Smitty Two wrote:
So the semi-antique coffee table I picked up on eBay has wobbly legs.
The table seems well-constructed but the little wooden triangular
prism leg-bracing blocks were all either cracked in two, or the glue
had separated from one face of the block or the other.

I've knocked them all off and cleaned up the residual glue from the
legs. Since I'm more of a machinist than I am a woodworker, I'm
tempted to replace them with some little pieces of lightweight
aluminum angle and some small screws. Any reason not to do that,
other than purity?

Aluminum won't cut it. Not near strong enough to keep the rails tight and
unmoving against the legs. Not if you're thinking of something like 1/8" x
1" x 1" Ls.
______________

If I go wood, does it matter what type of wood I use, and what type of
glue?

Yes. Hard wood. Oak, maple, birch...like that. Assuming the wood is
clean - no dirt, no finish, no stain - yellow glue would be good.

Many times corner blocks are physically joined to the rails as well as being
glued; i.e., there is some sort of joint between the two (on better
furniture, at least).

Naturally, the corner block ends have to be mitered. Mitered ends glue a
whole lot better than end grain but they still aren't super; therefore,
screws help. Wide helps too.

If the legs project inward from the apron I like to cut a small, 90 degree +
notch in the inboard side of the blocks so I can (a) contact the leg corner
and (b) give me some to and fro motion of the blocks to make perfect contact
with the rails. I also put a heavy screw through the block into the leg.

Remember that the original ones were junk, don't copy them, make better
ones.

--

dadiOH
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