Splayed Leg Desk

[custard]

I'm working on a desk that has a fairly chunky live edge slab for a top, weighing in at well over 100kg. The legs will have a four degree double splay, and all the aprons will have the same four degree angle on their edges, so the top surface of the leg/frame assembly is perfectly flat.

I'd normally secure a top to the aprons with buttons, but how to attach buttons to an apron that's sloping away at four degrees? And with a top this massive it needs to be very well fastened, plus of course it still needs room for expansion/contraction.

Any suggestions for securing the top?

 

[Paul Chapman]

I don't see any problem with using buttons. You just need to cut the slots for them in the apron at the same four degree angle. I made a table with splayed legs and aprons. I cut the slots with a Domino, referencing the fence off the top of the aprons.

Hope this helps.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[custard]

I don't see any problem with using buttons. You just need to cut the slots for them in the apron at the same four degree angle. I made a table with splayed legs and aprons. I cut the slots with a Domino, referencing the fence off the top of the aprons.

Hope this helps.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

Interesting, I thought about exactly this as I normally use a Domino with a 5mm cutter for button mortices. But I rejected it because the Domino would be extending out into thin air before encountering the side of the apron. But upon reflection it would only be by a mill or so, so unlikely to cause the cutter to deflect. I think I'll mock something up and have a practise run. Thanks.

 

[Paul Chapman]

If you are worried about the "thin air" you could always fix (with double-sided tape) a thin piece of wood cut to four degrees to fill in the gap while you cut the slots.

Cheers :wink:

Paul