re: walnut table

Ian and Michael thank you.
Brian, the stretcher is connected with flush mount clips like you would use to hang a mirror or flat mount frame. They are recessed into the stretcher but not the leg so it looks as if it is free floating. The clips are only recessed as wide and tall as the clip other wise you would be able to see the mortise from either side of the leg or it would be a giant slot. Since the clips are only about 1″×1″ the are hidden neatly behind the leg and concealled by the mortise in the stretcher. The one thing I would suggest is using a longer screw for these clips as I believe they come with a #4 3/4" and I wanted a bit more bite. If you have the capability you could even bore out the holes and perhaps use a #6 but that would require also grinding down the head of the screw and I am just simply lazy sometimes. I suppose that you could make the legs free standing as a base unit by only attaching the top with screws through the underside of the leg top, but the mortise seemed to really lock it it in and then with the clips, the downward force of the table top is minimized. My original fear was that because the legs are splayed at an angle and that they don’t go straight to the ground the force of the top would want to push the legs out and thereby make a dining table into a Japanese tea table. If I can get my wife to help I will try and lift the stretcher out and take a picture.