Will tapered legs (down to 1"x1") be strong enough to support pine table top + 300lb?

I'm attempting to recreate this table: http://itzfurniture.com/en/product/mesa-ban/

I modeled it in sketchup and dimensioned the pieces based on the proportions of the table in the picture. The table is held together by joinery alone (angled bridle joints).
I made one modification to the original design of the table legs, which features only one taper: I made additional tapers (one on each side of each table leg).
The profile of the base of the leg is square 1"x1".

Everything will be made from 2x4's. The top is made from 2x4's edged-glued with final dimensions: 26"x84". I'm guessing the table will weigh around 100 lb and I expect the
table to carry around 250lb. I'm not sure if the additional tapers will weaken the base!

Here's how the joints come together:
Attachment 358786

Backside view of a leg (left = original, right = with additional 2 tapers):
Attachment 358787

Oblique view:
Attachment 358788

Side view:
Attachment 358789

It looks like your example table ships knocked down, and the joints are not glued together. Are you planning on doing that with your softwood version?

I'd be more concerned about the Bridle joints than the tapers. Pine will be too soft for such a joint to hold very long. I use tapered legs in a lot of my table builds..no issues. The thin walls of the bridle joints is what I don't like...table in the other pictures used a hardwood.
Attachment 358807
There are four legs sitting on my bench, each was tapered on two sides
Attachment 358808
Something like this.
maybe make the cut out at the top of the legs as narrow as you can....1/4" or so?

The design looks great but I agree that pine is not the best choice here. The design really needs a good hardwood to do the job. Cheers

That bridle joint has a taper cut into it so that it assembles tightly. A plain bridle joint will be loose over time, softwoods are not going to work for this, IMO.

Why 2x4's?

I also suspect that without much of an apron, your top will warp if made from 2x4's. The effort to select and dry the best stock for this may mean in the end it doesn't save you much vs choosing more stable, harder wood.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by steven c newman

I'd be more concerned about the Bridle joints than the tapers. Pine will be too soft for such a joint to hold very long. I use tapered legs in a lot of my table builds..no issues. The thin walls of the bridle joints is what I don't like...table in the other pictures used a hardwood.... maybe make the cut out at the top of the legs as narrow as you can....1/4" or so?

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I'm glad to hear about the tapers! The wall of each bridle joint is 5/8" thick (see below). Since the general wisdom seems to be that pine might not be strong enough, I'll add glue to the mating surfaces and reinforce it with dowels.
This will be used as a computer desk (with 3 electronic measurement equipment, ea. at ~30lb) and I'm accounting for the weight of a person sitting on it.

What was the thickness of the top and end of each leg in those photos?
Attachment 358821

I have a good number of straight 2x4s available. I also want to make sure I've developed a precise and accurate method for cutting the joints and tapers before trying it on the nicer stuff :).

I'm not too worried if the top will warp (to a reasonable degree) -- it's actually already edged glued together (in 3 sections). The pine workbench top (that I never put finish on) I made a couple of months ago by face-to-face gluing 2x4s hasn't bowed or cupped. Granted, it is about 2x as thick.

I thought the stretchers doubled up as an apron -- it's receded but I like it that way since it'll allow me room to mount a small drawer or a power strip on the underside of the top.

Top end of those legs was 1-1/2" square at the top, tapers to a 3/4" square "foot"
Attachment 359069
I ripped a 2 x 4 into two square leg blanks. Then the tapers were hand planed
Attachment 359070
All I had to do was mark out the line...
Attachment 359071
And work my way back uphill.