Rounded legs on Coffee Table

[AlexSwansboro]

I have a commission for the piece found on this website: http://pinterest.com/pin/111956740709438920/

I am not real sure about how to make the rounded legs without a lathe (which I don't have). I can do the curve to them with a jig saw, I hope. Any ideas would be helpful.

 

[Mark Gottesman]

If you need them all identical then could set up some sort of jig with a router to do the cutting and make a frame for the leg to sit it and turn on the center axis. If you are feeling good, I would suggest roughing them out with a blade and filing them to shape with a rasp. Make up some templates, take your time and you should be able to get out 4 similar looking legs. Pick the best two for the front.


I'm sure someone will be along with a better way to do it than the above, but that is the best I've got right now.

Just out of curiosity are those legs the main selling point or are they negotiable?

 

[Steve_Honeycutt]

I have done exactly what you are requesting. Below are links to some pictures of the router jig that I constructed and the picture of the final cabinet

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/showphoto.php?photo=57926&title=column-wip-5&cat=500

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/showphoto.php?photo=57923&title=column-wip-2&cat=500

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/showphoto.php?photo=57925&title=column-wip-4&cat=500

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/showphoto.php?photo=57929&title=finished-unit-2&cat=500

When I glued the pieces together for the blank, I glued a piece of newspaper in the center. This allowed me to split the column in half when I was finished shaping it. Also, I roughed it out with a router, refined the shape with a foredom grinder, and finished shaping it by sanding. A lathe would be much faster, but if you have the patience, this method can work. Let me know if you have more specific questions.

Steve H.

 

[Joe Scharle]

I may be looking at a different picture than Steve, because what I see in the pic are cabriole legs. Available from many vendors on-line or shop made with a bandsaw. Those split columns look good Steve. And you are absolutely right!, 2 pieces of flat stock; glued with brown paper in between and turned on a lathe IS faster. But now you have an indexing router jig and a lot of future capabilities.

 

[AlexSwansboro]

I may be looking at a different picture than Steve, because what I see in the pic are cabriole legs. Available from many vendors on-line or shop made with a bandsaw. Those split columns look good Steve. And you are absolutely right!, 2 pieces of flat stock; glued with brown paper in between and turned on a lathe IS faster. But now you have an indexing router jig and a lot of future capabilities.

How do you make them on a band saw?

 

[tryingtokeepmyfingers]

http://www.osbornewood.com/cabriole_legs.cfm

 

[chris_goris]

I have a commission for the piece found on this website: http://pinterest.com/pin/111956740709438920/

I am not real sure about how to make the rounded legs without a lathe (which I don't have). I can do the curve to them with a jig saw, I hope. Any ideas would be helpful.

The more woodworking I do, the less I tend to think of ways to use machinery to do things. Its patience I guess. Im thinking band saw and spokeshave. Do you own a spokeshave?

 

[PeteM]

How do you make them on a band saw?

Just Google "Making cabriole legs" and you'll find lots-o-info.
Here's a good one.
http://www.woodcraft.com/Articles/Articles.aspx?articleid=660

 

[Joe Scharle]

Pete's right, and Shopsmith has or did have years ago, a step-by-step tutorial. But generally what you do is:
Bandsaw one side of the leg (use a template), then tape the cutoff back on.
Rotate the work 90 degrees
Bandsaw another side
Spokeshave to final shape
Glue the knee onto the leg
Sand

 

[Bill Clemmons]

If you've never made cabriole legs before, you may not want to learn on a commission piece. I'd look at one of the online vendors that specialize in such legs. The 3 I'm familiar w/ are Adams Wood Products, Matthew Burak, and Osborne.

 

[JackLeg]

I've also bought from VanDykes with good results!

 

[Phil S]

I am making some right now. Bandsaw, drawknife and spokeshave are my weapons of choice.

How tall do you need them? Last year at the Klingspor auction, I bought 4 sets of mahogany cabriole legs that are 24" high. I could let one set go

 

[AlexSwansboro]

I am making some right now. Bandsaw, drawknife and spokeshave are my weapons of choice.

How tall do you need them? Last year at the Klingspor auction, I bought 4 sets of mahogany cabriole legs that are 24" high. I could let one set go

I am not quite sure. I am meeting with her tomorrow to go over the details, measurements and such. I might get back with you about those mahogany legs.

In the mean time I am going to practice with a jig saw, spokeshave, and planes for now. No band saw in my shop...yet. Maybe I can get one during my trip to pennsylvania later in July.