Coffee table update, legs milled need advice on apron curve

[Jason Scott]

Hey guys,

For those of you helping me with this apron curve, some of you asked to show a pick with the leg up there. So I have rough dimentioned the legs, and just clamped them in place. Obviously I have to mortise the tops to fit flush with the aprons so the legs will move over and forward the width of the aprons with is just over 3/4". I also will taper them on the outside faces, and of course they are much longer than they will be, I just haven't cross cut them to length yet. I was hoping just having them clamped up in the "rough" would be enough to decide if the apron curve is good. Actually now that I have the roughed legs up I think it looks really good, not "flat" at all, but wanted the advice of you more experienced guys. Thanks!

Jason

[Greg Cole]

Hey Jason.
I'd say in all honesty, I'd have ended the curve a little closer to the middle of the table (more of a could lift per say that a full on curve), but with out the taper on the legs it's a coin toss. if you can clamp all 4 legs on and take it off the bench it's on... you'll get a better feel for the final look too.
I opted for straight aaprons on mine (also the future owner agreed) & I was considereing scratching a bead on the bottom of the aaprons too, but once again opted not to & so did the future owner.
Take all our opinions into consideration, but do what you think looks best to you..... ;)

Greg

[Jason Scott]

Greg, thanks for the reply...I'm not sure what you mean, I'm a novice to this, do you mean you would put more "curve" into it? I just wanted a subtle curve and I feel like that is what I have now, but i'm open to ideas, just not sure what "ending more in the middle" means...Thanksk,

Jason

[Doug Shepard]

... Actually now that I have the roughed legs up I think it looks really good, not "flat" at all, ...
Jason

I tend to agree.

[Greg Cole]

Jason,
From what I can see it looks like the curve ends about where the inside of the leg is... I mean to say that I'd prob have made the curve a smaller radius (basically smaller curve leaving a longer flat on the ends). Make sense? But like I said before, it's a coin toss till ya taper the legs & get a better look at it.;) Is your tyaper going to be full length or partial?
When I do my first dry fit I really decide on final details. What ever you chose is going to look great... don't let me tell ya anything otherwise.

Cheers,
Greg

[Jason Scott]

Thanks guys, Greg, I decided to take your advice, brought it upstairs from my unfinished and cold shop (poor me lol) to the kitchen and clamped the rough leg blanks to it and took a photo...You are right, I can visualize it much more, and what is interesting is I am in love with the curve now, I think I'm set, unless you all see something I don't. In the picture of course the legs are inset more than they will be, but overall I think it is going to turn out great, (the curve I mean), I was really worried after doing it yesterday, but now that I have it up and can get a rough idea I think I'll stick with it and not try to go bigger...I welcome any other comments and if I am wrong about anything please let me know as I am in uncharted waters with trying these curves...I'll be cutting the legs down to size and tapering them tomorrow most likely, oh and I am planning on only being tapered at the bottom...Hey can anyone tell me why this walnut is so shimmery??? It is almost glossy straight out of the saw, is this curly walnut?

[Doug Shepard]

One other thought is to run the taper up all the way and continue the curve right though the top of the leg where it intersects the apron. There's pics on this thread of a table that illustrates what I'm talking about though my apron curve isn't an arch but just a flat with radiused ends.
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=15882

[keith ouellette]

Nice looking table.

[Jason Scott]

Thanks Keith, Doug I really like your table, and I see what you mean, but I am not going for that look...Where the legs and aprons come together I am going to "V" groove a maple inlay just the width of the legs I think, so the curve will need to stay the way it is...Thanks for all the help...

jason

[Thom Sturgill]

Jason, I think you've got a winner there. Are you curving the end aprons too? Usually I see the ends curved so that the top of the curve is the same as the long side, making it much more pronounced. I think I would have the curve start at the point that the leg meets the apron, but thats just me.

The 'cloud lift' mentioned is a design where the center would rise in two steps, or at least rise sharply with rounded corners at the transitions. The curve like you have is similar to some shaker designs, though the shakers would NOT have done an inlay. Its also prominent in Craftsman furniture. The cloud lift design is typical of Greene & Greene furniture.

[Greg Cole]

Thinking when you put the taper on the legs it will get me to shuddap... :D Seriously, it's going to look great.
Seriously, taper those legs and do yourself the justice of wiping it with mineral spirits to see how "shimmery" your walnut is. Hope you have more of it...

Cheers.
Greg