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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
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
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
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
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 made of bent wooden pieces
Wooden joint

Tricorne, Ayato Hokkyo, Meina Kobayashi and Simón Herrera Arévalo

An experiment into steam bending of wood.

Wooden joint
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 of laminated components
Wooden joint

Jointti, Wakana Ito, Ville Mujunen and Daniel Sars

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

Wooden joint
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 made of laminated laser cut plywood
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.

Wooden joint
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.

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