The best deal I've found for making a table with metal legs is to use "Curry
Legs" from Ikea. For something like ten or twenty dollars you get a really
nicely painted set of sturdy metal tube legs, complete with flanges for
attaching to wood. What you attach them to is up to you. I've got two very
functional computer tables made out of scrap interior doors with a couple of
1/2" plywood strips glued to the underside for strength. The legs are
attached to the plywood. I'd recommend these over electrical conduit any
day.

- Owen -

"whit3rd" wrote in message
...
On Jan 10, 10:32 pm, "m. scott veach" wrote:
I'm a stone-cold amateur at woodworking. Doing my very first project
of any kind: making a simple desk out of some plywood and electrical
conduits for legs.

Metal tube legs joined to a plywood top? That's HARD.
Wood legs joined to a skirt, with the skirt clamped to the
top, is much easier. Trying to mate metal to wood only works
well (without squeaking and fragility) if the metal is a flat plate.