I have these 4 legs for a William and Mary table that I just turned (yes, I know they aren't identical) and i have a slight problem. The bottom of the legs (where the tenon is) didn't get parted exactly the same...so the legs are different lengths. The difference is slight, the longest one is 1/16" longer than the shortest one; measured to the bottom of the leg (not the tenon). The other 2 are somewhere between those extremes. I have a plan to even them out that goes like this: I'll saw enough off the top (the squared section) to make them the same length. Easily done with my miter gauge stop resting on the bottom, then shaving off the needed amount. Is there a problem I'm not seeing fdoing it this way? Is there an easier approach?

Edited March 20, 20215 yr by Fred W. Hargis Jr

Fred if I were building a table I would wait till after its all together then set it up on something flat like the table saw and can check that way and trim which ever is too long. Lots of times it might be some other leg that needs adjusting by grinding a little off the bottom. This was a regular thing to do at a big furniture store I use to work at. And hardly any was ever perfectly level.

Putting the stop at the end of the turned portion and cutting the top of the leg is a great idea.  Go for it.

 

 

The difference will then show up at the apron and your design has plenty of room between the apron and the beginning of the turning so it will not be noticed.

 

1 hour ago, HandyDan said:

Putting the stop at the end of the turned portion and cutting the top of the leg is a great idea.  Go for it.

 

 

The difference will then show up at the apron and your design has plenty of room between the apron and the beginning of the turning so it will not be noticed.

 

That was kinda my train of thought as well. Thanks.

I agree with Smallpatch. Build it and then adjust the legs if needed. The floor is likely to have variations in it greater than 1/16”. You also will no doubt have variances in the feet when you turn them. You can try the feet on various legs to see if that will even it out before you glue them on. 
Paul

But the part of the legs that are out aren't going to touch the floor. If you look at the picture above that Dan posted, you can see the turned portion in question is between the stretcher and table top. The feet I turned are off a little as well, and the suggestion of putting it on the floor and then trimming will work for those once the table is assembled.

rock me baby, rock me gently, rock me all night long...

 

Make one of these. Set the table on a flat surface and level with shims. Use the gauge to mark each leg and cut

or get the threaded foot inserts, so you can adjust the table legs to fit the uneven floor later on.

Fred, those 4 legs look pretty identical to me. I wish my work was that good that I was imagining issues to worry about. I bet the table turns out perfect to everyone else.  

I am with Patch and Mason, Assemble and then take care of it as the feet may be off too which can add or subtract from the other parts.

14 hours ago, lew said:

Make one of these. Set the table on a flat surface and level with shims. Use the gauge to mark each leg and cut

I'm thinking once it's assembled that's what I'll have to do.

I'm of the mind set to make a table as if it will come out perfect and sit on a perfect flat floor and stick match books under the legs if the floor isn't perfect.  I can't see building it knowing the legs are off.  But then again match books are hard to come by these days.  The feet could be cut to length/height and turned without altering the length/height.

Edited March 21, 20215 yr by HandyDan

1/16" 

 

 Will anybody notice other than you Fred?  It might sit just fine on the floor as it is. 

2 hours ago, HandyDan said:

I'm of the mind set to make a table as if it will come out perfect and sit on a perfect flat floor and stick match books under the legs if the floor isn't perfect.  I can't see building it knowing the legs are off.  But then again match books are hard to come by these days.  The feet could be cut to length/height and turned without altering the length/height.

 

IMO this is how I would progress (start with the legs having the same length.  There are numerous ways to level a piece of furniture after it is built.  Recently, I built (6) side chairs.  Each are level when sitting on top of my TS, but each will rock in one spot in my kitchen where this is a slit hump in the floor joist.  Danl

My concern isn't that it won't set flat on the floor, I can fix that part later. The legs fit between the stretchers (which are a little complicated by themselves) and the table top. Now, if they are unequal lengths, that part of the construction won't be square. That's my concern. After the feet on on, I can certainly even them out on a flat surface. It's possible that the 1/16" wouldn't make a difference between the stretchers and the top but I just don't want to deal with any more problems than I have too. I went ahead and shortened them with the miter gauge, it worked quite well. I'm not able to do that with the feet, since they are completely round and I have no way to hold them steady with the gauge. Besides, like Dan'l said, it may rock on the real floor no matter how even I get things.

Edited March 21, 20215 yr by Fred W. Hargis Jr