custard
Established Member
Angled legs are an interesting joinery problem. The traditional route would be mortices in the leg and tenons at the ends of the apron rails. While this is possible you'll see, if you draw the joint out full size, that you'll be struggling to get decent gluing surfaces.
Consequently most makers resolve the problem by using loose tenons and mortices cut at 90 degrees to the mating surfaces. The photograph I previously showed uses metal studding for the loose tenons, secured with epoxy. However, even though that's a very strong solution I wouldn't recommend it as you absolutely have to guard against squeeze out when using epoxy, which then means you're using metered doses of epoxy which complicates matters greatly.
I'll assume you don't have a Domino machine, in which case the easiest and quickest solution is using dowels. Personally I'd make a dedicated doweling jig for a job like this.
Step one is for you to decide on the design. Do you want your legs flush (left) or proud (right)?
In both cases you would reference the dowelling jig from the front and from the top. If the legs are flush then off you go, but if they're proud then there's a little twist,
You have to measure the dimension "Xmm" and make a shim of the same size, and use that in conjunction with your dowelling jig to offset the dowel holes in the aprons.
One final point, when making this style of dowel jig I generally design it so it can be screwed into the workpiece which prevents any slippage.
If all his sounds like too much faff then you can of course cut the mortices and tenons by hand, however I've done it both ways and I much prefer the dowel jig approach, talking to other professional cabinet makers dowels or dominos seems to be the general consensus.
Good luck!
Consequently most makers resolve the problem by using loose tenons and mortices cut at 90 degrees to the mating surfaces. The photograph I previously showed uses metal studding for the loose tenons, secured with epoxy. However, even though that's a very strong solution I wouldn't recommend it as you absolutely have to guard against squeeze out when using epoxy, which then means you're using metered doses of epoxy which complicates matters greatly.
I'll assume you don't have a Domino machine, in which case the easiest and quickest solution is using dowels. Personally I'd make a dedicated doweling jig for a job like this.
Step one is for you to decide on the design. Do you want your legs flush (left) or proud (right)?
In both cases you would reference the dowelling jig from the front and from the top. If the legs are flush then off you go, but if they're proud then there's a little twist,
You have to measure the dimension "Xmm" and make a shim of the same size, and use that in conjunction with your dowelling jig to offset the dowel holes in the aprons.
One final point, when making this style of dowel jig I generally design it so it can be screwed into the workpiece which prevents any slippage.
If all his sounds like too much faff then you can of course cut the mortices and tenons by hand, however I've done it both ways and I much prefer the dowel jig approach, talking to other professional cabinet makers dowels or dominos seems to be the general consensus.
Good luck!
