How do I cut this leg?

[Roy Smith]

I'm designing a tall, irregularly shaped cabinet. The construction is similar to a classic shaker table, with stretchers tennoned into 4 legs, the big difference being that two of the legs are not square. The corners of the piece make 90, 90, 135, and 45 degree angles respectively.

Here's a drawing of what the leg at the 135 degree corner will look like, in cross section:

question is, how to cut the leg? The piece is roughly 72" tall, so I'll start with a piece of stock 2-11/32 square by 72 long (hardwood, havn't yet decided what kind). It's easy to see that I need to rip off a 45-degree bevel from the top-left corner, and again from the top-right corner, then two intersecting bevel rips to form the inside (lower-right) angle.

The problem is, as I do these cuts, I'm going to be left with an increasingly odd-shaped piece of wood which will be increasingly difficult to control through the table saw. I have visions of death and mayhem as I lose the battle for control with the gods of spinning carbide. Any ideas on how to avoid that?

Of course, the 45-degree leg will present similar challanges.

[Kevin Craig]

Think of it as a piece that's rectangular in cross-section with a 45 degree wedge cut out; it's then folded together to close the gap.

That's exactly how I'd do it: I'd rip it at a 22.5 degree bevel, then rip the other side to match. Glue it back together (dowel, biscuit, or spline if you wish). You'd gain a continuing grain pattern around the corner, as well.

Whaddaya think?

Kevin

[J Pagona aka Y.B.]

If I didn't glue it up out of two pieces, here is how I would approach it:

-The first cut I would make is the 45 degree cut that makes the face with the mortise.

-The second cut is the long face next to the face with the mortise that was just cut. Set the blade back to 90 degrees, and set the face that was first cut down to the table saw. This will complete the outside profile of the leg.

-The last two cuts create the inside profile of the leg. Lower the height of the blade to the length of the inside face. Set the leg on the table saw with a mortise face down to the table and an outside face to the fence. The first cut will make a kerf down the board. Flip the leg end for end and make the second cut the same way. That completes the leg. David

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