Need joinery advise

[Matt Meiser]

I'm starting to build a bedside table for my 3-1/2 year old daugter similar to the one pictured below. Its pretty straight forward, except that I'm not sure how to join the lower shelf to the legs. I figure I need to cut a notch in each leg, but will that be strong enough just glued? If not, how do I reinforce the joint? I haven't been able to find any examples in the books and magazines I have.

http://www.ethanallen.com/images/products/lge/275206_large.jpg

[Chris Rosenberger]

I have cut notches in the legs on some projects & on other projects I have notched the shelf around the legs & used dowels in one side of the notch. The latter depends on how far the shelf overlaps the legs.

[John Hemenway]

Well if you don't think of this as 'fine furniture' pocket screws would do the trick. For a more traditional method how about a round floating tenon (aka, dowel):D

[Jamie Buxton]

To build something exactly like the picture, pocket screws. To use a more traditional approach, run stretchers from the front legs to the back legs, make the shelf a little wider than shown in the pic, and plant the shelf on top of the stretchers. Use mortise & tenons for the stretcher/leg joints. If the shelf is solid lumber, secure it in the middle of the stretchers, and use a sliding joint to the stretchers at the edges; slotted holes for screws are common.

[Alan Turner]

The issue with this design is that while the aprons' grain runs front to back, meaning that there will be no wood movement at the top, a solid wood shelf will move, and could cause some leg movement problems winter to summer.

One way to deal with this is to make the shelf a breadboard construction, and join the breadboard ends to the legs. This way the legs will always stay where you first put them, and the movement will be in the breadboard joint.

As to the jint between the breadboard neds and the legs, a mortise and tenon would be appropriate, but as Jamie says, you will need to extend the width of hte shelf a bit to get enough perch for the mortise.

I am sure your daughter will appreciate such a piece her whole life. Go Dad.