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
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!
On 19 Apr 2005 08:46:56 -0700, "ben" <[email protected]> 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.
On 19 Apr 2005 08:46:56 -0700, "ben" <[email protected]> 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
> 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.
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.
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_details.cfm?sku=2334&cs=1
They were plenty sturdy. I also grabbed the jig, it sped things up a
bit. --dave
"ben" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>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
>
On Tue, 19 Apr 2005 23:10:10 GMT, Robert Allison
<[email protected]> 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.
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