Dm

"Doug"

11/07/2006 4:13 PM

Making Square Plugs?

I'm getting ready to finish and arts and crafts style project and it
requires that i make up to 100 3/8"x3/8" square plugs (pyramid on top) to
simulate through drawpegs on my mortice and tenon joinery. Tried to find
something online but all I can find is round screwhole plugs. Anyone have
an idea how to produce these fairly rapidly? Links thanks



This topic has 19 replies

NH

"N Hurst"

in reply to "Doug" on 11/07/2006 4:13 PM

11/07/2006 10:14 AM


Doug wrote:
> I'm getting ready to finish and arts and crafts style project and it
> requires that i make up to 100 3/8"x3/8" square plugs (pyramid on top) to
> simulate through drawpegs on my mortice and tenon joinery. Tried to find
> something online but all I can find is round screwhole plugs. Anyone have
> an idea how to produce these fairly rapidly? Links thanks

What about a miter saw set at at 45 degrees? Take a 3/8" square stick a
few feet long, 4 chops off the tip to make the faces, then a final chop
to cut the end off, then wash rinse repeat?

-Nathan

JJ

in reply to "Doug" on 11/07/2006 4:13 PM

12/07/2006 4:09 PM

Tue, Jul 11, 2006, 4:13pm (EDT+4) [email protected] (Doug) doth query:
<snip> up to 100 3/8"x3/8" square plugs (pyramid on top) to simulate
through drawpegs <snip> Anyone have an idea how to produce these fairly
rapidly? <snip>

Yeah. The usual way. Pound a square peg into a round hole, cut
off excess, trim to shape with a "sharp" chisel.



JOAT
Politician \Pol`i*ti"cian\, n. Latin for career criminal

Lr

"Leon"

in reply to "Doug" on 11/07/2006 4:13 PM

11/07/2006 5:09 PM


"Doug" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:MxQsg.107733$A8.54968@clgrps12...
> Thanks Leon, yes that occured to me as a solution also but the time frame
> to
> complete 98 of these little buggers.....doing it that way....arggghhhh
> thanks gotta be a better way.......


After you get the hang of it, it does not take long at all. I tried cutting
and the results were mixed.

MP

"Michael P. Hunter"

in reply to "Doug" on 11/07/2006 4:13 PM

12/07/2006 4:16 PM

See the article in the most recent Fine Woodworking magazine


"Doug" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:B6Qsg.107729$A8.104450@clgrps12...
> I'm getting ready to finish and arts and crafts style project and it
> requires that i make up to 100 3/8"x3/8" square plugs (pyramid on top) to
> simulate through drawpegs on my mortice and tenon joinery. Tried to find
> something online but all I can find is round screwhole plugs. Anyone have
> an idea how to produce these fairly rapidly? Links thanks
>
>
>

Dm

"Doug"

in reply to "Doug" on 11/07/2006 4:13 PM

11/07/2006 4:42 PM

Thanks Leon, yes that occured to me as a solution also but the time frame to
complete 98 of these little buggers.....doing it that way....arggghhhh
thanks gotta be a better way.......


Leon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Doug" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:B6Qsg.107729$A8.104450@clgrps12...
> > I'm getting ready to finish and arts and crafts style project and it
> > requires that i make up to 100 3/8"x3/8" square plugs (pyramid on top)
to
> > simulate through drawpegs on my mortice and tenon joinery. Tried to
find
> > something online but all I can find is round screwhole plugs. Anyone
have
> > an idea how to produce these fairly rapidly? Links thanks
>
>
> I did this for a customer several years back. The piece was embellished
> with the pyramid shaped pieces.
>
> Mine were larger but you can probably adapt. My pyramids were made 3/4"
> square.
>
> I cut a piece of wood about 2' long x 3/4" x 3/4". I then used a disk
> sander to put a pyramid point on to the ends of the piece by applying the
> wood to the disk and at the desired angle until 1/2 of the end was
beveled.
> I then rotated 90 degrees and repeated until I had a pyramid end. I then
> cut off each end to the require height and started the procedure over
again.
> I can post pictures if you like.
>
>

Dm

"Doug"

in reply to "Doug" on 11/07/2006 4:13 PM

11/07/2006 5:14 PM

"Another Doug"... yes thought of that but can't figure out how to cut the
opposite sides to the pyramid...2 facing sides is no problem but how to turn
90 degrees to cut the other...make sense? thanks good idea Doug
"Doug Payne" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On 11/07/2006 12:13 PM, Doug wrote:
>
> > I'm getting ready to finish and arts and crafts style project and it
> > requires that i make up to 100 3/8"x3/8" square plugs (pyramid on top)
to
> > simulate through drawpegs on my mortice and tenon joinery. Tried to
find
> > something online but all I can find is round screwhole plugs. Anyone
have
> > an idea how to produce these fairly rapidly? Links thanks
>
> Have you considered round pegs with a square top (i.e. only the visible
> part)? You should be able to turn those out pretty quick with a good
> plug cutter and some creative sawing. Drilling the mounting holes would
> be easier as well.
>
> ../another doug

Mk

"MikeMac"

in reply to "Doug" on 11/07/2006 4:13 PM

11/07/2006 1:15 PM

Theres an step by step article in this months Fine WoodWorking showing how
to do it.

Cheers
Mike

"Leon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Doug" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:MxQsg.107733$A8.54968@clgrps12...
>> Thanks Leon, yes that occured to me as a solution also but the time frame
>> to
>> complete 98 of these little buggers.....doing it that way....arggghhhh
>> thanks gotta be a better way.......
>
>
> After you get the hang of it, it does not take long at all. I tried
> cutting and the results were mixed.
>


DP

Doug Payne

in reply to "Doug" on 11/07/2006 4:13 PM

11/07/2006 12:58 PM

On 11/07/2006 12:13 PM, Doug wrote:

> I'm getting ready to finish and arts and crafts style project and it
> requires that i make up to 100 3/8"x3/8" square plugs (pyramid on top) to
> simulate through drawpegs on my mortice and tenon joinery. Tried to find
> something online but all I can find is round screwhole plugs. Anyone have
> an idea how to produce these fairly rapidly? Links thanks

Have you considered round pegs with a square top (i.e. only the visible
part)? You should be able to turn those out pretty quick with a good
plug cutter and some creative sawing. Drilling the mounting holes would
be easier as well.

../another doug

DP

Doug Payne

in reply to "Doug" on 11/07/2006 4:13 PM

11/07/2006 1:30 PM

On 11/07/2006 1:14 PM, Doug wrote:

> ... can't figure out how to cut the
> opposite sides to the pyramid...2 facing sides is no problem but how to turn
> 90 degrees to cut the other

Belt-sander with a tool-rest?

RH

Roger Haar

in reply to "Doug" on 11/07/2006 4:13 PM

11/07/2006 11:02 AM

Hi,
I have not tried this procedure for your application, but I have made
a number of high volume parts.

Cut a number of parallel V's in a board, rotate it 90 degrees and cut
more V's. I would use a router in a table for this. This creates your
pyramid tops. Then slice them apart. Getting all of the distance right
might be a problem, I suggest that you make a number of spacer strips
with a width of the plug plus a saw kerf. Then you can offset the board
the right amount each cut.

Hope this helps
Roger Haar
Tucson



It might take a bit of experimentation


Doug wrote:
> I'm getting ready to finish and arts and crafts style project and it
> requires that i make up to 100 3/8"x3/8" square plugs (pyramid on top) to
> simulate through drawpegs on my mortice and tenon joinery. Tried to find
> something online but all I can find is round screwhole plugs. Anyone have
> an idea how to produce these fairly rapidly? Links thanks
>
>
>

DP

Doug Payne

in reply to "Doug" on 11/07/2006 4:13 PM

11/07/2006 5:08 PM

On 11/07/2006 2:20 PM, Andy Dingley wrote:
> On Tue, 11 Jul 2006 12:58:47 -0400, Doug Payne
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> Have you considered round pegs with a square top
>
> Have you been reading that abominable article in the last FWW ?
> Any more like that and the subscription goes! I don't spend $10 a copy
> to read about chav-tastic tips to dress up chipboard flatpacks.

Nope, haven't seen it. I don't subscribe, but I do on very rare
occasions buy a copy from the newsstand. What article is that, or should
I ask?

DP

Doug Payne

in reply to "Doug" on 11/07/2006 4:13 PM

12/07/2006 11:44 AM

On 11/07/2006 8:42 PM, Andy Dingley wrote:
> On Tue, 11 Jul 2006 17:08:43 -0400, Doug Payne
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> Nope, haven't seen it. I don't subscribe, but I do on very rare
>> occasions buy a copy from the newsstand. What article is that, or should
>> I ask?
>
> Pyramid-headed square pegs, formed on the ends of round pegs so that
> they're easy to drop into arbitrarily placed drilled holes.
>
> Now I do tend to over-react a little to some issues of artistic purity.
> Think of it as OCD with chainsaws. [...]

I see.

dd

"dadiOH"

in reply to "Doug" on 11/07/2006 4:13 PM

11/07/2006 9:38 PM

Doug wrote:
> Thanks Leon, yes that occured to me as a solution also but the time
> frame to complete 98 of these little buggers.....doing it that
> way....arggghhhh thanks gotta be a better way.......

They are only 3/8 square, use a sharp knife to bevel the tops. Cut or sand,
that's about it.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico


Dm

"Doug"

in reply to "Doug" on 11/07/2006 4:13 PM

11/07/2006 7:11 PM

Roger, I like it..never even considered the router table! I'll tweak your
idea and give it a try thanks


"Roger Haar" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi,
> I have not tried this procedure for your application, but I have made
> a number of high volume parts.
>
> Cut a number of parallel V's in a board, rotate it 90 degrees and cut
> more V's. I would use a router in a table for this. This creates your
> pyramid tops. Then slice them apart. Getting all of the distance right
> might be a problem, I suggest that you make a number of spacer strips
> with a width of the plug plus a saw kerf. Then you can offset the board
> the right amount each cut.
>
> Hope this helps
> Roger Haar
> Tucson
>
>
>
> It might take a bit of experimentation
>
>
> Doug wrote:
> > I'm getting ready to finish and arts and crafts style project and it
> > requires that i make up to 100 3/8"x3/8" square plugs (pyramid on top)
to
> > simulate through drawpegs on my mortice and tenon joinery. Tried to
find
> > something online but all I can find is round screwhole plugs. Anyone
have
> > an idea how to produce these fairly rapidly? Links thanks
> >
> >
> >

AD

Andy Dingley

in reply to "Doug" on 11/07/2006 4:13 PM

11/07/2006 7:20 PM

On Tue, 11 Jul 2006 12:58:47 -0400, Doug Payne
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Have you considered round pegs with a square top

Have you been reading that abominable article in the last FWW ?

Any more like that and the subscription goes! I don't spend $10 a copy
to read about chav-tastic tips to dress up chipboard flatpacks.

AD

Andy Dingley

in reply to "Doug" on 11/07/2006 4:13 PM

12/07/2006 1:42 AM

On Tue, 11 Jul 2006 17:08:43 -0400, Doug Payne
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Nope, haven't seen it. I don't subscribe, but I do on very rare
>occasions buy a copy from the newsstand. What article is that, or should
>I ask?

Pyramid-headed square pegs, formed on the ends of round pegs so that
they're easy to drop into arbitrarily placed drilled holes.

Now I do tend to over-react a little to some issues of artistic purity.
Think of it as OCD with chainsaws. I take my view of "Art & Crafts"
_very_ seriously. I regard Ruskin as a dangerous compromiser and
moderate voice, whilst Gimson was a bourgeois dilettante.

My idea of learning to make "arts and crafts furniture" begins by
spending a few years working with timber framers until you understand
pegged tenon joints. _Then_ you can think about putting pyramid headed
pegs into small carcase furniture.

I don't (and won't) use pegs for decoration alone - they're a structural
component of the joint. Quite often the whole piece is unglued anyway,
and it really is just the friction of the peg holding things together.
So not only do I care how I form the heads, but I care where I place the
pegs too. If you see a peg in any of my work, it's holding a joint
together. I'd no more use a superfluous peg than I'd use rainforest
timber.


My favourite method of making pyramid heads is a short article in the
back of FWW some year ago. A short highly skewed chisel with a rounded
ball handle. Use it to pare off each face in turn.

My quickest way of making them (usually for the 1/8" blackwood pegs I
use to hold trays together) is a low-angle block plane and a custom-made
angled shooting board. I bandsaw lots of strip, cut it to double
lengths, plane the ends, then separate in the middle. A twist of the
fingers between some sandpaper and they're ready to go in the hole.

Cc

"CW"

in reply to "Doug" on 11/07/2006 4:13 PM

12/07/2006 2:14 AM

Double angle router bits are available. Start with a stick 3/8x3/8xhowever
long, two passes across the router, one pass through the mitersaw.

"Doug" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:MxQsg.107733$A8.54968@clgrps12...
> Thanks Leon, yes that occured to me as a solution also but the time frame
to
> complete 98 of these little buggers.....doing it that way....arggghhhh
> thanks gotta be a better way.......
>
>
> Leon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> >
> > "Doug" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:B6Qsg.107729$A8.104450@clgrps12...
> > > I'm getting ready to finish and arts and crafts style project and it
> > > requires that i make up to 100 3/8"x3/8" square plugs (pyramid on top)
> to
> > > simulate through drawpegs on my mortice and tenon joinery. Tried to
> find
> > > something online but all I can find is round screwhole plugs. Anyone
> have
> > > an idea how to produce these fairly rapidly? Links thanks
> >
> >
> > I did this for a customer several years back. The piece was embellished
> > with the pyramid shaped pieces.
> >
> > Mine were larger but you can probably adapt. My pyramids were made 3/4"
> > square.
> >
> > I cut a piece of wood about 2' long x 3/4" x 3/4". I then used a disk
> > sander to put a pyramid point on to the ends of the piece by applying
the
> > wood to the disk and at the desired angle until 1/2 of the end was
> beveled.
> > I then rotated 90 degrees and repeated until I had a pyramid end. I
then
> > cut off each end to the require height and started the procedure over
> again.
> > I can post pictures if you like.
> >
> >
>
>

mp

"mcgyver"

in reply to "Doug" on 11/07/2006 4:13 PM

11/07/2006 10:51 PM

My final thought is a couple of passes with a block plane on some 3/8" stock
and then cut on the bandsaw. may be the easiest in the long run...better
put on the coffee pot though...... thanks
"dadiOH" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:hTUsg.6508$bd4.392@trnddc01...
> Doug wrote:
>> Thanks Leon, yes that occured to me as a solution also but the time
>> frame to complete 98 of these little buggers.....doing it that
>> way....arggghhhh thanks gotta be a better way.......
>
> They are only 3/8 square, use a sharp knife to bevel the tops. Cut or
> sand,
> that's about it.
>
> --
>
> dadiOH
> ____________________________
>
> dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
> ...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
> LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
> Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico
>
>
>

Lr

"Leon"

in reply to "Doug" on 11/07/2006 4:13 PM

11/07/2006 4:32 PM


"Doug" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:B6Qsg.107729$A8.104450@clgrps12...
> I'm getting ready to finish and arts and crafts style project and it
> requires that i make up to 100 3/8"x3/8" square plugs (pyramid on top) to
> simulate through drawpegs on my mortice and tenon joinery. Tried to find
> something online but all I can find is round screwhole plugs. Anyone have
> an idea how to produce these fairly rapidly? Links thanks


I did this for a customer several years back. The piece was embellished
with the pyramid shaped pieces.

Mine were larger but you can probably adapt. My pyramids were made 3/4"
square.

I cut a piece of wood about 2' long x 3/4" x 3/4". I then used a disk
sander to put a pyramid point on to the ends of the piece by applying the
wood to the disk and at the desired angle until 1/2 of the end was beveled.
I then rotated 90 degrees and repeated until I had a pyramid end. I then
cut off each end to the require height and started the procedure over again.
I can post pictures if you like.


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