I am building a dining table that is going to be a solid wood top without an apron or border. The legs are going to be two X's. where I'm kind of stuck is figuring out how to attach the legs to the table top without just gluing and screwing them bc I know the table top will need to move through the seasons. I posted a picture of the table I am coping except my legs will be wood not metal. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Thanks
From contributor pe
Screw a flat plate to top of leg. then you can put screws into top.
From contributor ay
glue will notwork... it will make your table unreliable and may be shaky...screwing will be best... screw two planks of wood in table and then attach legs to those planks. it will make mobility easy.
From contributor C
Hi,
If you are making the top as heavy as the one pictured I would drill a shallow hole in the top of each leg and glue in a 3/4 or 1" dowel leaving between 1/2" and 3/4" of the dowels exposed. Then drill matching holes in the underside of the table top.
The top of this table is heavy enough to stay in place like the top of a workbench. If you don't glue the dowels into the top you can then easily remove the top and move the table to any new location in pieces!
Good luck!
CJ
From contributor Tr
Thanks CJ I think that's the winning way to go!
From contributor Jo
If you do dowels, then the hole on one side of each leg pair will need to be oblong to allow for movement.
From contributor ch
You may have finished this table by now. But I would probably use flat steel at 1/4" x 3" wide x the length of the X . Connect it to the legs on top with countersunk screws. Then drill holes with a 1/4" of slop for the screws and attach to the underside of table using screws with a large washer style head. I've done this for many large odd tops and it works great. Also the 1/4" steel is unseen being so thin and stronger then wood for support. Just an idea.
