Racking: three-sided desk apron? Or anyone used square metal legs?

[Melting]

I'm wanting to replace the legs on an old dressing table to turn it into a desk. It's pretty much a flat-ish box with flimsy legs right now. The clearance vs desk height is pretty tight already due to the (hinged) box - to use the filing cabinet of my old desk, and to fit my legs under with any air gap, it can't really have an apron in front.

Would a three inch apron on the back and sides do the job with no apron in front? Maybe an added L shaped corner brace inside the front legs?

On a related note for the next project:
www.etsy.com/uk/listing/716436946
Has anyone tried squared metal legs like this? If so, did you find them solid, or add any additional support?
Never tried swaying the examples I saw in a restaurant, be a bit awkward if they broke.

 

[Cabinetman]

Hi Melting, welcome by the way, not really sure what you mean re the dressing table desk, any chance of a photo or a sketch? When you say clearance do you mean for your knees underneath it? And not sure at all what you mean by the hinged bit. Ian

 

[marcros]

I looked at those legs for a project, but in the end I went in a different direction entirely. I haven't tested these but there seem to be plenty of dining tables using similar ones on YouTube. I would have preferred a plate on the top to screw into. I would certainly want some slots instead of holes in them. There is potentially a fair old force acting on a few screws on a dining table.

I was slightly hesitant, but if I had managed to get the timber I was planning to use I would have made them work somehow. I would probably have bought a couple of scaffold boards and knocked up a quick and dirty bench and then used and abused it for a month.

What you never see on YouTube is these projects 6 months later. On day 1 the timber hasn't moved, the furniture has been carefully lifted into place for the film.

 

[Melting]

Hi Melting, welcome by the way, not really sure what you mean re the dressing table desk, any chance of a photo or a sketch? When you say clearance do you mean for your knees underneath it? And not sure at all what you mean by the hinged bit. Ian

I've edited to add a sketch! Hopefully it will be worth at least a hundred of my not-very-descriptive words.
Yeah, I mean space for knees (and filing cabinet). The chest-like box that makes up the body is tall enough that raising it to account for an apron would make the top surface a bit too high for the suggested ergonomic working position.

 

[Ttrees]

What about making a frame that will sit into the box?

 

[Cabinetman]

As Ttrees said or a frame like an inverted U or V fastened to the end of the box you wouldn’t need aprons at all then.Ian

 

[Melting]

What about making a frame that will sit into the box?

As Ttrees said or a frame like an inverted U or V fastened to the end of the box you wouldn’t need aprons at all then.Ian

I think this may work great!

The bottom layer is load-bearing, but cutting the tops of the legs diagonally and making little triangular holes in the bottom box corners to stick them through should leave enough surface area

Think I just have an inherent distrust of legs with no length-wise support, much as I like the look. Will have to give inverted U-legs a go on a rough garden table.

Thanks for the replies guys!

 

[okeydokey]

Hi
It might be a little off topic but Ive made a few desks/worktops for home casual use using legs with metal plates with slots that screw to the underside and the legs screw into this quite substantial metal plate. I bought mine (reasonably priced) from a Swedish based retailer in the uk, other suppliers are available I am sure. Very stable

 

[Melting]

Hi
It might be a little off topic but Ive made a few desks/worktops for home casual use using legs with metal plates with slots that screw to the underside and the legs screw into this quite substantial metal plate. I bought mine (reasonably priced) from a Swedish based retailer in the uk, other suppliers are available I am sure. Very stable

Thanks! I like my furniture solid enough to seat a hippo, so "very stable" sounds very promising. I'll go by for a look soon; any excuse to eat Swedish meatballs.