apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

go to the hardware store and get a hacksaw... start sawing!

Pipecutter - similar to the one on this link:
http://www.jarrin.net/sites/7f4b457c-f724-477f-af61-4f57a3d7662a/uploads/pipeCutter_2.jpg
Available at any hardware store.

Problem is: How are you going to be sure that the legs are all exactly the same length?

In my opinion, paying someone for an easy DIY goes against the spirit of a good "Ikea hack"...

Use a fine-toothed metal hacksaw, go over it with a steel file and touch up with the closest match automotive paint.

This is actually quite easy. It should cost you between $20 and $40 for everything, maybe less. You'll need a pipe cutter, some masking tape so you don't mar your tubes up too much, something called a Threaded Tube End or Tube End Adaptor, and some leveling feet.

Cut your legs, measuring as C-A-R-E-F-U-L-L-Y as you can, match the diameter with a set of Tube End Adaptors. This should fit in and over the end, with a threaded nut in the center to fit your leveling feet.

There's a chance that the aluminum legs already come with plastic caps on the ends. If you cut really really carefully, you may not need the levelers, just swap them out with the new shortened ends of the table's legs. If you're off by a hair, glue or tape some thin plastic or cardboard onto the bottom of the short foot, no one will be the wiser.

Quick note -- using a pipe cutter usually creates a burr on the cut surface. Knock or sand that down so you don't cut circles into your floor.

I've done what you are about to do. Worked out very well.
I used a hacksaw to cut the legs, then just popped off the end caps and put them in the shortend legs. Use masking tape like kvh suggested.
As for the leg measuments, I used the specifications from a real coffee table to get a good height.

Wait -- are the legs perfectly round tubes or something strange like rectangles or ovals? Anything except round, use a nice new hacksaw. They're cheap, worth the investment.

I spent the weekend building trail structures out in the woods with a bunch of volunteers; totally different sort of thing, but the lesson we learned out there applies here: measure twice (hell, eight or ten times), and cut once.

Take others' advice about getting a file to sand down the edges once you've cut the pieces to the right size. Also, I would use something that naturally has a straight edge to mark where the cutting line should be. That is, if someone has suggested that you use masking tape so you don't mar the legs, use one color as your base, and then use a second color to indicate the cutting line, and wrap it all the way around the leg. (Nothing worse than getting halfway through only to realize you've been cutting at an angle, right??)

If you're really keen, you can get a level and a 2x4 long enough to cover the distance between the two farthest legs. Then, when you have the first leg cut off, rest the level on top of that leg to ensure you've cut that surface evenly. Use the 2x4 to rest the level on the other legs as you cut them down to maintain the level of the table. This will ensure the table won't rock once you turn it over. As recommended above, file any sharp burrs.

Since it looks like you'll be cutting off the rubberized feet, in your shoes (hah!), I would investigate how removable the original feet are. If you can remove them, then do so and glue them to the new leg bottoms with gorilla glue or something like. If they aren't removable at all, then cut cork to fit and paint the bottom with black rubber, or, cut large black rubber stoppers to fit, also glueing with gorilla glue.

Bonne chance!

Oh, yes, one last thing:

WEAR EYE AND NOSE/MOUTH PROTECTION. You do NOT want to inhale those shards or get them in your eyes. Seriously.

I really appreciate everyone who commented on this, Thank you so very much!

BUT the pic posted here is not showing the details of the legs. If you enlarge the pic on http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80131733, you'll see the legs are NOT solid tubular and I'm hoping I can somehow still keep the original part if it's possible...

Meaning I will have to saw the middle part off and reattach it? Sound remotely impossible for a DIY project.

Is there any carpenter or metal-smith out there with industrial power tool that I can commission to get it done?

I've used a black and decker jigsaw to cut down a metro shelving unit to the height I wanted. Go to the hardware store, tell them what you are cutting and they will give you a special 'bit' to use. It was $7 for the bit, no idea what a jigsaw costs, metro units are easy to cut as they have markings at each inch, so if you can somehow mark a line you can follow, do. If your nervous about buggering it up, cut it 2" taller than you really want it, and if you mess it up, take it to the pro's. But honestly if you have a friend thats a bit handy, promise them some beer, and its a fairly easy job.

Sorry, bad link...try this http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80131733

When I wanted to convert my dinning table to a coffee table, I bought new legs for it instead of trying to cut them down. I found some at Lowe's for $7 a leg. I painted them to match the table, and attached them using the screws from the original legs. It was much much easier then cutting down the legs.

hacksaw, pipecutter.... dremel tool with the proper attachment?

you could definitely sand it down to a nice finished product with a dremel

If the legs plug in you might want to cut from the top so you have the finished look at the bottom.

Have you looked at it in person - it being Ikea, it is probably as modular as they could make it and it might be possible even with the stylized legs.

If you were in SF I'd say try the Crucible folks. Maybe try to find a metalworker or metalworking artist?

Great idea you have there but when it comes to altering metal, make sure protect your eyes with some goggles when you use electronic tools/saws.

Cool look and idea. Whatever you end up doing with the legs, better steer clear of the glass top---did you see the "good to know" part on the product description? It says:

good to know
Handle with care! A strike, knock or scratch can cause the glass to crack suddenly. However, only into small pieces, never into sharp fragments.

Keith, if you're interested, I have a extra large low coffee table that I'll be putting up on Craig's List soon. I think I know the look you're going for---I loved it at my old place, but it really just doesn't fit with my new space and furniture style. It's custom made wood, and 5 ft length x 4 ft width x 1.5 ft height. It's really solid and heavy. I bought it at Wertz Bros. Let me know and I'll send you the link to Craig's List when I get around to posting it.