How to end join thin boards in a triangle?

**DaveVman** · 13th October 2016, 05:16 PM

I have some T&G paneling that I removed in a recent renovation. It is over 50 yrs old hardwood but still in good shape. About 6mm thick I think.

My wife asked me to make a triangular wall hanging with it.

To do that I thought I'd make mitres. This requires 70 degree bevels.
I don't have a power mitre saw. I don't have a proper vice to cut these mitres by hand. If I could even cut them well enough by hand.

So I cut two 90 x 35 off-cuts at a 25 degree angle. Then screwed them together. Then I clamped that over the paneling onto the work table. I clamped a set square to it as a guide.
Then I set my jigsaw to a 45 degree bevel.
25 + 45 = 70 degree bevel.

In this picture I've flipped the jigsaw around the wrong way so I could hold it and take a photo at the same time, to give you the concept. Also so I could cut it down to the length I needed. If you did it that way you'd have 45 - 25 = 20 degree bevel. In reality the jigsaw goes the other way round to get the extreme 70 degree angle. So the blade is angled towards the table when cutting.

jigsaw jig.jpg

It came out well.
Now I realise that joining this triangle together is going to be difficult.

The joints don't need to be strong but I'm not sure how to go about it.

My plan is to create the triangle first. Then I will add interlocking shelves inside the triangle. Once these are in place it should be strong enough to hold it's shape.

However now I realise that without these shelves there is nothing to hold it together. I am hoping glue would be enough to hold it while I work on it. But even holding it for a glue up is a problem.
When I thought up this idea I thought I could tack it together to help the glue hold it, but now I'm not sure this is realistic. Maybe. Maybe not. They are thin, brittle and there are extreme angles everywhere.

I have ordered a strap clamp online but even when that arrives, there is nothing to hold it's shape.

Do I just glue it up and stand there holding it for an hour until the glue sticks? (kinda need 3 hands to do that).

I'm wondering if I'll either have to (a) change my design so all the joints to the triangle are half lap with a bit sticking outside the triangle (not desirable),
or (b) create some jig to hold it for a glue up.

- I suppose I could 'cheat' and add a thin MDF backing to the 3 corners (or the whole thing) but that wasn't the design we had in mind.

I need to think more carefully about how I'm going to join these shelves to the triangle.

Anyone have other suggestions?

**hurcorh** · 13th October 2016, 11:52 PM

Sorry but do you have an image of what you want the end product to look like? Just to better visualize what you are wanting to achieve.

A few ideas attached for mitre glueups and adding splines for strength.

Cheers

**DaveVman** · 14th October 2016, 11:19 PM

I'll try and post a picture. The boards are 90 degrees from the ideas you posts. Those are like a picture frame. My one is like a mini shelf - 90 degrees from the wall.

**ian** · 16th October 2016, 01:10 PM

OK Dave, I think I understand what you want to do.
The joint you need is either an angled finger joint or an angled dovetail joint.

**auscab** · 16th October 2016, 01:38 PM

Like Ian says above for quality.
or
For speed you could butt join and skew nail it .
To get correct angles you need to make a shooting board to plane those angles on.
once they are right glue it up holding it together with masking tape.
when dry ,Get a fine nail and cut the head off so you can use it as a drill bit in a drill .
This is one good use for the old hand cranked drills and why I still have one ready.
Skew drill the nail holes , this acts as dovetailed steel pins.
with the nails you drive in those holes , you can either leave the heads on , or for a finer finish clip them off .
For a little more strength put a spot of glue in the nail hole.
punch them in a little and fill the holes .
Do the same for fixing shelves in place .

Rob

**Rod Gilbert** · 16th October 2016, 06:32 PM

Hi DaveVman,
If you're mitre's are well cut and fit well I would just use masking tape lay you're pieces flat on the bench with masking tape across the joints on the outside of the frame on 2 of the ends to make a hinge add glue and fold it up to form the triangle and tape around the outside to hold it together while the glue dries works very well and has plenty of holding power.
Regards Rod.

**DaveVman** · 16th October 2016, 08:51 PM

Thanks guys.
A finger joint or dovetail with these thin pieces is beyond my level I think.
The masking tape is an excellent suggestion.
I think I will combine the tape with some stop blocks and a strap. Then hope for the best.

Thanks again.

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