![](https://rolandrolson.eu/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/IMG_20211004_140120-01-1140x795.jpeg)
Jigsaw cabriole legs
This base has 2 cabriole legs in the front and 2 regular legs at the back. It’s made that way because only the front ones will be visible. That was a project which I postponed for a long time, looking for the right tool for the job. The most obvious choice would be a band saw, of course, which I don’t have. But I like to complicate things and try alternative tools and methods to make stuff. The jigsaw, I used, was powerful and heavy-duty and could cut up to 150 mm (almost 6″) through the wood! It accepts blades of 250 mm (almost 10″) in length – a monster! I had to give it a try. The process should be the same as with a band saw, right? I used a cardboard template to trace out the shape and started cutting.
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The first leg was cut off from the post after all the cuts were done. For the second leg, I did it differently – I had easier access to cut the top of the leg with the blade. But that was the only difference, the whole idea remained the same – cut one side, save the off-cuts, put them back with a painter’s tape, trace out the other side and cut again. It actually didn’t take long, sanding was the worst. It was helpful to use a rasp first, to remove the excess, and then proceed with a sanding block. A long process, that’s why the back legs were cut differently.
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I cut off both ends on a table saw and sanded the bottoms again. Then I moved onto the apron and the back legs. They were made from old 2×4’s, I checked for metal and planed them down with a thickness planer.
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Next, I cut them to width and length. That way, I got a base with dimensions of about 45 x 55 cm (18″ x 21 1/2″).
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I had to cut tapers on the back legs and do it safely. The angle I needed was too big for my mitre gauge and also for my tapering jig. I used double-sided tape and firmly stuck a block of scrap wood to my table saw sledge. I finished with a pair of good-looking and identical legs.
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It still needed epoxy and sanding, as the wood was reclaimed and had some holes and badly looking knots. But before that, one very important thing had to be done – the dowels. I used my dowelling jig where I could, and for the rest of the holes, I used dowel centre point finders, marked drilling points and finished them using a drill press.
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For the front legs, I had to cut dowel tips off at an angle of 45º. I simply used a hand saw for that task.
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And finally, I prepared for epoxy and filled up all the cracks, knots and holes – just in the front of each board.
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Once it dried, I sanded it and eased all the edges. That way, all the parts – even if flush – got a nice, subtle but still visible transition between them, once put together.
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I routed out small notches for the brackets, 3 on each board. Everything was ready for the glue-up. It took some time to apply glue to each hole, but eventually I had it done. I clamped the assembly with strap clamps and checked for square. It was out of square, a lot, and I had to use a quick release clamp across the diagonal corners to fix the problem. Then, I clamped it to the workbench to eliminate the twist.
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I finished it with Danish oil, 3 coats. The procedure used there (that gives the best results) was as follows:
- Oil was applied with a disposable brush
- Afterwards it was allowed to penetrate the wood
- When the surface oil started changing to thicker consistency, that meant the wood had absorbed the oil
- Next, I wiped off the workpiece with a clean cloth to remove the excess oil
- I made sure it was buffed completely dry and wasn’t tacky
- The same procedure was repeated for 3 days, leaving 24 hours between coats
- I removed any remaining fibres with a nylon brush.
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The base was ready. I prepared 12 clips that were an integral part of the build. The next step, at some point in time, would be to build the rest. No hurry, no sweat.
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