Jeff Skory
02-10-2004, 10:39 PM
Hi All,
My son is working on a table of his own design. He has the top partially completed, nice checkboard pattern of oak and mahogany. He then decided to add four pedestal legs that go down at a slight angle and then flair out along the floor.
He found a piece of what I think is oak (not real sure) that is about 1.5" - 1.75" thick. He then cut the legs out with a sabre saw.
(band saw coming as soon as Uncle Sam gives me back my money :D )
As you can see in the picture the grain runs pretty much perpendicular to the leg. I know this makes for a weak leg toward the bottom but the wood is pretty thick.
Anyway, the leg fell off the tablesaw onto the concrete floor and broke where it shows it in the picture. (high quality I might add :rolleyes: ).
I told my son that it was probably better to have it break now while it is rough rather than after he has put a lot of effort into shaping and sanding the leg.
So the questions are:
1) what direction should the grain run to make a stronger leg. If it just ran horizontally then I would think the main leg would be weak.
2) Are some wood types better for legs than others?
3) Is the answer just not to let pieces fall onto the floor. :D
Thanks for you help.
My son is working on a table of his own design. He has the top partially completed, nice checkboard pattern of oak and mahogany. He then decided to add four pedestal legs that go down at a slight angle and then flair out along the floor.
He found a piece of what I think is oak (not real sure) that is about 1.5" - 1.75" thick. He then cut the legs out with a sabre saw.
(band saw coming as soon as Uncle Sam gives me back my money :D )
As you can see in the picture the grain runs pretty much perpendicular to the leg. I know this makes for a weak leg toward the bottom but the wood is pretty thick.
Anyway, the leg fell off the tablesaw onto the concrete floor and broke where it shows it in the picture. (high quality I might add :rolleyes: ).
I told my son that it was probably better to have it break now while it is rough rather than after he has put a lot of effort into shaping and sanding the leg.
So the questions are:
1) what direction should the grain run to make a stronger leg. If it just ran horizontally then I would think the main leg would be weak.
2) Are some wood types better for legs than others?
3) Is the answer just not to let pieces fall onto the floor. :D
Thanks for you help.