# Adding a shelf to an end table.



## dribron (Jul 19, 2010)

Hey everyone. Well the other day my wife gave me a project. She wants me to build two end tables for our room, and a console table for the living room. On all of them she wants a shelf. What I am unsure of is how to attach the shelf to the legs. I guess notching the legs is best then fitting the shelf into the notch.
But.. what is the best way to do this? Can I just use the router with a straight bit on a reouter table? And how deep should they be cut?
Sorry I am very new to this.. and it shows......


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## carpenter1 (Jul 5, 2010)

*End Tables*

A simple shelf is easy. For the end tables you can use "L" brackets and attatched them to the inside of the legs and set the shelf on top of them. The brackets will be out of sight. If your console table is a rectangle you may have to make a case and attach the self to it. Then set the self on the "L" brackets. Before you do anything, make detailed drawings of you tables.


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## patan (Jul 29, 2010)

If you are new to this "L" brackets are perfect.Easy to install.
Good Luck.


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## dribron (Jul 19, 2010)

Yeah I guess I could use l brackets. I was thinking of using the router to cut a dedoe into the legs where the shelf could fit into. I just wasn't sure how deep to cut. Less then 1/2 way I guess..


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

A real easy and cheap way would be to drill a ¼" hole in the leg and insert a ¼" wood dowel, and set the shelf on it. This would allow you to flip the shelf over if it got damaged, and there wouldn't be any screw holes in it.

If you want to get fancy, you could put a groove on the underside of the shelf to sit on the dowel, and nothing would really show. Of course this would eliminate the ability to flip it over.

A ¼" dowel only protruding no more than ½" will hold a lot of weight, more than what you'll likely have on it.

Or, you could use an ordinary shelf clip/pin:


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