Replies

1. 
   BertJ | Jun 16, 2003 11:41pm | #1

   MM--

   Yours is certainly not a stupid question!

   Here is one technique that usually works and is quick and painless.

   1. Place the table/stand on a flat surface--your table saw is often recommended.

   2. Place a level on the top and find the short leg. Shim the leg and make sure you are level in all directions.

   3. Measure the thickness of the shim and cut off the three long legs by that amount.

   BJ

   BTW, one woodworker raises his TS blade by the amount of the shim and slides the long legs across the blade.

   
   

   ---

   Edited 6/16/2003 5:01:22 PM ET by Bert

1. 
   Biscardi | Jun 17, 2003 12:23am | #2

   If you tap a glide into the bottom of the shortest leg it also will help.

2. 
   Len | Jun 17, 2003 12:35am | #3

   I'd set some levelers in each leg with a t-nut. I did this on a kitchen table.

   Counter-bore a hole to fit the outside diameter of the leveler foot.

   Drill a hole to fit the outside of the t-nut in the center of the counter-bore.

   Tap in the t-nut and screw in the leveler.

   I found a leveler at the hardware store that only had 1/2 thick nylon foot so you can't even see them.

   Len

3. 
   EBrandt | Jun 17, 2003 12:48am | #4

   Another suggestion, if its only 1/16" of an inch, is to set it on your tablesaw, with 3 legs on the table, and one just overhanging the edge. You can pick which one, but the longest would be the most logical choice. The overhanging leg will then drop a little bit (around 1/16" in your case) below the plane of the TS surface. Mark where the overhang is, and cut only that leg. Cutting one sure beats cutting three, assuming the amount is not going to change the level-ness of your tabletop.

   Hope that helps,

   E.

4. 
   Steinmetz | Jun 17, 2003 12:56am | #5

   Bert has a good way, I do too. Cut a 'scribing shim'from hard wood or phenolic. ( to last.) It has to be about 3"x3" square and 1" thick. Three of the sides are square, (No bevel)

   The forth side is cut with a 30 deg. 'bevel'

   When it's placed with it's 'chisel edge' up and against the leg, you can scribe a fine line all around the sides of the leg. ( Round, square, hex? take your pick.)

   Use a paring chisel, (held flat ,with chisel edge down) to the scribing shim, to describe the 'cut line'

   Follow Bert's levelling and shimming routine,but,block up the longest leg about 3/8"    and the other three as needed.to level the stand/table/chair. 

   You will be cutting about 1/8" from the shortest leg, but it will be paralell all around the leg. 

    When finished, chamfer all the leg's bottom edges to prevent the wood from separating at the sharp corners.                       Stein.

   Bore a hole in that baby and hang it on a nail.

   (You'll use it often)

   
   

   ---

   Edited 6/16/2003 6:02:05 PM ET by steinmetz

5. 
   jimmyk | Jun 17, 2003 01:43am | #6

   Laser.

6. 
   theRev | Jun 17, 2003 03:51am | #7

   I've been doing a bit of stick furniture lately, and every piece has to be "adjusted" after completion. Here's what I do.

   -First, as I know I will have to adjust this puppy as the last step, I always make the legs a bit longer than my desired finished height.

   -Place the work piece on a flat surface, I use my work table, not my tablesaw.

   -As was mentioned above, level your piece and shim accordingly, using shims which aren't any larger than the leg.

   -Next, I make a cutting guide/jig. If I want to bring the piece down by 6mm, I use a piece of 6 mm ply about 150x150 (translation, 1/4" ply, 6"x6").

   -I then cut a hole in the center of the ply slightly larger than the leg.

   -Place the guide under a leg with the leg in the hole. Grab a nice sharp japanese saw. Keeping the saw flat on the guide, work your way cutting around the leg.

   -After you cut one leg, place a scrap of the same thickness of ply 6mm in the case) under it, and proceed to the next leg in the same manner.

   It actually goes quite quick, and sets the piece right down on four legs squarely every time. When I cut,I find is helpful to place my weight holding the piece not directly on the leg being cut, but on the other legs.

   Scott

7. 
   camel | Jun 17, 2003 01:41pm | #8

   MM- The best way to avoid this in the future is to glue up on a flat surface initially. Your workbench top or tablesaw top if it's small enough. The surface doesn't have to be level, but it does have to be in the same plane the whole length, meaning no twists, cups or bows. Check this with winding sticks. A 1/16" is too small to cut with a handsaw. You'd be better off with a sharp low-angle block plane and shave it after you've marked it.

   John E. Nanasy

8. 
   rslatm | Jun 17, 2003 09:34pm | #9

   All suggestions will work but the next time you make these use three legs so it won't be an issue. Never seen a studio that didn't have bad floors and or debris stuck to them except a new or unused studio.
1. 
   handplane | Jun 17, 2003 09:43pm | #10

   That's a darn good point! I wish I'd thought of that.

   Mark

9. 
   handplane | Jun 17, 2003 09:44pm | #11

   Thanks to everyone for their excellent suggestions.  I really appreciate it, and will have four uniform legs shortly :)

   Mark

10. 
    Steinmetz | Jun 17, 2003 10:22pm | #12

    MM, correction to my post (re. leveling legs.)

    One mistake I meant the scribing shim to be 3/4" thick.

    If you shim up the longest leg 3/8" while the stand is level upon a flat surface, And shim the others as needed,the most that will be removed will be !/8"

    Stein.