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Thread: How small can feet be?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Location
    Fairbanks AK
    Posts
    1,566

    How small can feet be?

    I am finding I like little feet and a fair bit of taper on table legs. Might be a phase, but light, airy and sturdy is my current target. I need some heft at the top of legs for joinery, but I am trying to take off everything I can below the aprons.

    I am OK with putting felt tips under table feet, but honestly I like metal domes even better. The domes under the feet just lift the whole structure up, like it is floating in air.

    I made two tapered table legs today with the feet at 3/4" square (they are 1.25 square for the top three inches). I will install them at 6 degrees angle, so a little bit bigger after leveling. Finished table should have about 10# on it continuous with maybe 50# intermittent impacts, about 24" tall.

    I think I am OK on post strength and deflection stiffness. With felt or domes I should be OK on hard flooring, no trouble on carpet except for leaving compression marks; but the table is meant for hard flooring.

    Other than screwing up carpeting long term, what is going to give me trouble first? I am thinking deflection, bowing under load, but open to other perspectives.

    Thanks

  2. #2
    Consider the high heeled shoe...

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    SE Michigan
    Posts
    3,222
    I think you’ll be fine. Consider vintage designs...very thin legs holding a good deal of weight. Many examples like this:

    2FF7A8FF-EBD0-4C36-8662-F9D7965A8181.jpeg 450D1681-D719-4F9C-BE5F-1B3D0E952E11.jpeg

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