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Handsaw the upper one and bandsaw the lower one.

-- Bondo Gaposis

I agree with Bondo. I am curious about the design. What is the purpose of this unusual joinery?

You didn’t mention grain orientation. The top would typically be grain running the long way. If you side piece has the grain running the other way you are essentially doing a bread board end and have grain direction conflicts in regards to expansion since you mentioned solid maple versus plywood.
What does theat joint do for your design??? Certainly makes it more complicated and I do not see any visual design enhancement with that joint based on the extremely limited bit of info presented.

-- Few folks really know how to maximize the potential of their tools!

It looks like it slides out, like a drawer.

Welcome to LJ’s Miguel!

Thanks guys! Rick, I hadn’t actually thought about the grain too much. My plan is to have the top be free, and doweled in the front so that it can flip upward. Does that fix the expansion issues? I still have a week or so to finalize the design so I’m open to suggestions!

For the end, glue up an MDF template and pattern route the part, Clean up the inside curve with a chisel.

For the top, I can only come up with hogging it out with a saw and a chisel and work to get the fit you want. Think of it as a weird half dovetail.

The real question is why are you cutting this angle? If it’s solid wood the way it’s oriented is going to give you some mechanical issues over time.

I would use a table saw, to cut the leg, then stop it before going all the way through, then come back with a jigsaw and finish out the cut, as for the other, I’d probably jig saw that cut or lay it out and use a multi-tool to cut it out.

-- The mark of a good carpenter is not how few mistakes he makes, but rather how well he fixes them.

You need to give far more info on the finished project. You need to show what the purpose of that strange joint does. Suspect you are making something overly complicated that could be simpler. Your solution to the cross grain construction issue isn’t really understandable.

Cutting the joint is the easy part. Why to use the joint is mystery?

-- Few folks really know how to maximize the potential of their tools!

Agree with needing more info, but that said: the bottom is straightforward sawing, for the top strike your lines along the side and top, and depending on grain, use a handsaw and a chisel and pare down to your lines. If you know the angle, you can make a little block jig to help guide your chisel at the proper angle for the final cuts. . Can’t wait to see the solution you come up with and the finished project.

Hey guys, thanks so much for the feedback! I’m happy to give as many details as possible, but I’m not exactly sure what information to provide. What I’m going for is a table top that can hinge upward, almost like a drafting table. I’m trying to avoid metal hinges, though, so the plan was to have a pin inserted at the front. The image that I originally attached is the top and one of the sides. The funky looking joint is to allow the hinging motion, while still having the majority of the table top resting on the sides instead of between them. I’ll attach another image that will hopefully clarify that aspect.

TCC, it is going to be solid wood… can you explain why that will give mechanical issues and how I might fix them?

Rick, I’m totally open to suggestions… if there’s a simpler way, I’m all ears!

Now I understand what you are trying to do. I do not really like the proposed joinery. I assume that the grain on the end piece will be running lengthwise. That would make the small portion that juts out to accept the dowel pretty weak. The sharp edge on the cut into the top will be a spot for wear down the road. You will also have an odd looking spot at each rear corner. All this to avoid a metal hinge?

What will the “back” side look like? That is the portion between the two end pieces and below the proposed dowel joint (to the right in your drawing). If there is to be a piece of wood across there then the best solution (in my opinion) would be to leave the top intact as a rectangle. Have the sides continue on straight with the back piece attached to them and use hinges. The entire top (both sides and the back) will be supported by the frame. That is as strong as you are going to get. You can use a simple piano hinge or get fancier with some positive stop hinges that will hold the top open at an angle just past perpendicular.

If you really must avoid a hinge, I would suggest making the sides straight and adding a small cleat to the bottom edge at the back of the top. That would accept the dowel at a lower position. You would need radius the corners of the side pieces to provide clearance as the top swings up. If there is a cross piece along the back then you would need to provide relief there as well. The hinge is the better way to go.

Finally, how do you plan to assemble the desk? Will the end of the dowels show on the side pieces? If not, then you will have to be able to assemble the desk while capturing the dowels in their holes. Also, if the desk top is to be opened a lot, then I would avoid wooden dowels. Metal pins would be more durable.

Thanks for the feedback! I tried to add some more details in the diagram, because I think you switched the front and back. I’m new to all of this, so please excuse my ignorance, but what is it about this set up that makes it weak? It’s been mentioned a couple of times and I just don’t understand where the issues will be and what will cause them. Any explanations would be greatly appreciated! With regard to the pin, I’d prefer it be hidden, but if it needs to be flush with the outside of the side board, that is fine. Thanks again!

dunno if its been said but on the bottom part with the “ear” just glue that on then handsaw the top

-- Ben L

I have altered your drawing to point out my areas of concern. From your drawing it appears that the amount of wood where the dowel will run through is less than an inch from front to back running along the grain. There shouldn’t be too much pressure on the dowel hinge, but if you let some kids at this they will figure out a way to apply some. Neither of these is a show stopper, but I would simply do it another way. To each his own.

Thanks Kazooman! Can you or someone else explain to me why the grain direction is a point of weakness?