# Question about Joinery for Birch Ply



## jmeter (Jun 7, 2015)

Hello,

I am a relatively new woodworker looking for some advice.

I am building a chair/swing that I will be suspending from a metal I-beam in my apartment. I would like to build it out of birch plywood and make something similar to this chair: http://www.2dots.co/2012/09/the-chair-x-pierre-thibault.html

However, I am unsure how this is joined. Would biscuits be appropriate/strong enough?

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!


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## johnstoneb (Jun 14, 2012)

This looks like just butt joints and miter joints. With out knowing how you intend to suspend it. Porbably not biscuits don't add a lot of strength to a joint.


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## SirIrb (Jan 12, 2015)

Throw the bizkuts away.

Maybe screw and plug. Maybe just dowel. I would glue, screw and plug this project. Buy a plug cutter and some maple. Usually maple can be easier to find than birch and it looks very close.


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## jmeter (Jun 7, 2015)

I am planning on stringing rope through near the top of the back and also towards the front of the seat. It will look similar to this image, but the chair would be made of wood, not fabric: http://britco.s3.amazonaws.com/list_images/originals/2014/f3bb80ae-aa96-4d51-993b-7a99bc89edf8_20140130T033658.jpg.650x650_q85.jpg


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## wapakfred (Jul 29, 2011)

I'm on the fence about biscuits. I think they would work in this case (maybe) but it would be a PITA to figure out the angles on a biscuit joiner fence. Your cuts in the mating pieces have to be made at 90º, and I'm not sure you could pull that off on that piece; very few parts are at 90º to each other. the picture does seem to be just butt joints,, but if the piece is made to sit on the floor they may be strong enough. I thnk if i was going to suspend it, I'd want to beef up the design with a frame that formed a "floor" under it, and then suspend that piece.


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## hotbyte (Apr 3, 2010)

I would run the rope all the way to the bottom piece of plywood…don't attach it at the back. You could drill a hole in top piece to run it through to a hole in the bottom


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## rwe2156 (May 7, 2014)

I agree with SirIrb.

Screws and plugs. Wouldn't used dowels not much glue strength in the plys.
For the same reason biscuits won't work. You just can't glue the edges of ply very well.

Edge banding with solid wood would dress it up.


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## Daruc (Apr 20, 2015)

Glue and nails would be strong enough. I would also put end panels, set inside, to strengthen it up. 
That would be the easiest, but screws and plugging the hole would be nice.
I've never had problems gluing the edges of plywood, (I don't use imported plywood of any type) and some banding on the edges *would* dress it up.


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## jmeter (Jun 7, 2015)

Awesome, thanks for the info guys! I think I will try my hand with the plug cutter. I'll also drill some holes in the top and run the rope down to the bottom panel.


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