How would you make this (Cabriole Leg) joint

[Michael Panis]

Hi Folks,

I'm in the middle of designing a table, and I'd like to add a lower shelf similar to the one shown here. :confused:

Any suggestions on how to join the small "bridge" to the Cabriole leg (where I have drawn an arrow)? Since it is joined on an inside diagonal, this is where the Cabriole would typically come to a point, although it could be rounded/flattened.

---Mike

[Brent Smith]

Hi Michael,

Shape the leg and the bridge to match, and I would think a dowel or 2 would do the job.

[Jamie Buxton]

I'd shape the leg so that the shelf can be inserted after the rest of the table is assembled. That means little or no interlocking joinery. Then I'd fasten the shelf in with a wood screw and a plug to cover it. Or, if you're allergic to metal, use a Miller dowel. It is like a wood dowel, but has much more resistance to getting pulled out. The design limitation to it is that you'll be seeing end grain, whereas the plug over the screw can be arranged so that it is either end or face grain.

[Frank Drew]

Michael, My first thought: Working from a full-sized layout to avoid planning too deep a mortise, I'd use small stub tenons going into mortises in the back corners of the legs, with both parts of the joint cut while the leg and shelf pieces were still in the square. You'd probably have to create a small flat on the inside leg corners where the mortise would go, giving yourself a place for the tenon shoulders to seat, and this would be easier than coping to fit. The legs while in the square would have to be supported in a cradle to allow yourself to cut a mortise at 45º to the sides of the legs.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

That is a lot of curve in the leg with a very narrow cross section. Have you considered steam bending the leg?

[Michael Panis]

I'm not planning on building this table--I just like the way the lower shelf is attached.
Thanks for the comment, though!