Hi folks, I am trying to make a reeded leg and not sure how to get the fluted portion into my leg? I have the basic leg built like I want with the proportions but not sure how to finish it?
I have attached my leg and a copy of a leg I sort of want to mimic. I have been searching
for videos and find alot of videos on fluted columns but not this sort of leg? I will keep searching but wanted to ask you folks as well!Thank you!
Jay
Have a look at @DaveR 's Design, Click, Build series on the Fine Woodworking website.
Here’s one that does pretty much what you want. Watch the video.
PS. I see you’ve already asked @DaveR directly about the reeded leg in your other post about the mouse zooming.
I just saw this after answering you in your other post. I wouldn’t call the one you’ve indicated a reeded leg. That’s got stopped flutes. I’ve done one on that, too, I think. I’ll have to hunt.
Edit to add: I found a fluted newel post but evidently the tutorial I did on it seems to have vaporized.
Of course your right Dave, I guess its not a full reeded leg I am after but just the, how do I say it, the grooves in the leg I would like to be able to do?
Almost as if you took a router tool and added them to the leg after it was turned, if that makes sense??
I watched the video on how to make a reeded leg you did and OMG!!!
Jay
That’s a common way to make fluted legs. In general, the method I use is to draw a sort of long sausage with rounded ends. Thing of that as the cutter. Intersect that with the turned leg and erase the waste.
Thank you.
Yeah its a stopped flute is what I want to do. Do I turn the leg first then add that after the fact?
Jay
Yup. Just as it would be done in the shop.
Hi Dave, I have attached a few pics of what I think I should do as per your reply. I am watching videos on cutouts and intersecting faces, but its a little confusing? I have the solid tools in my tool bar but a little uncertain as to what to do to get that stopped flute I want?
Any tips? I have never done this before 
Thanks
Jay
Basic version of your leg as example. The attached skp file might help show the principle?
I used bool tools but the solids tools will do the same.
leg.skp (638.8 KB)
WOW!!! thank you sooooo much for the example and tutorial!! I am sorry for the late response and just saw this today!!!
Again, thank you for taking the time, I really appreciate it!
Jay
Hey, no problem, glad it was a help.
By the same principle, using the solid tools you can trim the square part of the leg using the same tools.
Create a spherical shape as a group and align and size it to suit the trim/chamfer. With both selected I then used the “split” solid tool and then deleted the unwanted parts.
With a little forethought and the right approach you can make very nice transitions and appropriate from the turned section to the pommel. Like on these reeded columns. I used the same method on the tops of the reeds as well. I’ll send you a link
The same basic process works for these Queen Anne style legs with the offset foot, too.
I thought I’d sent you a link to the tutorial for that.
Stopped flutes on legs with entasis. Anyone? My tutorial will be published soon.
I had a try to see if I could produce something like that, it’s a lot simpler than a finished leg but I try to show here how I did it. I don’t know whether it’s any good or not…
Dave, straighten me out here.
what is the flute with a flat bottom called (like a dado)?
Good enough Ian.
Your illustrations are correct. Jay should have asked for a fluted lug instead of a reeded leg. the five legs in the image I posted earlier are reeded.
It would still be called a flute.
I look forward to seeing that. Published here or on the Fine Woodworking blog? (Design.Click.Build)
It’ll be on the Design. Click. Build. blog.
Great stuff guys!! Thank you soooo much!!
Jay
FWIW, it was published yesterday or the day before.
