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Table leg blanks?

John Torchick

John Torchick

Joined
Jan 24, 2010
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Cleveland, Tennessee
The Mrs. wants me to build a dining room table. I've got the wood for the top (pecan) but she is undecided on the legs. She doesn't want anything fancy. I have a lathe that has a 33-1/2 inch bed. Legs on our present table are 29 inches long. Can anyone recommend a supplier of square blanks? I might be able to stumble my way through four legs. Am I taking on too much as a beginner?
We have looked at several companies that make unfinished legs but not just what she wants.
 
John I buy mine from Jeffries woodproducts south of Knoxville, TN or from a place on Atlanta that I think is called Atlanta woodproducts. someone from there might be able to give you the number. I've also been known to buy a preturned leg from one of the companies like Osborne and then turn it down to my shape. When I did that, the turned leg was cheaper than the wood that I could find locally so I took the gamble and it worked perfectly.
 
John,
As a tip - Make 6 legs. copy the first one 5 times.
you should end up with 4 you like. Most critical is the detail height. A bead or a groove a 1/8" off in height will be noticeable. A half inch difference in diameter won't be

Two sources:
HLM - Highland City Lumber and Mill work has a good selection of maple
they often have Cherry and can order most anything and have it in a week.

so if you live in central Florida it is a good deal a bit to far to drive from out of state.


Sandy Pond hardwood in PA often has nice maple and cherry.
convenient to Mayland, del, and PA they have a web site.


I don't know your location so maybe this doesn't help.

happy turning,
Al
 
Table leg blanks

Thanks for the replies. Al, I live in SE Tennessee. John, Knoxville is close. Anyone in Nashville? I'll be there next Tuesday.
 
John I think there is a place called Summer lumber but I don't know what sizes they sell. It's somewhere around Nashville. Jeffries is south of Knoxville, 10 miles on hwy411. Turn left between the giant church and graveyard then follow the little bitty signs back into an old manufacturing plant. It's a great place for wood.
What kind of wood are you needing. I'll be meeting with a guy tonight that bought out a lumber company and has wood for sale. I think he has some that is thicker than 8/4. I'll be glad to ask. He is in Cookeville.
 
Lumber

The top will be pecan which I was told is close to hickory. Heavy as the dickens! John, thanks for the info but not really sure what I would use to make the legs and apron. Like to keep the grain about the same if possible but not necessary. Probably a light stain but the Mrs. hasn't made an executive decision on that yet. Let me know what you find out and many thanks. Or, send me a message with contact info and I'll call him. By 8/4, you mean 2 in. square? Not familiar with that term.
Dim's will be about 66 in. long and about 42 in. wide. Cookeville isn't that far- son went to TTU.
 
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John I'll ask my friend tonight. I doubt you'll find pecan but Hickory is a possibility.
If your son went to TTU sometime in the last 22 years I probably shot his ID and his graduation photo. I've been here since Feb 87.
 
Table Leg Blanks

John,
Depending on the overall size of your table and the size of your aprons, the blanks could run from 2.5" square, to 3". The 8/4 designation is verbalized as 'eight quarter', or, as you stated, two inches. Lumber is usually sold by this reference, and is actually that size, versus items for building like the 2x4 which runs undersized at 1.5"x3.5".

The top of the blank will typically have a mortise and tenon joint with the apron for strength and rigidity, and will be left square for machining purposes.
See the photo below. http://www.tablelegs.com/JoineryOptions.aspx
 

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KurtB, thanks for the clarification. Somewhat new to wood terminology. My brother-in-law has metal corner braces that he said he would give me.
 
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