https://jkmwoodworking.net/2024/03/21/splay-legged-table-2-aprons/
https://jkmwoodworking.net/2024/03/23/splay-legged-table-3-glue-up-and-top/
https://jkmwoodworking.net/2024/03/24/splay-legged-table-4-finished/

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[Lee Schierer]

It's an interesting table. It is hard to see from the photos, but it would appear that you could cut down the top a little bit, maybe an inch or so and still leave the top larger than the base.

[Jim Becker]

I like the design of your legs and apron for sure...that was a VERY successful project for you. Relative to the top, you have to "throw out" supposed "conventions" like the top shouldn't be smaller than the base because in the end, it's about visual proportion and the splayed base affects that. Suggestion: Remove the top and set it aside. Get some cardboard or inexpensive MDF and made several sample tops of various sizes so you can zero in on the size that looks the best to you. I strongly suspect you're going to be happier with smaller; probably something that's more along the size of the base at about 50-65% of the height rather than at the floor. Keep making test pieces and then change the size of the actual top to match your decision

[Dave Anderson NH]

Jim's suggestion about cardboard mockups is a good one. Trust your eyes. They will tell you when you have it right.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

It's an interesting design and somewhat intriguing for it's unusual shape. The two woods play well together.

[Jim Becker]

I'll add one more thing for you to experiment with on this particular design...the angles that the splayed legs bring to the eye might provide an opportunity to have a variable thickness top once you have the size zeroed in...with a taper on the underside from full thickness at the borders of the base that the top sits on tapering to thinner at the edge. It brings the visual of the base angles onto the top design. You can mock that kind of thing up, too, to see if you like it.

[Jim McCue]

Good ideas, thank you.

As for convention or rule of thumb I agree that making it look better is more important. I guess I'll redo it, just put it in the queue as I process wood for other things. I definitely have 4/4 ash, not sure if I have any thicker.

In some cases I don't like something and figure nobody will notice or it's not worth messing with. Then in some cases it's "That's gonna upset me every time I look at it".

[Jim Becker]

Can't you just resize the existing top once you determine the size that looks the best?

[Tom Bender]

Declare it a learning experience and move on.

[Jim Becker]

Declare it a learning experience and move on.
Why? It's a great table design that the OP just needs to zero in on a proportional top size.

[Jim McCue]

I think I'll rework it. It's eating at me more than a gappy dovetail or something lesser.

As for redoing the top I guess I was hesitant for two reasons. One is the underside is chamfered and would have to be redone, which seemed like a hassle to get right. But no more than starting from scratch I guess. Second is it's lacquered with minwax spray lacquer and I'd have to rework that, too, which I've never done.

I'll give it a try and update whenever I get a break.

[Prashun Patel]

Here's a vote to leave it as it is. I think it looks great and I wouldn't have thought about the overhang unless you told me. Your grain match on the top, your leg splay and taper, the carving. It's a thoughtful piece that does not scream to me "bad design".

If it were mine, I'd leave it as is.

[Mel Fulks]

I like it as is. Look in some old books on antiques, nothing odd about it . Modern tables often have smaller tops , and it’s not for looks .

It’s to keep them cheap. Your table is just right for games, and drinks. Make sure friends know how to use coasters.