Woodworking Tools Used for Shaping Table Legs

Measuring and Marking Tools

• Having some measuring tools on hand is important when starting any woodworking project. When shaping table legs, uniformity is desirable. Most people don't want mismatched legs. Important tools for these first steps include a square and tape measure which are used to make sure you've got four or more pieces of wood that are similar enough that they fit the pattern for your legs. Having a straight rule on hand can help as well. Straight rules are made from steel or aluminum and have incremental measurements etched on them. Having a good, thick woodworking pencil on hand is vital as well when shaping table legs, as at the beginning you will need to mark out your pattern on a story stick or on the piece of wood itself.

Sandpaper

• When shaping table legs, it is important to sand out any deformities in the wood before putting it into the lathe. Sandpaper is available in either commercial or industrial grade. Most hardware stores carry only commercial grade, which will suit most small woodworking projects and will be fine for shaping table legs, provided you're not planning to get into mass production. The coarseness of sandpaper varies as well. The coarseness is called 'grit' on sandpaper packaging. The grit represents the number of abrasive particles per inch. Grit is expressed as a number between 40 and 600. The lower the number, the coarser the paper. Which grit rating you require will depend on the pieces of wood you're using.

Lathes

• The lathe is the tool most commonly used to shape table legs. Lathes come in a variety of sizes. All lathes consist of a motor, rails and an adjustable tail stock. The power of the motor varies from lathe to lathe depending on the machine's intended purpose. The maximum length of the item capable of being lathed varies as well. The standard length of a table leg in North America is 29 inches, so when looking for a lathe to use, be sure it can accommodate the length you require.

Spokeshave

• If you don't have access to a lathe, you can manually shape some of the finer elements of the table leg with a spokeshave. An instrument dating back hundreds of years, the spokeshave consists of a blade, a metal or wooden body, and a sole. Spokeshaves are available in both low-angle and standard-angle varieties.

Saws, Brushes and Varnish

• Having a good handsaw or power saw around is important when first starting out to shape a table leg. You'll need to cut the wood to length, of course, but having something like a dove saw allows you to make small cuts when laying out your pattern on the leg. Once the leg has been finished, you'll likely need to sand it again with some fine sandpaper. Then you'll need a paintbrush and some varnish to put the finishing touches on your shapely new table legs.