A friend has girl scouts that are selling book ends to raise money for charity. I have volunteered to make the “L” shaped part that is the meat of the bookend, they will paint and add some other accoutrements later.
I’m trying to figure out a way to make the joint where the two boards join. I need to bang out 40 of these things, so I want something that I can make quickly. BUT, the joint also needs to be reasonably strong. I quickly ruled out a butt joint (example “A”). In my experience, butt joints just don’t glue very well. I considered a rabbet joint (example “B”), but decided to do a half lap joint (example “C”). After making a couple of prototypes, I discovered that getting both sides of the joint to snug up squarely was much harder than I anticipated. Lastly, I considered a tongue and groove joint (example “D”), but I think it’s too prone to chipping out when I would attempt to cut the groove cross grain so close to the edge.
I’m hoping someone has another idea. Again, I want to do a decent job, but I want to be able to make a bunch of them in a hurry. Please, somebody come up with a ingenious idea…….
Replies
Here is another idea. I used this joint (without glue) for the storage chest I built recently. I believe it should be strong enough for your book ends. And if your stock is 3/4"-thick, using a 3/8" router bits on your router table will need only one setup for the 40 to be done.
Best,
Serge
- Learn from yesterday, work today, and enjoy success tomorrow -
http://www.atelierdubricoleur.spaces.live.com
I knew I could count on you guys. I used the joint Serge suggested. I just finished the first production run. I glued the joints and pinned them. 1st delivery to the scouts will be tomorrow.
I'm glad I could help.
Best,
Serge- Learn from yesterday, work today, and enjoy success tomorrow -
http://www.atelierdubricoleur.spaces.live.com
Here's a pic of 13 pair of bookends ready for the kids to beautify.
It looks like an aerial shot of a tract housing development.-Steve
Good job. Congrats! Your joints are pretty good looking too!
Fast and easy, doesn't it?
When I made my storage chest I use one setup on my router table and a second setup on my horizontal router table. But when I make smaller projects featuring these joints, I use the Oak-Park spacer fence to make them with only one setup. See picture.
Best,
Serge- Learn from yesterday, work today, and enjoy success tomorrow -
http://www.atelierdubricoleur.spaces.live.com
Lock miter would work.
I have one of those lock miter bits. I'm still shaking a little from the first time I tried it. With my bookend components being only 5" X 5", my fingers are Waaaaay to close to that beast. I'm only playing with 9½ as it is.
I'd definitely use a sled or push block for smaller pieces.But, for speed, I'd lean toward B or C in your diagram, or the joint Serge suggested.
Edited 4/19/2009 3:47 pm by RalphBarker
Not so ingenious, but fast. Pocket hole screws through bottom. Plug holes with pocket plugs.Larry
I was thinking since you had a production run, of gluing them up in 2-3 ft sections and sizing them on a SCMS. Anyway, my girls had a project like that 25 years ago and I made them with 2 long dowel rods thru bored hole about an inch from the bottom allowing the ends to slide in/out. I got rid of a ton of gnarly cutoffs!
Quickstep,
How bout a wide finger joint?
Q,
For speed, use a butt joint (A) but reinforce with biscuits, dowels or dominoes.
Dowels require the least tooling as you could merely drill through both pieces, held in place by clamps or a vise, then knock in the dowels with a spot of glue. If you leave the rounded ends of the dowel-ends proud at the knock-in location they can quickly be made flush with a chisel or belt-sander. When painted the dowels will disappear.
Lataxe
Have you thought of a biscuit but joint, Use opoxy for the gluing.
Pocket screws?
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