# Joinery...poll and a paying for...air in your furniture???



## paxorion (Oct 19, 2012)

Interesting poll from Tom Iovino…I'm all for tools to make life easier, but there's always pros and cons for any ways to speed things up.

http://www.thewoodwhisperer.com/articles/poll-shortcut-joinery-and-real-woodworking/

As for "innovation" speed of assembly usually comes with a degree of compromise. However, substituting substance with air and "fancy" dowel connectors is not my idea of innovation/improvement.
http://bgr.com/2014/10/03/ikea-how-to-build/


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## BinghamtonEd (Nov 30, 2011)

Ikea's new dowel connector is clever, I'll give them that, but I don't see it holding up well to abuse that some pieces (like a coffee table for people with kids) get.


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## jmartel (Jul 6, 2012)

So their crappy furniture that falls apart is going to be even more crappy now.


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## paxorion (Oct 19, 2012)

Someday, maybe Ikea shoppers will know to use wood glue? http://lifehacker.com/shore-up-ikea-furniture-with-wood-glue-1630837067

But they'll probably be the same folks that form the control set for this Ikea furniture relationship test: http://www.dailydot.com/lol/ikea-furniture-couples-race/


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## paxorion (Oct 19, 2012)

> Ikea s new dowel connector is clever, I ll give them that, but I don t see it holding up well to abuse that some pieces (like a coffee table for people with kids) get.
> 
> - BinghamtonEd


They're creating ammo to for scenarios like this:


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## endgrainy (Mar 25, 2013)

I've always admired Ikea for their design concepts and affordability, and I bought a lot of it in a previous life. However, as mentioned, their durability has been sometimes laughable. Using wood glue is a great idea, but wood pulp furniture is wood pulp furniture.

It seems like our culture is so fashion conscious that many people would rather buy a new $250 dresser every 5 years versus a $1000 dresser that would last for 20.


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## jmartel (Jul 6, 2012)

The joints breaking isn't necessarily the problem. It's the fact that it's fake veneer over particleboard that splits and separates. The whole thing is trash, not just the joints. I know, I've got plenty of it in the bedroom from my wife. That's all being replaced piece by piece.


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## runswithscissors (Nov 8, 2012)

Just think: in a hundred years, Ikea furniture will be in the antique category. If compressed sawdust can last that long.


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## InstantSiv (Jan 12, 2014)

I wonder if that bit and the dowels will be made available to us wood workers? I wouldn't mind playing around with it.


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## BinghamtonEd (Nov 30, 2011)

> It seems like our culture is so fashion conscious that many people would rather buy a new $250 dresser every 5 years versus a $1000 dresser that would last for 20.
> - endgrainy


They're not paying for the cheap furniture, they're paying for the experience of having to put it together themselves, while their significant other sits on the couch and says "That doesn't look like the picture on the box. Are you sure you're doing it right?"


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