Knee Blocks

[Carl Eyman]

Sometimes I've heard these called knee returns. On a Queen Anne or Chippendale chair the cabriole legs have their "knee" portion just below the front and side seat rails. In order to avoid the look of an abrupt ending to the curves a block of wood is fashioned as a graceful transition from the legs to the rails.

The first time I did this I followed the book's instructions.
Since you start with a near cubical block (3"x3"x3" in my case} and shape two sides to some pretty intricate curves there is no way to get a clamp in place to clamp the remaining flat side to the flat portion of the leg. Marlow was the author I followed for my first attempt. He said to put glue on both surfaces and rub them together until they stuck and the block would stay there. Well the block has stayed there almost 30 years, but it aint pretty.

Since I'm going to face this situation in a week or two, do you experts think I could use the Kleg face frame screw jig to fasten the block? I would drill the hole for the screw while the block was cubical and after it is shaped, fasten it to the leg. Of course I'd have to leave it a bit oversize and pare it down for final fit.

Should I post a picture?

[Paul Kunkel]

to hide the hole. I don't see any reason not to go that route.:D

[Carl Eyman]

Won't the screws be on the inside under the seats? Check me out. This isn't the easiest thing to mock-up, but I'll try

[Steve Schoene]

I don't understand why you fault the glue method, which apparently has held the block in place for 30 years, for them not "looking pretty."

The blocks would have final shaping done after the chair is glued up to merge the blocks into the legs and rail.

A rubbed joint--made with hot hide glue--works very well. It can even be use for making edge joints without clamps.

I wouldn't use a screw in a reproduction chair. I can't exactly state why, perhaps it just violates an esthetic sense.