Need joint help - Woodworking Talk

dtimmons · 01-31-2009, 03:48 PM

I am making a hanging pot rack out of red oak. The rack is being made form 4"x1" planks standing on end with oak dowel rods in a cross pattern with hooks to hang the pots from. My problem is that I want to have mitered corners and I need to know if just wood glue is strong enough to held it together on the miters? Any suggestions would be appreciated. I have a sketch-up model if anyone needs to see that, if it helps.

Gus Dering · 01-31-2009, 04:55 PM

Long grain to long grain glue ups with no fasteners is very strong.
Tite Bond glue is great stuff.

BHOFM · 01-31-2009, 08:15 PM

Would like to see the sketch.

Tony B · 01-31-2009, 09:00 PM

Wood glue alone will not hold a 45* miter together. It might do it temporarily, but the first good bump or bang and it's history.

dtimmons · 01-31-2009, 09:57 PM

Here is the sketch-up drawing.

This is a hanging pot rack.

Kudzu · 01-31-2009, 10:45 PM

I am not overly cautious person, I don't wear belt and suspenders

But considering the load that COULD be put on it I would reinforce the joint somehow I think. Odds are nothing it going to break without it though. Just the thoughts of a pot hitting someone, breaking a toe or something would make me a bit conservative.

PS, if you dropped the longer dowel out and hung the rack off the long sides, I wouldn't worry about it. Then all the load is on the two long sides. There would be no long load on the ends and it wouldn't matter.

BHOFM · 01-31-2009, 11:06 PM

If you are using 3/4 stock, I would rabbit the ends
of the long pieces and put a dowel through the joint.

cabinetman · 01-31-2009, 11:14 PM

You didn't give the diameter of the dowels, but I would leave the center one in. You could use a blind spline for the corners similar to this:
.

BHOFM · 01-31-2009, 11:22 PM

Quote:

You didn't give the diameter of the dowels

3/8" oak for strength. At least and inch long.

dtimmons · 02-01-2009, 09:30 AM

I really don't want any end grain showing is why I chose the 45 degree angle joints. I really like idea of the hidden spline....But what is the spline made of, and what dimensions.

firehawkmph · 02-01-2009, 09:06 PM

The spline could be 1/8" x 3/4" x 4" and made out of your hardwood scraps. Or you could use a biscuit joiner if you don't want the splines to show.

Mike Hawkins

GerryB · 02-02-2009, 11:12 PM

Or a contrasting dovetail key?

dtimmons · 02-03-2009, 08:50 PM

I have decided to go with the spline. Its a very simple yet effective solution.

I am going to make it the same thickness as my blade kerf to simplify things.

**Leo G** · 02-04-2009, 12:14 AM

Make sure you have the grain goingthe short way or the spline might snap.