Extending Uprights

[meow2222]

I'm making some free standing heavy duty shelving kits at the mo for a proj ect where spending money would be against the people's religion. Have just been given a bunch of wood for uprights that's a bit too short, plus matchi ng short pieces. I'm wondering whether and how its practical to join bits e nd to end to solve this - if I dont, I'm left with a load of wood to get sh ot of. The joined on bit would only support the top shelf. The uprights are 1.5x3.5 to 2x4.

So far I've considered:

A butt joint with 2 or 4 screws at an angle. Quick & easy - I like that - i f its stable enough this would be the easy option.

A Z shaped joint, where the slanty bit of the Z is actually upright, not sl anty. A good bit more stable, but I cant think how to easily do the central cut. Hand chiselling a load of partial circ saw cuts isnt something I want to be doing.

A simple scarf joint would work, but is wasteful of wood, makes no use what ever of the woods ability to support itself, and the mitre saw doesnt cut f ar enough to do them, making repeatability a problem.

Would a butt joint do it?

NT

[Andy Cap]

What about a simple L shape, glued and screwed?

Andy C

[charles]

use joining plates (eg: Screwfix 66707) on both sides rather than angled screws.

[meow2222]

I did consider using wood offcuts in the same manner. Its ugly/bulky though.

NT

[Andy Burns]

Yes - but use a dowel.

[stuart noble]

The second hole doesn't need to be remotely accurate if you fill it with

2 part filler and line the two pieces up before it sets. Did my newel post like that many moons ago

[Roger Mills]

How long are the 'short' bits? Could you drill vertically down the middle - and the same in the top of the main upright - and use metal rods to reinforce the butt joins.

[harryagain]

So far I've considered:

A butt joint with 2 or 4 screws at an angle. Quick & easy - I like that - if its stable enough this would be the easy option.

A Z shaped joint, where the slanty bit of the Z is actually upright, not slanty. A good bit more stable, but I cant think how to easily do the central cut. Hand chiselling a load of partial circ saw cuts isnt something I want to be doing.

A simple scarf joint would work, but is wasteful of wood, makes no use whatever of the woods ability to support itself, and the mitre saw doesnt cut far enough to do them, making repeatability a problem.

Would a butt joint do it?

Use a couple of thick dowels drilled and glued into the ends of the wood. Brush handles provide a source of cheap large dia. dowel.

[meow2222]

oject where spending money would be against the people's religion. Have jus t been given a bunch of wood for uprights that's a bit too short, plus matc hing short pieces. I'm wondering whether and how its practical to join bits end to end to solve this - if I dont, I'm left with a load of wood to get shot of. The joined on bit would only support the top shelf. The uprights a re 1.5x3.5 to 2x4.

if its stable enough this would be the easy option.

slanty. A good bit more stable, but I cant think how to easily do the centr al cut. Hand chiselling a load of partial circ saw cuts isnt something I wa nt to be doing.

atever of the woods ability to support itself, and the mitre saw doesnt cut far enough to do them, making repeatability a problem.

More thoughts.... I reckon the 2 simplest answers are:

for the uprights that are only a bit short, use longer cross pieces, using the width of those to add to the height

for where a foot or so more length is needed, just use a dogleg joint and a few screws. Not pretty but very quick & stable, exactly the qualities I ne ed.

Doing a warehouse full of dowel joints? No. :)

NT

[Jabba]

[e-mail] scribbled...

A half-lap splice.

[Brian Gaff]

But joints are not good. You might get them OK with some dowels across the join, but its never going to look great. Brian

[F Murtz]

B Hell,all that time to explain, when a picture of the exploded joint would have sufficed on a diy NG.

[Jabba]

F Murtz scribbled...

As there's f*ck all on the telly atm, I reckon that video is good entertainent.