cabriole leg ??

[skeeter]

I am just before starting my first cabriole legs. They will go on a small display table, approx. 26"x14". Everything is cut out except for the legs. I have made, cut out, and sanded the pattern to the shape I like. Everything I've read about cabriole legs says to start with square stock and to cut out two sides then shape it using the cutout sides as guides. The pattern will need 3" stock to work.

I have just enough 2" Walnut to cut out four legs with minimal left over stock. If I just cut the shape on one side and round out the legs, it will be a little oblong instead of rounded, but I think it may work because of the small size of the table. Please tell me your opinions before I start cutting.

Thanks!

[gordonmt]

Charles,
I have only cut Cabriole legs one time and I followed the instructions in woodsmith to the letter. I have no idea how modifiying from that procedure will affect your outcome.
In the woodsmith process, you make your square blanks and draw your cuts on two sides of the blank to the shape of the leg. You then bandsaw one side off. You then reattache the cut off peice with double sided tape, rotate your blank 90 degrees, and then cut off the other side. You then take off the cut peices and you have the general shape of the cabriole leg that still requires sanding and shaping.
Hope that helps.

[Joe Scharle]

Originally Posted by gordonmt

Charles,
I have only cut Cabriole legs one time and I followed the instructions in woodsmith to the letter. I have no idea how modifiying from that procedure will affect your outcome.
In the woodsmith process, you make your square blanks and draw your cuts on two sides of the blank to the shape of the leg. You then bandsaw one side off. You then reattache the cut off peice with double sided tape, rotate your blank 90 degrees, and then cut off the other side. You then take off the cut peices and you have the general shape of the cabriole leg that still requires sanding and shaping.
Hope that helps.

Believe the above.
I've made 16 (16 good ones, that is!).
Practice on a squared off 4X4.
Spoke shave is a must.

[4yanks]

I agree with Joe and Mark. Additionally, I never like to do legs unless I have enough stock to make at least one extra.

[skeeter]

My problem is that I don't have enough stock to laminate together to make the 3" square stock I actually need. My wood supplier won't have any more Walnut of any thickness for a couple more weeks. I'm thinking about a Cabriole "look alike" shaped from 2" x 3" stock, complete with tapered, rounded legs. I'm sure it would be more of an oblong look. Just wondering if anyone has used this modified shape and how it looked!!

[gordonmt]

I would also add, that I started the project using laminated pine 2 x 4 (you know, from Home DeePot.) I made three mistakes on two of those before I made my first one from Oak.