Expert: Jamie Yocono - 6/17/2008

Question
I had a beautiful Mesquite table top without legs. I had the legs and frame made by someone else. Now that frame and legs are finished, it mesures 0.75” too long.

The underside of the table has a lip around the perimeter (2.5” thick).  

Do you have any suggestion on how to fix the problem? Cut the frame lengthwise?

Thanks,
Lucy


Answer
Hi Lucy,

I'm not sure I completely understand the question, so I'm going to run through it - you have a table top, and the base that someone made for you is 3/4" too long. So the top is smaller than the base, am I understanding that correctly?

The you describe a "lip" on the table top, all around the perimeter. I am guessing you mean there is a decorative profile on the tabletop edge, probably routed into it. Did I guess that right, too?

So you're wondering how to make the two work together.

Well, Lucy, I think just about the only way to make these two pieces work is to A) make the top longer or B) make the base shorter. I'll go out on a limb here and guess that making the top isn't going to be easy. So that leaves shortening the base.

The good news is - that might not be too difficult, depending on how is was made. It basically would involve removing two of the end legs, shortening the long aprons, and then reattaching the legs. The level of difficulty really depends on the joint that is used to attach the legs to the apron. And what your woodworking skills are like.

You "could" to an easier shortening job, but it's sort of amateurish. Somewhere along the two long sides of the apron, you could cut the aprons, and then try to splice them back together. A scarf joint, which is sort of like a long angled cut, would probably minimize the look of this, and once you get the section cut out, you could add a piece of wood from behind, screwing in into the two sections to hold them together.  It would brace the two pieces fairly well.

It's by no means a perfect solution, but I suppose if it's done well enough, it would work.  Here is a picture of what I mean, along with some instructions:

http://repair-place.com/page2/3944~What_is_a_scarf_cut.html

I think if you google "scarf joint" you will get some good information about how to cut this. You'll need a decent miter saw, and later, some clamps to hold everything while you put it all back together.

OK, I hope this helps, if you have more questions after reading this, please feel free to write back and I'll try to help so more. This isn't the perfect solution to your problem, but it should work, as long as the table doesn't carry really heavy loads.

Jamie Yocono
Wood It Is! Custom Cabinetry
Las Vegas, NV
www.wooditis.com