Hello everyone,
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Unlike my prior equipment related questions, today's question is project specific since I have realized that members of this group are amazing in assisting both technically as well as creatively! I really enjoy some of the projects (and related feedback) that I have followed since I became a member last year.
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Now, regarding my project. I have recently finished building a hut for our dog (photos below). It was pretty straight forward, building individual panels which then could easily be joined along the long and flat surface of the adjacent panel's strut. Needless to say, there were an awful lot of struts (over 140) with various angles to cut and grooves to mill to fit the panels as well as corner joinery, but it worked. I even decided to make the corner joints visually appealing in spite of the fact that they were never to be seen again in the final project.?
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I am now embarking on a new project that is similar in idea, but I do not want the double strut visual. I plan on milling the struts in such a way that my critical joint is where the three struts meet (in other words, I am no longer building panels). So, my question is relating to this joint. How do I make it work. I have contemplated dominos, but they might not give the needed strength? Nor will they be easy to assemble since so many dominos (sets of three always meeting at a central point), do not easily come together. Attempting to contract an exploded sphere of sorts. It seems like a glue-up nightmare.?
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I have also toyed with a variety of other joining methods, but didn't much like any of them (one versions attached below).
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As I have been researching, I came across the following amazing video on Youtube (). What a great way of making this joint work, I thought. Definitely strong and it can be assembled in stages. Unfortunately, I do not have that Hoffman machine, but I could create the same joint using a dovetail bit on my router and/or F700. However, I do not want to buy Hoffman dovetails, I would like to machine mine using a wood species that works for the project since this time the dovetails joints would actually show (besides, I can't even buy Hoffman dovetails where I live). Now, machining the rods of dovetail inserts (photos also below) requires 4 passes if I use a dovetail bit. And since I will need many, many running meters of dovetail inserts, I was wondering:
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A) is there a better way to machine the dovetail inserts? I have looked at both Felder and Whitehill cutter profiles, but could not come across a cutter that matches the angle of a dovetail bit. A profile with the correct angles would machine the dovetail rods in two passes, making it not only faster and safer, but also more accurate.?
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B) should I not pursue this path at all and opt for a much simpler, better, prettier joint for this project? Secretly I am hoping for a different solution .....
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Many thanks to everyone!
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Cornelius Schultze-Kraft
Cyprus?
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Brian