Thread: Suggestions on Materials and Joinery technique

I'd make a full size template from MDF and use a pattern bit to trim it to final shape. Solid timber would be nice, especially with so much edge showing.

For the back support pieces, it looks as if they've cut a housing (is that what it's called?) for the piece to fit into. Glue and plugged screws would be a simple join.

Hi Arry,

The answer will really come down to how much time you want to spend, how much money you want to spend, and what tools you have available.

If your are looking for simple (ish), reasonably cheap and quick (ish), I'd be inclined to use a premium ply like baltic birch ply or just marine ply for all components probably 10 or 12mm.

For the joinery on the back parts, I'd just cut out the notches square using whatever tools available (saw, chisels, router etc) and then glue + screw the the back to the sides, directly from the back into the sides (not pocket screws - just straight in).

The bottom pieces will be a bit trickier. If you have a router, you could create two shallow slots (one coming in from the front, and one coming in from the back) in the side pieces to accept the bottom boards, and then just screw in from the sides into the ends of the bottom boards.
The purpose of the slot is to support the weight because end grain glue + a couple of screws on it's own is not structurally sound.

Baltic birch ply looks quite nice and you can make a feature of the edges. The alternative is solid timber, or veneered board but that will be more expensive and harder/more time consuming.

Originally Posted by lewisc

I'd make a full size template from MDF

Side note: if you do use MDF at all, be aware that it contains Urea Formaldehyde which is a known carcinogen, so take appropriate precautions. Ventilation, Dust Mask etc.
That said, so is wood dust, so dust mask is a must all the time.

That looks quite an easy build; I'd stick with making it from solid wood. But as others have said; it depends on what tools you've got. I could build that from pre-dressed timber planks using only clamps for gluing, a jigsaw for roughing out and spokeshaves or a router for final shaping, plus a handsaw and chisels for the joints. If I was using a router I'd definitely make a template out of 1/8-1/4" MDF or masonite and run a bearing guided cutter.

Ok; the bottom two pieces look to be through tenons, not dovetails. So there are two ways to achieve that look; either by properly chopping a mortise and tenon joint (which isn't that hard to do! Do a half dozen test ones on scrap to prove it to yourself) or by using dowels on the inner side of the joint, then ones big screw from the out side. Which you then cover with a square plug that looks just like the end of a tenon poking through

The side pieces, as stated by others these look like simple housing joints. Now, if the stand is going against a wall then you can screw them in from the back. If the back may be seen, then you can counter bore the screwholes and either plug them flush or fit decorative sticky-out plugs. Or... again, dowel them; that way no joinery can be seen. I'd cut the housings at least 3/8" smaller on each side and make the ends of the back rails narrower to suit, that way they act similar to tenons and will resist racking. Or you could cut them as big dovetails so they have to slide into the housings; you couldn't use dowels then but plugged screws would be fine. Have a go with some scrap; don't convince yourself that you're "not good enough to do something like that" until you've physically proved it to yourself by failing to cut half a dozen joints, with each one getting WORSE than the last. Go on, you might just surprise yourself!

I would also suggest solid wood if you can find some. I made something similar a few years ago out of mahogany salvaged from roadside rubbish. I did use dovetails but they really are not that hard when you get started. Chief Tiff's suggestion is good too. I put mine on wheels so I can easily move it around the house.

Mobile Uke storage
Regards
John

Many thanks everyone, much appreciated. I have lots of tools ie table saw, router table, bandsaw, drill press, helical head thicknesser, helical head planer, scms, etc etc just haven't done anything for a long time ) but just do it for fun so skills could use a lot of work )

Sent from my ONEPLUS A6000 using Tapatalk