I was interested in building this:
http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/images/Brave-Space_big.jpg

I've read up on miter joints but was wondering if anyone had
suggestions on how to create a miter joint that is easy to assemble and
disassemble. Everything I've read on strengthening miter joints (and
miter joints in general) involves glue.

If a miter joint isn't the way to go can someone suggest and easy to
assemble and disassemble joing for a project like this?

Is there a system like the methods IKEA uses available in hardware
stores? I'm looking for something like IKEA joints for miter joints.
I tried to find a link to IKEA joints with no luck. The joints I'm
talking about have metal piece you screw into one side and a rotating
latching mechanism that captures the metal piece on the other side.

Suggestions?

-ben

Ideas:

Counter sunk screws with loose plugs
Dovetailed splines, not glued - would need to be very precise
Mortice out space for "L" brackets. Use veneer tape to cover.
Mitred half-blind dovetails.

Ben asks:The joints I'm
talking about have metal piece you screw into one side and a rotating
latching mechanism that captures the metal piece on the other side.

Check Rockler's website for KD (knock-down) hardware. Not sure what
you'd find or use for mitres, though. Tom

I'm not sure why you would want to dissamble. What you want is called
"knock down" hardware. You should actuallt be able to find it at Home
Depot if you look around but you could try Wood Workers Hardware,
McFeely's, Woodcraft or Rockler online for a selection of various
types.

bw

Are you making a life-size game of tetris?

I can't think of anything that would keep a miter strong, yet be able to
knock down. I recently built a small knock down shelving unit (butt joints)
for a customer and used these KD ones from Rockler (as others have
suggested)
http://www.rockler.com/ecom7/product...?sku=2334&cs=1
They were plenty sturdy. I also grabbed the jig, it sped things up a
bit. --dave


"ben" wrote in message
ps.com...
I was interested in building this:
http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/images/Brave-Space_big.jpg

I've read up on miter joints but was wondering if anyone had
suggestions on how to create a miter joint that is easy to assemble and
disassemble. Everything I've read on strengthening miter joints (and
miter joints in general) involves glue.

If a miter joint isn't the way to go can someone suggest and easy to
assemble and disassemble joing for a project like this?

Is there a system like the methods IKEA uses available in hardware
stores? I'm looking for something like IKEA joints for miter joints.
I tried to find a link to IKEA joints with no luck. The joints I'm
talking about have metal piece you screw into one side and a rotating
latching mechanism that captures the metal piece on the other side.

Suggestions?

-ben

ben says...

I was interested in building this:
http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/images/Brave-Space_big.jpg

I've read up on miter joints but was wondering if anyone had
suggestions on how to create a miter joint that is easy to assemble and
disassemble. Everything I've read on strengthening miter joints (and
miter joints in general) involves glue.

If a miter joint isn't the way to go can someone suggest and easy to
assemble and disassemble joing for a project like this?

Is there a system like the methods IKEA uses available in hardware
stores? I'm looking for something like IKEA joints for miter joints.
I tried to find a link to IKEA joints with no luck. The joints I'm
talking about have metal piece you screw into one side and a rotating
latching mechanism that captures the metal piece on the other side.

Suggestions?

-ben

I think you should look at that project again. It may be possible to
disassemble the individual blocks, but it would never be taken apart at
the miters. I agree it would be a neat piece of furniture, but
precision would have to be very good to get all the blocks to fit
together perfectly.

On 19 Apr 2005 08:46:56 -0700, "ben" wrote:

I was interested in building this:
http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/images/Brave-Space_big.jpg

Is there a system like the methods IKEA uses available in hardware
stores?

I don't know what they look like, but if you insist on not formingthe
pieces by glueing the miters, you might also consider a sort of
finger-joint [like a hinge] snugly pivoted with a non-rusting metal
dowel. I'd consider a system of non-intrusive dowels top and bottom of
pieces that fit together one on top of the other, sort of pins that
don't go all the way through, but will stop it sliding back and forth
as if weight wasn't enough?

Some of the shapes remind me of an old puzzle that pieced together to
form a checkerboard.

ben wrote:
I was interested in building this:
http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/images/Brave-Space_big.jpg

I've read up on miter joints but was wondering if anyone had
suggestions on how to create a miter joint that is easy to assemble and
disassemble. Everything I've read on strengthening miter joints (and
miter joints in general) involves glue.

If a miter joint isn't the way to go can someone suggest and easy to
assemble and disassemble joing for a project like this?

Is there a system like the methods IKEA uses available in hardware
stores? I'm looking for something like IKEA joints for miter joints.
I tried to find a link to IKEA joints with no luck. The joints I'm
talking about have metal piece you screw into one side and a rotating
latching mechanism that captures the metal piece on the other side.

Suggestions?

-ben


All the other posters have good ideas, but I would be careful
about building that shelf system. Did you notice the swastika
in the middle of it?

--
Robert Allison
Rimshot, Inc.
Georgetown, TX

On Tue, 19 Apr 2005 23:10:10 GMT, Robert Allison
wrote:

All the other posters have good ideas, but I would be careful
about building that shelf system. Did you notice the swastika
in the middle of it?

You might see rabbits in clouds, but they're not really there.

Can we be certain that all those pieces are actually connected to each
other?

As I look at it I see that the guy who mentioned Tetris was right, they
all seem to be pieces from a Tetris game, and the more I look at it the
more I wonder if you can't just rearrange them any which way you want.
If I built it, that's the way I'd try it. Maybe find a way to attach
the modules to the wall so it would be a bit sturdier but it sure looks
like you can put it together to interlock the modules any which way.

So, I'd build each module as one solid piece that couldn't be
disassembled and then see about locking the whole unit together once I
had the final shape the way I wanted.

But maybe I'm missing something.

Yah - they're supposed to be Tetris pieces and the whole idea is that
you can arrange them any old way. The kids who thought this up want
$7K for 10 pieces. I know a bunch of geeks who'd love to have this if
it was more affordable. So, since I was going to build one myself I
figured I'd try to come up with a way that was strong, looked nice, but
could also be shipped cheaply (like IKEA crap) and offer them up to the
geek crowd.

This group is great - thanks for all the replies!

I think you should look at that project again. It may be possible to
disassemble the individual blocks, but it would never be taken apart at
the miters. I agree it would be a neat piece of furniture, but
precision would have to be very good to get all the blocks to fit
together perfectly.

Beat me to it! It appears that you'd simply build the individual pieces,
and then organize them any way you want. They needn't be attached, they
just stack.

Woodcraft sells the knock down hardware. I looked at the marks stamped
on the nuts and I think they are actually the same ones from IKEA ie
same manufacturer.

The most difficult part will be drilling the holes for the screw. They
are fairly long holes in endgrain which must come out perfectly in the
middle of one side of the latch hole. Also, all the IKEA stuff is
particle board, so they don't have to worry about grain and splitting.

On 19 Apr 2005 08:46:56 -0700, "ben" wrote:

I was interested in building this:
http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/images/Brave-Space_big.jpg

I've read up on miter joints but was wondering if anyone had
suggestions on how to create a miter joint that is easy to assemble and
disassemble. Everything I've read on strengthening miter joints (and
miter joints in general) involves glue.

If a miter joint isn't the way to go can someone suggest and easy to
assemble and disassemble joing for a project like this?

Is there a system like the methods IKEA uses available in hardware
stores? I'm looking for something like IKEA joints for miter joints.
I tried to find a link to IKEA joints with no luck. The joints I'm
talking about have metal piece you screw into one side and a rotating
latching mechanism that captures the metal piece on the other side.

Suggestions?


How good are you at joinery? That knock-down hardware probably isn't
going to work with a mitered corner, but you could *maybe* use blind
dovetails with a pin through them to hold them together when
assembled. I wouldn't even attempt that for myself, but if you're
really good, you might get away with something like that.

Aut inveniam viam aut faciam