# Need help



## Texasstate (May 5, 2019)

Looking for advice on fastening my slab table top to these metal legs. 
They have a flange and pre drilled holes to attach to the top.

But my question is.... I don’t just want to use screws because I want the legs to be removable for moving this table to different shows. 

I was thinking threaded inserts like the ones pictured. Epoxying them into place in the wood slab ???

Any help would be appreciated.


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## Lou Currier (May 5, 2019)

Threaded inserts would be a good choice.


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## phinds (May 5, 2019)

So, you don't plan to allow for any wood movement? Seems like a bad idea to me

Reactions: Agree 2 | Great Post 1


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## Texasstate (May 5, 2019)

@phinds 
What’s the fix


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## ripjack13 (May 5, 2019)

You could slot the hole in the leg plates....

Reactions: Agree 1 | Great Post 1


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## phinds (May 5, 2019)

ripjack13 said:


> You could slot the hole in the leg plates....





Plus, after slotting the holes in the plates, do not tighten the screws really tight. Leave just loose enough that the screws can slide along the holes when the wood wants to move.

Reactions: Great Post 1


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## Brink (May 5, 2019)

phinds said:


> View attachment 165697
> Plus, after slotting the holes in the plates, do not tighten the screws really tight. Leave just loose enough that the screws can slide along the holes when the wood wants to move.



On that design of leg, if left loose, the table could be wobbly


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## phinds (May 5, 2019)

Brink said:


> On that design of leg, if left loose, the table could be wobbly


You are misinterpreting what I said. "just loose enough that the screws can slide" is NOT "loose"


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## Texasstate (May 5, 2019)

Ya I’m gonna have to tighten pretty tight to have the table not wabbly 

How can I slot the holes

Reactions: Creative 1


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## JoshfromPA (May 5, 2019)

I want to preface by saying that I have never built a table like that. But, with that being said, in my experience with wood, no matter how tight you tightened the screws down , you would still be leaving the wood enough room to expand and contract.

I think you could tighten the screws ( in the slotted holes) enough to stabilize the table and the wood would still be able to expand and contract as it needs to. There would definitely be a matter of trying to find the balance of just tight enough and too tight, but I think that would be pretty easy to achieve.

Perhaps a small amount of lube under the screw head would make this easier. Give the wood a greater chance to move without the screws becoming bonded to the legs. ( would especially be a concern if using screws of dissimilar metals)


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## phinds (May 5, 2019)

JoshfromPA said:


> I want to preface by saying that I have never built a table like that. But, with that being said, in my experience with wood, no matter how tight you tightened the screws down , you would still be leaving the wood enough room to expand and contract.


I can't see how you reach that conclusion. That metal strip certainly isn't going to move with the wood and if you tighten the screws hard enough at each end of the width of the table there will be too much friction for the wood to slip against it, and that width of the table IS going to change.


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## ripjack13 (May 5, 2019)

I think a better idea is to enlarge the size of the holes, instead of slots, and use the same screws with the washers. That will leave enough room to move.
If it's a show table, there shouldn't be any worries as to how loose it should be. People are going to be leaning up against it all day long.


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## Bill_LFW (May 5, 2019)

these legs are made for a solid surface table, that being said, get some Baltic birch plywood glue it up so its 1"thick cut a grove in it to fits over the leg if I remember right the metal is 1/4" thick so that will raise you table 3/4" screw the plywood to the legs, if you have a bisket jointer make 2 slots on each side of you plywood so that 4 slots per leg and get the (8)table fasteners, you will need 24 brass inserts, paint the plywood black so its not ugly,

Reactions: Like 2


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