[Quickstep]

I need to glue up a bunch of triangular shaped pieces to end up with a bunch of square pieces (see attached sketch) which I will then make into round pieces. It would be nice if they ended up exactly square and with tight joints. I think I'm going to use epoxy since the joints will have a decent amount of end grain. I'm interested in any ideas to make clamping easy and produce good joints and keeping the assembly flat. So, bring 'em on! Thanks!

 

[woodnthings]

use a 3/4" thick plywood square

Cut out the square in the center for your design, leaving about 6" of plywood plus 1/4" of gap. Make some small wedges to locate in the gaps on 2 sides to force the 4 triangles together. Glue it up on brown kraft paper and it will break off cleanly and then sand it all smooth. Never done it, but it makes sense to me rather than having to fight all the corners into alignment. A weight in the center would help to keep it flat...... :yes:

Dry fit that up before you get it all gluey.

 

[b sco]

With that end grain, use regular wood glue, rub two pieces together, leave set on flat surface,straighten edge,and glue to other pair.
You're going to have to stack at least 2 ,(3 would be better) of these pieces, with staggered joints, or else these 4 segments will soon start to separate, from wood movement.

 

[lilman]

Maybe a template? If they are all the same size maybe create a "square" that the triangle pieces will fit into super snug that would keep the joints tight and then something on top to keep flat. Sounds like a good idea in my head ATM haha

 

[woodnthings]

echo... echo...

Cut out the square in the center for your design, leaving about 6" of plywood plus 1/4" of gap. Make some small wedges to locate in the gaps on 2 sides to force the 4 triangles together. Glue it up on brown kraft paper and it will break off cleanly and then sand it all smooth. Never done it, but it makes sense to me rather than having to fight all the corners into alignment. A weight in the center would help to keep it flat...... :yes:

Dry fit that up before you get it all gluey.

Maybe a template? If they are all the same size maybe create a "square" that the triangle pieces will fit into super snug that would keep the joints tight and then something on top to keep flat. Sounds like a good idea in my head ATM haha

AH, great minds think alike.... :yes:

 

[lilman]

I read your response but interpreted it incorrectly I reckon. So if two people coincidentally come up with the same idea does that make it a good one??

 

[27207]

Why think of it as triangle pieces? I see a bunch of squares. You need a nice frame clamp like the veritas. Glue and clamp the inner square and work outward.

 

[woodnthings]

triangles not squares

I need to glue up a bunch of triangular shaped pieces to end up with a bunch of square pieces (see attached sketch) which I will then make into round pieces.

Why think of it as triangle pieces? I see a bunch of squares. You need a nice frame clamp like the veritas. Glue and clamp the inner square and work outward.

they won't be squares until the triangles are glued together, unless I'm totally not gettin' it.... :blink:

 

[27207]

they won't be squares until the triangles are glued together, unless I'm totally not gettin' it.... :blink:

It looks like the triangles are made up of several pieces of 3/4" by 3/4" (less or more, just saying that for visual)? Why glue up the triangles, then make a square? Just glue up the squares.

Or laminate the pieces together like a butcher block long enough to make all four triangles. Cut the triangles out. Then glue up the final square.

 

[rrich]

Past experience says, if you try to close up the center, it almost a foregone certainty that the corners will not close up.

The problem is that the math is perfect but as woodworkers we are not. If you're off by a tenth of a degree or 1/128", the corners will not close up.

 

[cabinetman]

This is an exercise I do when making a modified focal point, or rosette. I start with the profiles I want glued up in long lengths. Then cut the triangular segments out as done below...

.
Then I fit the four segments into a square, and glue together...

.

 

[Quickstep]

The stripes in my drawing were intended just to show the grain; it's really just four pieces that are triangles put together to form a square.

 

[27207]

The stripes in my drawing were intended just to show the grain; it's really just four pieces that are triangles put together to form a square.

Ah, gotcha