# Question about joining plywood



## jmeter (Jun 7, 2015)

Hi Lumber Jocks,

I'm fairly new to woodworking and have a project to make 16 plywood pedestals for an exhibition. I'm going to be making it out of birch ply and there can't be any visible fasteners. They are fine with a butt joint and want it to be as cheap as possible.

Would a glued butt joint be feasible/strong enough? Should I use brackets? Not sure what would be an easy way to make these and any input would be greatly appreciated.

THANKS


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## joey502 (Mar 30, 2014)

Do you have a sketch of the design to give a rough idea of the shape and size? What will be sitting on the display pedestal?


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## woodbutcherbynight (Oct 21, 2011)

No visible fasteners and as cheap as possible? Pocket holes maybe?


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## chiseler (Dec 20, 2015)

The butt joint is the weakest joint there is and depending on the size of the pieces(bigger is not good) without any type of mechanical fasteners,(screws,nails,bolts ,brackets) the glue joints will fail under the slightest bit of stress


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## jmeter (Jun 7, 2015)

Hi guys, thanks for the responses. The pedestals will be 10" x 10" x 40". I'm thinking of using 3/4" birch ply. Not exactly sure what amount of weight will be in them. I can make a sketch tomorrow morning to demonstrate.


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## hairy (Sep 23, 2008)

Some food for thought…

http://lumberjocks.com/projects/189306

You will need either a router table and bit or table saw with dado blade.


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## pintodeluxe (Sep 12, 2010)

Rabbets or biscuits and glue will work fine.
Pocket hole screws would work fine.


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

I'm waiting for the sketch.

In the mean time cheap and no visible fasteners =butt joints with tapered plugs cut off and sanded smooth.
For a more refined product I'd use biscuits or better yet domino's.

At this point there been no mention of plywood edge grain showing so the above could change depending.

The better information given the better the chance of getting better answers.


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## cdaniels (Apr 16, 2014)

I would edge band it, a roll of that stuff is cheap and looks good and use pocket screws, strong and hidden, cheap and easy to do.


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## MadMark (Jun 3, 2014)

Biscuit joiner is the right tool.

M


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## RogerM (Oct 31, 2011)

Pocket holes or biscuits would be the best and cheapest joints.


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

I also wonder how he plans to finish these. He didn't say anything on finishing either.


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## jerryminer (Jun 15, 2014)

No visible fasteners, but visible plywood edge is OK? Must be for an artist


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## bruc101 (Sep 13, 2008)

Mortise and tenon glued and clamped.


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## woodbutcherbynight (Oct 21, 2011)

> No visible fasteners, but visible plywood edge is OK? Must be for an artist
> 
> - jerryminer


ROFLMAO


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## bruc101 (Sep 13, 2008)

Michael Gilmartin…furniture maker in Atlanta He builds furniture out of plywood. Highland Hardware did a video with him in hiis workshop. I think he uses a special order Douglas Fir plywood. In his video he said he was inspired to deign and build this chair from a plumber.


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## runswithscissors (Nov 8, 2012)

I'd hide the edge grain by making miter joints and using biscuits. Not really that much more work when you're set up, and would look better. I'm guessing there will be some sort of top on these?


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

If you not going to cover the edges then I'd go with hairy's suggestion of the locking rabbet.


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