Allan Williams Woodworker - Calculating Leg Angles

This is a quick look at how I work out drilling angles for my various Windsor chairs, stools, and live-edge pieces. It's probably more for the stool and chair makers, but follow along if your interested. It's much simpler than I make it sound in my confusing discussion, but it should make great sense after you work through a couple examples on your own. And please forgive my lousy math on the fly..the distance from the bottom of the stool is 23-1/4" and not 23-3/4".

[@lafamillecarrington]

So much more sensible (and accurate, probably) than the strange diagrams lots of videos show! I had been using a bit of trigonometry to calculate the angle (Tan(angle)=(square root of (rake squared + splay squared))/height) which worked fine, but your method is definitely simpler! And you don't really need to know the angle - just use the gauge to set up the drill press.

[@melanieb4037]

Simple, smart, usable and very helpful. Thank you for making this video!

[@archerycloseinafrica]

It’s a genuine gift for those who don’t have access to chairmakers and their books. I think this is the best way to teach new makers. Thank you for this video Allan.

[@markvankoersveld5881]

Hi Allan, im busy with my first set of stools and was trying to figure this out. You explanation is perfect. Thank you.

[@mykolashatkovskyi576]

Simple (in a good sense) but great approach for diyers - thank you, sir. Preparing to build sawhorse workbench and was going to make it with 10 degree legs. I'd say I'm quite close.

[@dothanalabamawoodworker6766]

My hat's off to you. Very well done. Thanks so much.

[@samuelrodovalho6680]

Simple and very easy to understand, many thanks for sharing.

[@crouchvalewoodcraft]

Thanks Allan, that makes it very clear - great explanation

[@727williams]

Rob Hardie thanks so much!

[@martylawrence9320]

Thanks.

[@robnichols9331]

I do like simple! Thank you

[@brucelouden8405]

This is great. I'd like to see your drill press set up for drilling your holes in the seats. I've been looking a long time and there's nothing on you tube covering this.

[@727williams]

Hi Bruce.... I just drill them manually by sighting down the drill and referencing off of a t-bevel gauge set to one side and a square set on the sight line. I use a bit and brace since it’s a slower process and veieasy to control. Check out Curtis Buchanan on KZbin. Huge wealth of information and he demonstrates these steps very well ... plus he’s a great story teller and darn close to a National Treasure!

[@brucelouden8405]

@@727williams Hi Alan. I'm drilling into the bottom of half round logs for benches and would like to get the angles symmetrical. I've tried the bevel gauge technique but it's pretty difficult on random shaped logs. I think I'll end up building some kind of a jig. I have some ideas, but I'm not entirely sure what it looks like yet. Thanks for your reply and suggestions.

[@michaeldennis4860]

I’ve been using a Rockler portable drill guide on live edge benches with excellent results. For half logs, which I’ve been going to try, I think I would use the same drill guide but make a jig out of flat dimensional lumber to go over the bottom of the log, bottom facing up, if you get my drift.

[@brucelouden8405]

@@michaeldennis4860 I ended up building that jig and it works quite well but it's pretty fancy and cost me $400. lol. I was determined! The problem I'm having is for drastically different sizes, since I'm doing from 9" up to 20". It works great on the big stuff. If you'd like to see more let me know. I've never done a you tube video but I should at some point.

[@bilal11]

Very smart. Thank you

[@gngdrk4142]

Great video! How do I ensure all my legs are cut the same way with say a 1/4” angle on both sides each leg? Thanks.

[@727williams]

I kind of hurried through that early in the discussion when I had my paper pattern but basically drawn out a few simple lines on the seat bottom. I connect my points between the drilling point and where I want the leg to land and extend a line from those...then I sight down that and drill at the angle I’ve come up with. Once the lines are laid out on the bottom it’s easier to see the symmetry you created...hopefully this isn’t too confusing. Peter Galbert’s book has great information on this process and also Curtis Buchanan on KZbin is outstanding.

[@johnlindstrom637]

Very cogent analysis for a former RC pilot! You would have made orthopedic surgery look easy. Jack Lindstrom

[@frankroberts3868]

Way confused….why not finish by showing how to drill the holes at the angles you determined?

[@dailychaos8]

I'm still confused😢

[@mikecrook8434]

Sound volume is low.