They say that you only grow by trying things you haven't done before
(Somebody must have said that somewhere. Here is my latest "growth"
project.

I am making a chair for a local Episcopal church. This is one of those that
goes on the platform - square legs, high back, etc. I got the wise idea to
do a gothic arch on the chair back to match their windows. So far, so
good. Made the arch halves out of 8 3/16th x 1 3/4 ash strips 48" long.
Made my bending form and got them close to identical.

Now for the thing I need help with. How do I join those two arch halves at
the top? any mechanical fastner will tend to separate the laminations.

Here are the ideas I have had:

1. Miter joint - inherently weak
2. Lap joint - almost have to be hand cut, but doable
2. Bridal joint - with care I could cut the majority at the tablesaw.

Any and all comments thankfully accepted.

Deb

Dr. Deb wrote:
They say that you only grow by trying things you haven't done before
(Somebody must have said that somewhere. Here is my latest "growth"
project.

I am making a chair for a local Episcopal church. This is one of those that
goes on the platform - square legs, high back, etc. I got the wise idea to
do a gothic arch on the chair back to match their windows. So far, so
good. Made the arch halves out of 8 3/16th x 1 3/4 ash strips 48" long.
Made my bending form and got them close to identical.

Now for the thing I need help with. How do I join those two arch halves at
the top? any mechanical fastner will tend to separate the laminations.

Here are the ideas I have had:

1. Miter joint - inherently weak
2. Lap joint - almost have to be hand cut, but doable
2. Bridal joint - with care I could cut the majority at the tablesaw.

Any and all comments thankfully accepted.

What about a floating tenon?

Larry Bud wrote:
Dr. Deb wrote:

They say that you only grow by trying things you haven't done before
(Somebody must have said that somewhere. Here is my latest "growth"
project.

I am making a chair for a local Episcopal church. This is one of thosethat
goes on the platform - square legs, high back, etc. I got the wise idea to
do a gothic arch on the chair back to match their windows. So far, so
good. Made the arch halves out of 8 3/16th x 1 3/4 ash strips 48" long.
Made my bending form and got them close to identical.

Now for the thing I need help with. How do I join those two arch halves at
the top? any mechanical fastner will tend to separate the laminations.

Here are the ideas I have had:

1. Miter joint - inherently weak
2. Lap joint - almost have to be hand cut, but doable
2. Bridal joint - with care I could cut the majority at the tablesaw.

Any and all comments thankfully accepted.


What about a floating tenon?


Good idea...
Or even a biscuit --

If it is curved a sliding dovetail is probably out now. But now that he
has raised this issue I will try to plan ahead when I do this.:-)

Used curved blocks to clamp the joint and you should be in business.


--
Will R.
Jewel Boxes and Wood Art
http://woodwork.pmccl.com
The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those
who have not got it.” George Bernard Shaw

"Dr. Deb" wrote in message
...
They say that you only grow by trying things you haven't done before
(Somebody must have said that somewhere. Here is my latest "growth"
project.

I am making a chair for a local Episcopal church. This is one of those
that
goes on the platform - square legs, high back, etc. I got the wise idea
to
do a gothic arch on the chair back to match their windows. So far, so
good. Made the arch halves out of 8 3/16th x 1 3/4 ash strips 48" long.
Made my bending form and got them close to identical.

Now for the thing I need help with. How do I join those two arch halves
at
the top? any mechanical fastner will tend to separate the laminations.

Here are the ideas I have had:

1. Miter joint - inherently weak
2. Lap joint - almost have to be hand cut, but doable
2. Bridal joint - with care I could cut the majority at the
tablesaw.

Any and all comments thankfully accepted.


If it was me, I would go with a loose tenon. And I would have drilled the
holes ahead of time. The beadlock system can be done with a hand drill,
providing you have a straight edge to lineup on. See them at

http://www.beadlock.com/

You can see some real world examples at

http://www.woodshopdemos.com/prod-bdl.htm

I have seen some good things with this. Another use of the Beadlock system
is to make things that break down. You glue in one side and slide the other
side off and on. Useful for demo type exhibits.

As long as you material is thick enough, these joints are quite strong. Put
it together with some good glue, it should be of sufficient strength and
stability for its intended purpose.

Dr. Deb wrote:

Now for the thing I need help with. How do I join those two arch
halves at the top?

Why not a splined mitre? Maybe even a double. Whether contrasting or
blended in I think It would be perfectly attractive and very strong.

You can see some real world examples at

http://www.woodshopdemos.com/prod-bdl.htm

The real question is how does this old fart have all these different
chicks visiting him???

Fri, Dec 16, 2005, 2:09pm (EST-1) (Dr.*Deb)
claimeth:
They say that you only grow by trying things you haven't done before
(Somebody must have said that somewhere. Here is my latest "growth"
project.
I am making a chair snip

Whoever said that, is full of crap. Among other things I'm not
about to try bungee jumping.

I can't quite envision what you're doing. All that comes to mind
are, box joints, or laminating. Or, you could hold them together with
rubber bands.

I think I'd have done a Peacock Chair. Or one of the arch top
knock-down chairs. Or, a Viking box chair.



JOAT
A rolling stone gathers no moss...unless it's a hobby he does on the
weekends.

"Larry Bud" wrote in message
oups.com...
You can see some real world examples at

http://www.woodshopdemos.com/prod-bdl.htm

The real question is how does this old fart have all these different
chicks visiting him???


I know!!

No hot babes ever showed that kind of interest in any shop I worked in. Or
in me for that matter.

Hey babe, wanna see my table saw? I just don't think this would work as a
pickup line.

On Fri, 16 Dec 2005 14:09:11 -0600, "Dr. Deb"
wrote:

...I am making a chair for a local Episcopal church...

...How do I join those two arch halves at the top?

Here are the ideas I have had:...

2. Bridal joint...

Hey, that's perfect for a chair in a church. Presumably only to be
used for weddings?

--
LRod

Master Woodbutcher and seasoned termite

Shamelessly whoring my website since 1999

http://www.woodbutcher.net

Proud participant of rec.woodworking since February, 1997

"Lee Michaels" wrote in message
. ..

"Larry Bud" wrote in message
oups.com...
You can see some real world examples at

http://www.woodshopdemos.com/prod-bdl.htm

The real question is how does this old fart have all these different
chicks visiting him???


I know!!

No hot babes ever showed that kind of interest in any shop I worked in. Or
in me for that matter.

Hey babe, wanna see my table saw? I just don't think this would work as a
pickup line.


BUT - if you owned a Saw Stop you could ask her to see your hot dog!

V

Dr. Deb said:

Now for the thing I need help with. How do I join those two arch halves at
the top? any mechanical fastner will tend to separate the laminations.

Here are the ideas I have had:

1. Miter joint - inherently weak
2. Lap joint - almost have to be hand cut, but doable
2. Bridal joint - with care I could cut the majority at the tablesaw.

I'm not certain of your construction details, but the first thing that
comes to my mind is a dowel or possibly a spline joint.

FWIW,

Greg G.

On Fri, 16 Dec 2005 22:12:53 GMT, Vic Baron wrote:

"Lee Michaels" wrote in message
. ..

Hey babe, wanna see my table saw? I just don't think this would work as a
pickup line.

BUT - if you owned a Saw Stop you could ask her to see your hot dog!

Feh...damn thing would probably go off prematurely.

On 16 Dec 2005 22:18:49 GMT, Dave Hinz wrote:

On Fri, 16 Dec 2005 22:12:53 GMT, Vic Baron wrote:

"Lee Michaels" wrote in message
. ..

Hey babe, wanna see my table saw? I just don't think this would work as a
pickup line.

BUT - if you owned a Saw Stop you could ask her to see your hot dog!

Feh...damn thing would probably go off prematurely.


Uhh, which were you referring to??