CNC joint links

Check these out:

http://www.flexiblestream.org/project/50-digital-wood-joints

(I’ll just attach the .zip). These 50 joints are hard to view, because of the goofy navigatable pdf (I’m in Linux, so the links don’t work because someone wasn’t careful with their Caps Key… grumble grumble). But there are dxf’s for all the different joint patterns, and they are broken down into categories for joining panels, frames, and extending frames. Someone with some time and scraps could make a neat display of the different joints. It would be nice to have that kind of time, eh?

I found it from this make page, which also has some examples:

Also links to:

This one has some neat examples. Just getting ready for those full sheet crawlers. :slight_smile:

digital-wood-joints-4examples-1.zip (731 KB)

Nice!!!

I need a new page for this kind of stuff. I need an intern…

Just be careful of the hidden costs of interns:

  • Engineering interns usually get paid.
  • They often don’t know anything, so they need training.
  • Bagels on Thursdays
  • Sexual harassment training.

The list goes on…

Anyone know how to effectively integrate these into CAD designs? Particularly the 3D hidden joints and such. This is the reason I’m building my MPCNC… Yet I still have no idea what to do with this in terms of software, save perhaps recreating it in OpenSCAD.

Oops, I only attached the 4 examples. You really want the big zip.

Once you have the right zip, unzip it, then find the .DXF file for the joint you want, you can either:

or

Either way, this won’t be a 5 minute deal. You’ll have to learn some tools and understand their issues. It’s doable, but this is really a case of “what works for you”, not a “here’s a step by step”.

If nothing else, if you want to start working in something like openscad, then you can just design the joints yourself, using these as inspiration. I think openscad can support reading in DXF files. I know it can output them.

Here is the big zip.
Ungh, too big… Oh well, here is a link to the zip in it’s original home:
http://download.flexiblestream.de/Digital_Wood_Joints_Complete.zip

Interns:
You’d think if they are already in college they wouldn’t have to get trained for sexual harassment, didn’t they learn that in high school?

[I know, not quite PC]

Not bad for a first try. Hard part is getting the cut to line up with the end of the wood!!

Nice work Barry.

What did you think? It looks like the joint is a bit loose? Does it feel strong?

I wonder if maybe you need to have one side offset slightly to account for the width of the bit? Maybe make the “male” piece a little oversized so it takes a bit of pressure and even some sanding to fit in place? Overall I think it still looks like a nice wood joint, even with a bit of extra space.

I think I might slow down the feed rate a bit. I think the bit is pulling into the wood because it’s moving faster than it cuts, but just a theory.

Agreed. It does look nice. Try doing that with a chisel!

W0w this is awesome thank you for sharing!

I found a place where someone made most of the joints. Helps with the visualization, I think:

I love seeing them like that.

I am making a new bed frame / headboard by hand (no cnc). If the system works out good I might make a few more with some cnc joints. In particular the headboard.

I love the joints but a few that require fasteners would be cool as well, The dogbone overcut ones are not appealing to me, but the puzzle fit and stairstep ones are first on my list to try.

My couch has rectangular armrests. So I’m going to make a table that sits on it. I’ve been trying to decide which of these joints I’m going to add in there, purely as decorative elements. There are so many choices.

Exactly, some logo shaped joints or anything crazy like that. I was putting serious effort into my headboard parts exact sizes very carefully with angles, etc. Cnc routing would have made it way better. Now I know for sure and need to make something super cool on the CNC for my headboard not out of a single plank.

I haven’t done this either, but the other thing you could do is cut out a template with the CNC, and then use a pattern bit on the router to quickly carve it one any gigantic object, like a headboard.

I feel like you’ve been talking about this bed for a while. You really need to finish it so you can get some rest.

Almost done, I only get an hour or so at a time.

[attachment file=34737]

Allt the aluminum has been cut and welded, I am getting better at tig welding! The wood has all been cut, most of it has been glued. Just need to put the finish on it and do final assembly. Getting excited

I know the feeling. That’s why it took me two months to finish my Low Rider.

Looking good. I really hate finishing. I have an unfinished picture frame I made right after I bought my first table saw. It’s been hanging above my fireplace for all 8 years or so since we bought this house.

The last project I did, I used wipe on poly, and it was pretty good, but pretty expensive, and it did take like 9 coats. But it didn’t require a ton of sanding, or being careful when I applied it. Any time I can get away with a less tolerant finish, I use linseed oil, because three easy coats, and it looks good enough to hang up.