I used to use metal fixings, but now I mostly get by with accurately cut and sanded panels secured with glue. Sanding is the key, but get them CNC cut if you can. The smaller the gap, the less glue, the better the joint.
I often use cleats. Everything is secured with superglue (cyanoacrylate) combined with acrylic or epoxy. The superglue holds everything while the acrylic or epoxy goes off.
The beauty of superglue is the thin stuff will wick its way into a tiny gap by capillary action, so you can line up the pieces dry or with unset acrylic and then freeze everything in place. If you go this route you need some areas free from acrylic or the superglue won't wick in. Clean up the unset acrylic once the superglue goes off with a damp sponge. Better not to go with all superglue if the surface is porous.
This isn't as nice as rebating or mitering, but it's low effort and if you're designing from scratch with the expectation of using this technique it can work pretty good. Of course the assembled objects won't withstand the rough treatment that something glued and screwed will take, but if you don't drop them from a height they won't come apart with normal handling.
Buy the superglue from a modelling suppliers, not a diy shop, they sell it in ounce quantities, cheap (by comparison). I started using it when making model aircraft. The traditional technique called for pinning the balsa to a board and using (slow setting) balsa cement. I discovered you could assemble a wing, dry, pick it up with one hand by squeezing the spars together, and go round with the superglue bottle and make every joint, one by one, in a few minutes.
w
I often use cleats. Everything is secured with superglue (cyanoacrylate) combined with acrylic or epoxy. The superglue holds everything while the acrylic or epoxy goes off.
The beauty of superglue is the thin stuff will wick its way into a tiny gap by capillary action, so you can line up the pieces dry or with unset acrylic and then freeze everything in place. If you go this route you need some areas free from acrylic or the superglue won't wick in. Clean up the unset acrylic once the superglue goes off with a damp sponge. Better not to go with all superglue if the surface is porous.
This isn't as nice as rebating or mitering, but it's low effort and if you're designing from scratch with the expectation of using this technique it can work pretty good. Of course the assembled objects won't withstand the rough treatment that something glued and screwed will take, but if you don't drop them from a height they won't come apart with normal handling.
Buy the superglue from a modelling suppliers, not a diy shop, they sell it in ounce quantities, cheap (by comparison). I started using it when making model aircraft. The traditional technique called for pinning the balsa to a board and using (slow setting) balsa cement. I discovered you could assemble a wing, dry, pick it up with one hand by squeezing the spars together, and go round with the superglue bottle and make every joint, one by one, in a few minutes.
w
I uses 3/4 plywood A/C grade, I use 2" deck screws, pre drill the wholes, counter sink and lots of glue...no cleats...
I do use or recommend small braces in the corners out of a ripped 2x4.
cheers
- Status
- Not open for further replies.