CNC cut wedged mortise and Tenon.

[4DThinker]

A prototype done.  Intended to knock down and go back together reliably.  Mortise is 1/16" deep than the tenon is long.  Embedded square 1/4-20 nut to pull snuggly with the flat head bolt. Can't see the nut when the joint is tight together. The bolt head could be a cap screw and more discretely counter bored. 

Not simple to draw up or quick to cut, but as I'm retired now time isn't that important and challenges are enjoyable to figure out.  

Edited February 5 by 4DThinker

[Grandpadave52]

Cool idea.

[KevTN]

That is nice idea!

[4DThinker]

While I didn't mind drawing up the vectors to taper the sides using short lines in a row and the fluting toolpath in Aspire, I realize when done that somewhere I had a 3 degree tapered end mill. I made another test sample using the 3 degree bit and a profile toolpath and it took less than 1/10th the time to cut. This one doesn't have the nut pocket yet, but once I get some black headed furniture connector bolts from McMaster Carr I'll drill the holes and cut the nut pocket for it.

The slope sides are cleaner.  Not as much clean up needed.  Tenon slips in easy until about 1/8" from closed.  Tapping it closed or drawing it closed with an embedded nut and bolt, the joint becomes a snug friction fit that isn't likely to wiggle out on it own. 

4D

[4DThinker]

Went to my local Menards to pick up a fresh board of mahogany I saw on their web site. 1 (.75") x 4" x 8' on sale for 17$.   Of course I got there and that rack was empty. Net to it was a stack of 1x6 x 8' mahogany boards for $30 each.  So I spent more than planned as usual at menards, but will be making a final version of the landscape model stand for a friend using this joint design.  30+ copies of the original version reside in the halls and crit spaces and faculty offices of the college I worked at.  A few photos of it here along with photos I made of a nicer version from oak.  And at the bottom a rendering from my CNC software showing the skinnier version.  

https://4dfurniture.blogspot.com/2022/07/a-simple-landscape-model-stand.html

4D

[Grandpadave52]

A classier looking stand than collapsible aluminum frames. Looking forward to seeing this latest version.

[4DThinker]

Not very impressed with the mahogany board I bought.  Looked pretty straight when examined at the store.  Shrink wrapped though.  Unwrapped it to find impressions from straps across the grain, and one edge still a little evidence of bark that rounded that edge leaving it thinner than the rest of the board. 

Cut off 5' of it to make the legs and feet from.  Cut a 3" wide strip from what was left for the shelf.  The shelf piece decided to cup and twist from end to end. Ran it through my planer to take out the cupping. It doesn't matter if it is 5/8" thick rather than 3/4" thick. Have one end clamped in my bench vise with a quick grip clamped to the other and weight added to untwist it.  Gonna let it sit that way for a day or two but doubt it'll overcome the internal stress that caused the twist. 

Went ahead and cut the tapered mortises in the legs and the tenons on the feet, as well as the nut pocket on the tapered tenons.  Parts slip together snug as expected and should draw up tight when I drill the holes for bolts and add the nuts and bolts.  I'll see if I can steam out the strap impressions.  I may have to find something better to make the shelf from. 

Edited February 9 by 4DThinker

[4DThinker]

Still waiting on the bolts, but I did get the holes and counterbores for the bolt heads done this morning.  The twist in the shelf board is a little less that it was yesterday.  I've put it back in the vise and added more weight on the other end to twist it the other way for another day or two. 

Still have to trim the bottom end plane 14 degrees.  To make sure the cut on the bottom of the leg and bottom edge of the foot are in line I plan to use my radial arm saw and cut the angle while assembled.  I need too buy a nice strap hinge for the top.  Be nice if I could find one already black. 

4D

[4DThinker]

Did some research into strap hinges. Many come already black.  Most have poor reviews for being made from cheap thin metal.  I opted for stainless steel marine hinges that appear to be machine cut rather than stamped out. The design only needs a pivoting pin connection at the top, and the cheap hinges would likely work.  I can cut a perfect pocket to recess the marine hinges into but not the shape of the stamped hinges with square corner details in their edge. Hoping these hinges have a nice action and no cheap feel to them.  

[4DThinker]

Bolts came in.  Still waiting for the hinge. Foot sucks up tight to the leg when the bolt turns into the embedded nut. 

This is the type of nut I'm using although longer than this one I had at my desk.  Head is .519" in diameter and looks fine within the .75" width of the mahogany legs. I sank them into the edge  just deep enough to bury the vertical side but left the chamfered bump stand proud.  Flat underside of the head won't try to split the wood as it tugs on the nut. 

Contemplating what to finish the mahogany with.  Might pick up a pint of mahogany stain just to darken it, then steal it with something clear. 

4D

[4DThinker]

Cut the 14 degree angle on the bottom of the legs and foot today.  Radial arm saw didn't have enough range to cut them while assembled in one pass. Used my Bosch Glide miter saw to handle it, one piece at a time. 

Next set up a 3/32r roundover bit in in my router table, and rounded the edges of all the parts.  Spent yesterday sanding down all the parts from 80 grit to 320 grit. Cabinet scraped to smooth out the strap depressions.  Waiting on the hinges to arrive from California.  May take them longer to get here with the winter weather moving in. Still need to decide what to do for a shelf. 

4D

Edited February 11 by 4DThinker

[4DThinker]

Had the twisted shelf clamped down in a counter-twist position, which for now seems to have gotten it flat enough to use.  Finished sanding it and rounding the edges for a test fit on the stand.  Still waiting on the hinges I ordered. 

3/8" diameter. 3" long aluminum dowels run 1.5" into the shelf and legs.  In theory they should try and keep the shelf in a flat plane.  Even exposure to air all around should prevent changes in humidity from warping it. 

4D

Edited February 12 by 4DThinker

[Grandpadave52]

Looking good.

[4DThinker]

Thanks GPDave52.   I've marked the Philippian mahogany that Menard sells off my list of options from here on out. This wood dents easily.  Twists just to be mean. Will drive a splinter under your fingernail if you get too close to a corner.  The light weight does serve nicely though for this portable stand.  I know it'll look banged up/dented after a short while spent moving around though. 

This simple stand is a good way to display large art when you can't mount it on a wall. If there is a wire across the back of a painting to hang it on, it could slide over the frame to hold the painting securely there.  I'm looking for a book/reading light or something similar that could clamp to or mount on the frame and extend out to illuminate whatever is displayed on the stand.  I had a student many year back that made a reading chair in my class.  He found such a light and added it to his design. 

4D

[Grandpadave52]

8 hours ago, 4DThinker said:

I've marked the Philippian mahogany that Menard sells off my list of options from here on out.

Bought some a few years back for a box project. I came to the same conclusion. Pretty with a natural finish was about it.

[Grandpadave52]

8 hours ago, 4DThinker said:

I'm looking for a book/reading light or something similar that could clamp to or mount on the frame and extend out to illuminate whatever is displayed on the stand.

Something like this work? You'll have to C&P link. Amazon has some feature which prevents it from embedding the link.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Vekkia-Rechargeable-Professional-Brightness×3-Temperature/dp/B0CN8Q3TTB/ref=sr_1_48?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.1JiW6KTNlWY9q0PIEOf_yBaO3T1xsF-bd7kZTmiPja6Hk-R6qixar5zN8JM3YtS7PbczqxuTotpTYS9FJVqjlR4p2csYXT92tiaOTNdATpmeta7B5Xf8Z7popZdU0GilLABgnXDN7MsWDRzMyqiyLjp11uqQ30k0SeENTzE5cPh0vYfUkz3RgpLvlAu2pK1JSOkCxs0hDyFx-FwCeaHc_Ol43GVBZnRxy7E7TuW6IJ3LTQhBgqGwDlydNm3i_E_LcK1B28GlLXYI8JsGVgbpYeOjgV_MwtbW-eoVKohJczyHSgFPyM3YdiGeDeWhloMtHA7ZioSP6gGOcuQSAFFahfUrGO_wl1Joc28Uk7gra8FOnidYyy_mM4gGqIK8rLi4s3L77zvFTlLZrT4JPtZxWGvHxwsWEv_Woxak8XH6nMTIFIAHF_5agX-JQhvojtn2.77RhdjzhuhCRsU5EFPARrwpiSs1ZA80bSVMmmwRRglM&dib_tag=se&keywords=rechargeable%2Btask%2Blight&qid=1739415097&sr=8-

Edited February 13 by Grandpadave52

[4DThinker]

8 hours ago, Grandpadave52 said:

Something like this work? 

Yep.  Something like that.  After I posted what I was looking for I spent 1/2 hour looking at all the options available at Amazon.com.  Bought 2 of something similar but with a longer goose neck.  Clamps on, although the goose neck looks like the clamp could be taken off and the gooseneck screwed directing to the wood legs. Might need a simpler L bracket.  Will see when they get here.   Hinges should arrive today. Lights in a day or two. 

4D 

[4DThinker]

Hinges arrived late last night.  Had to buy a pair, but the stand only uses one. Took a guess mixed with a few measurement with tape measure and calipers to what the shape was and drew up a pocket to recess each half into the top of the stand legs. Realized that there were some unknowable details of the shape so I cut it first on a scrap of the same material. Used a V bit to mark where I guessed the screw holes needed to be.

 

Slipped the hinge in to discover the pocket was a bit too wide at the top, and screw holes were off a bit.

Needed another approach.  So I took a straight on photo of a hinge side, then imported it into Aspire. Traced the outline and hole positions. Rotated the vectors a few degrees.  Scaled them up 11%ish to match the width of the hinge side.  Cut another test recess on the top of the board in the photo. Much better fit, but needed a little sanding of the sides and tapered edges for an even better fit.  With the hinge in place I outlined each screw hole with a pencil, then center punched each circle.  Drilled a pilot hole for the threads of the screws I used to bite into at each spot. 

Recess fit and screw positions now spot-on. 

Legs hinged together.  With the shelf in place the triangle formed make this a rigid structure.  Easy to pick the whole thing up.  Slip the shelf off and the legs fold together flat. The feet can come off to reduce the package even more. 

4D

Edited February 14 by 4DThinker

[Grandpadave52]

28 minutes ago, 4DThinker said:

Slip the shelf off and the legs fold together flat. The feet can come off to reduce the package even more

Be nice if you could find a strapped or handled nylon zip bag the correct size to transport all the pieces. The aluminum one I traveled with came with one. Sure was handy getting everything in/out of venues in fewer trips. Just a thought.

[4DThinker]

8 minutes ago, Grandpadave52 said:

Be nice if you could find a strapped or handled nylon zip bag the correct size to transport all the pieces.

Yep.  I've got a few tripods and all but one came with a handled bag.   The legs are 5' long though and don't get shorter,  Walking around my house with the stand held horizontal is a bump here bump there proposition. So any bag that holds the parts would be best balanced to hang the parts vertical or near vertical when held with the handle.  Not sure what sort of volume the lights I ordered will take up, but if I include one with the stand it should package with the stand parts. 

4D