Shaping the Legs

For the leg shaping, transfer the tapered line onto the opposite face so you can cut in from both sides. Use a handsaw and start the cut off on the end grain to establish the cut. Once established, start to lower your hand as you cut and follow your tapered line. After a few inches have been cut (10 strokes or so), turn the wood over and cut in from the other side. As you get nearer the end of your cut, to stop it breaking out, use a sacrificial piece of wood against it in the vise. Use a plane to take off any high spots. Do this on the other face and repeat on the other three table legs.

Break the corner on all the legs. Using the wedge you have just cut from one of the table legs as support, put this in the vise together with one of the legs upside down and take off the corners of the feet.