How do you level a 4 legged coat tree?

[Phil Watson]

Hello SMC, I have been a long time contributor and reader of the forum and have gained alot of knowledge over the years. I have question on how to level the legs on my newly assembeled coat tree, it cannot be disassembled. The tree is about 6 feet tall and does not stand plumb, it has about a 2 inch list in one direction. I have tweeked the bottom of the feet but I have just made it worse. I know there must be a simple way of leveling the tree plumb but I am drawing a blank. Actually I made 3 and none are perfect.
Thanks in advance,
Phil

[Jamie Buxton]

Sit the tree on a known-flat surface. Put equal-height blocks under two feet -- maybe pieces of 3/4" plywood. Put wedges or shims under the other two. Adjust the wedges or shims until the tree's trunk is vertical. Play around with the blocks and the shims until the blocks are under the highest feet, the shims are under the feet that are closer to the known-level surface. Now use one more block the same height as the equal-height blocks to mark the two low feet. Cut on those lines.

[Steve Marcq]

I do as Jamie said when leveling stools etc., but I tape a pencil to the last guage block, and leave enough sticking out to clear the leveling block and shims as I circle the pencil around the legs. Make this last block only as thick as you need to so as to not cut off any more of the legs than necessary, often shaving the pencil down to a half-pencil as necessary. When you're done you'll have all 4 legs with a pencil line all around; the trick is to cut exactly on the lines, perfectly. I use a japanese saw to get right on the lines. Good luck!

[Jason Hanko]

Another take, which may or may not work depending on the design of the feet: Leveling Feet

[johnny means]

Place your coat tree onto a flat level surface. Shim it so it stands the way you want it to. Plane a small board to just a hair thicker then the highest stack of shims. It's a good idea to have some downward pressure on your piece at this point, if it's to light to stay put while you saw. Use your planed board to support a flush cut saw of some sort as you saw the legs. Cut almost half way through the each leg on both sides leaving the cut uncompleted until all four legs are cut in this manner. Lay the coat tree down finish the cuts and viola four level and coplaner legs.

[Glen Butler]

+1 for what Jason said. Leveling feet would be best if they can be fitted to the tree. Set two legs at a good average point. Then set 3, then 4. In the future. Make 3 legged coat trees.

[Jason Hanko]

In the future. Make 3 legged coat trees.

I almost posted this too - but then I realized that whilst three legs is good for avoiding a wobbly coat stand, you could theoretically still have a leaning three legged coat stand.
Watson? That doesnt sound Italian...

[Glen Butler]

True. 3 legs also means that each leg need to be longer to achieve the same stability which could be a problem in tight places.

[Phil Watson]

Thanks for the suggestions. I will give it a go tinite.
Phil

[lowell holmes]

We had to level the legs in a Windsor chair class.
This won't address the lean, but we placed the chair on the bench with the long leg hanging over the edge of the bench.
We moved the chair untill the overhanging leg was in contact with the edge of the bench. We marked the cut line on the long leg using the bench top as the measure. One cut of the leg made it sit without rocking.

Three points define a plane. I would attempt to adjust 3 legs to make the tree stand vertical and then trim the fourth leg to match.

No shims required.

[Kirk Poore]

Instead of trimming with a saw, use a belt sander. You can sneak up on level more easily.

I use the top of my table saw as reference surface for cases like this.

Kirk