# WOOD to METAL or METAL to WOOD JOINTS - HOW?



## BertFlores58 (May 26, 2010)

Mabuhay to all LJ,

I have been researching for a technique or just a simple way of joining metals to wood. I could not find the most economical way. My objective is to recycle scraps both wood and metal. I have a great collection and still growing source for scrap toner catridges from copying machine. Usually, I found stainless rods 4-12 mm diameter x 6 to 12 inches. alluminum pipes rolled precisely and sometimes coated with rubber. The rest of these toner or other copyer dispossal are carbon plastic. Small bearings, bushing and various screw collected. Sometimes, spring of varying sizes can be found.

I am thinking whether I can make a chair made from these scraps: wood and metal. Somebody told me that the best craftsman and a designer can be seen in making a chair. Like Sam Maloof, the style is there. But for me, I will be contented if only I could make something of the scraps. There is only one problem….....
HOW will I join the METAL TO WOOD or WOOD TO METAL?


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## Abbott (May 10, 2009)

Drill it and bolt it or drill it and screw it depending on the joint and how much strength is required.


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## childress (Sep 14, 2008)

If you didn't want to use screws, you might try epoxy. I'm sure that would work, but depending on the joint, the wood movement might be a problem. The more I think about it, the more abbott's comment seems best


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## wseand (Jan 27, 2010)

I have been thinking about adding metal to my work as well. A lot of the furniture sold in my area is rustic. I have a lot of date nails, rusty metal scraps, and ornamental pieces I was wanting to incorporate. I think most of my metal would be nailed or screwed in. But always looking for other ideas


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

You usually need a mechanical connector a nail or screw or rivet.


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## Stevinmarin (Dec 24, 2009)

If the pieces aren't too heavy or won't take a lot of stress, I usually use epoxy for gluing just about anything to wood.


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## DanLyke (Feb 8, 2007)

Yeah, think in terms of mechanical connections, but that doesn't necessarily just mean screws or bolts. You can cut mortises or holes (for those rods) or slots in the wood for the metal to go into, you can bend the metal around the wood so that they interlock. Even for epoxy, I'd do something like drill a hole for a rod to go into, and then cut some notches or holes in the rod so that the epoxy will have something to flow into on the rod; it'll bond to the wood just fine but it'll need to make a mechanical connection to the rod.

And if you've got lots of small bearings and shafts, I'd take a look at Matthias Wandel's Woodgears.ca and websites of other people who build wood mechanical stuff to see if any of that acts as inspiration.


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## BertFlores58 (May 26, 2010)

Thanks a lot to all,
Learned a lot in jointing tips, it is up to me now to apply. 
Special mention with Dan who really guided me well to the right direction. I will post the project when done. I experimented on epoxy joint to wood but the rod will expand more than expected and so the other parts of the wood started to crack. Therefore if I use epoxy, then wood parts should be joined with same strength as the epoxy.

Thanks Stevin, I recalled something about the stress you mentioned in metalworks. There 3 stresses on steel… bending, elasticity or enlongation, and shear stresses. I learned this in engineering class.. Now it is also time to apply. Example what size of screw should be used? I think rifles and guns have wood and metal joined…. I think you are the best guy to give me some points on those joint done in rifles. I know they could be detach to each other, How are they join?


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