Thread: How to make wedges (small)

How many is a lot
When you 5mm cubed do you mean that the wedges are 5mm x 5mm square on one end and a 45deg taper so that they are 5mm long as well ???


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Ashore

I need 48 wedges.

The tenons are 5x5x5mm and the wedges must be slight tapers to fit into saw kerfs that are about 1mm wide by 5mm x 5mm. I.e. the wedges should be 5mm x 5mm squares that are .9mm on one end and say 1.2 mm on the other end.

Pocket knife!

Seriously, cut a long wedge shape on the table saw then cut 5mm off the tip on your bandsaw using your finest blade, then cut to width very gentley by hand with dovetail/coping saw.

I would have thought going the other way might work too, ie create the wedge with the right thicknesses, then cut it into 48 pieces - just my humble inexperienced guess...

cheers
RufflyRustic

Hi Zenwood,

Man, that is a small tenon, what're you making, reproduction doll's furniture!?:eek: I take it the saw kerf is cut into the end of each tenon. I think Ruffly's idea has merit, but being so small I'd rough an offcut to size then finish on a belt sander before splitting each one off with a knife. That or whittle each one off a stick of timber, wearing good glasses

Can we see a photo of the assembled piece please?

Cheers,

Zenwood,

A pocket knife might sound silly but it is probably the best way to go. Because wedge is so small, I don’t suggest you to use power tools for the job. (To me it is impossible). The wedge will fly off somewhere as soon as the cut is finished and you will be spending the next 30 minutes to look for it. (Now do it 48 times)

You’ll better off using a knife to shave the wood and use the cut off pieces.

Sorry mate I cannot think of a better way.

Cheers

Mill up a stick of wood the right size for the wedges, ie: 1.2mm. Hot glue it to a board to plane it down to size.

Take your stick, sand/cut/whatever the right taper on it, then cut off the wedge. Repeat 47 more times.

Do you really need to wedge tenons that small, or is it an accent? Maybe a feature?

Originally Posted by zenwood

I need 48 wedges.

The tenons are 5x5x5mm and the wedges must be slight tapers to fit into saw kerfs that are about 1mm wide by 5mm x 5mm. I.e. the wedges should be 5mm x 5mm squares that are .9mm on one end and say 1.2 mm on the other end.

Do the wedges have to be of the same material as your tennons, and if they do what is your stock size



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For such small wedges I would probably cut them by hand, even for 48. With a dozuki saw you can get good results.

Alternatively, cross cut a piece the length of the wedges and then use that on a mitre saw or the table saw with a mitre guage.

Some good ideas coming through here, Thanks.

To be more specific the pic shows a prototype box I'm working on, copied from a design for a Japanese reliquary box in Lydgate's book.

The pic shows the result using non-tapered 'wedges' thicknessed to a snug fit in the tenon slots: not a very satisfactory result because the mortices (hand cut) still show some gaps, which proper wedges would eliminate. The non-tapered wedges were cut on the bandsaw: and some of the bits did indeed ping off into space. I may go with cutting them most of the way through on the bandsaw, then doing the final separation with a knife.

Still not sure of a good production processes though...

Why bother?

I would bandsaw a long length of the crossection required. Handplane or chisel the end to the taper required and cut off with a chisel. Repeat this another 47 times and the job will be done.

I once was a model ship builder. I used Walnut plank to build the hull. It is about 2mm X 5mm and 60cm long. I still have some left.

Brother, if you want some just PM me your address and I will send them over.




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