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Assignment – Joints

During this assignment we had to make design choices to optimise the strength of carpentry joints. Groups of students each designed a tripod within set dimensions.
Five wooden tripod joints standing on the floor of the engineering department hydraulic lab.

We researched wooden joints, then carefully designed and fabricated all the pieces in the wood workshop. Some groups focused on geometry, others on innovative ways of processing the wood. After completion, we subjected the tripods to a strength test under the hydraulic press of the Department of Engineering to see which team achieved the best strength/weight ratio.

    Wooden joint

    Jalustaa, Juri Kikuchi, Dimitris Kalogridis and Keitaro Tsubata

    An exploration of laminated components and Japanese dowel joinery. Made with ash and spruce.

    Wooden joint

    Jalustaa, Juri Kikuchi, Dimitris Kalogridis and Keitaro Tsubata

    An exploration of laminated components and Japanese dowel joinery. Made with ash and spruce.

      Wooden tripod joint

      Kolmijalka, Kota Kawakami, Darya Belaya, Nao Fujimoto and Matej Požega

      Interlocking geometry to create a reciprocal joint that supports itself. Made with spruce and birch plywood reinforcements.

      Wooden joint

      Kolmijalka, Kota Kawakami, Darya Belaya, Nao Fujimoto and Matej Požega

      Interlocking geometry to create a reciprocal joint that supports itself. Made with spruce and birch plywood reinforcements.

        Wooden joint made of bent wooden pieces

        Tricorne, Ayato Hokkyo, Meina Kobayashi and Simón Herrera Arévalo

        An experiment into steam bending of wood.

        Wooden joint

        Tricorne, Ayato Hokkyo, Meina Kobayashi and Simón Herrera Arévalo

        An experiment into steam bending of wood.

          Wooden joint of laminated components

          Jointti, Wakana Ito, Ville Mujunen and Daniel Sars

          Dowel connections and laminated components, made with spruce, ash and birch plywood.

          Wooden joint

          Jointti, Wakana Ito, Ville Mujunen and Daniel Sars

          Dowel connections and laminated components, made with spruce, ash and birch plywood.

            Wooden joint made of laminated laser cut plywood

            Smoked salmon sandwich, Yume Suzuki, Olle Björkebaum and Ishrat Tabassum

            This joint consists of three legs that 'hook' into a hexagonal core. They are then locked in place with oak pieces. The legs and core are made with spruce, both sawn and laser-cut.

            Wooden joint

            Smoked salmon sandwich, Yume Suzuki, Olle Björkebaum and Ishrat Tabassum

            This joint consists of three legs that 'hook' into a hexagonal core. They are then locked in place with oak pieces. The legs and core are made with spruce, both sawn and laser-cut.

              Students analysing the breaking point of one of the joints
              Wooden joints on the floor of the testing lab
              One team posing with their joint
              Students posing with their wooden joint
              Students discussing break point of wooden joint
              Students posing with their wooden joint
              students posing with wooden joint
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