Results 1 to 8 of 8

Thread: Need help on figuring out angles on project

  1. #1

    Need help on figuring out angles on project

    So as a test to see whether my woodworking skills have improved over a two year period I've been giving a second go to the classic Herman Miller Nelson Bench and so far the top has turned out great but I'm now onto the base which is made up of a bunch of angles. There are a few versions of the base out there on the internet but I'm currently going off of the base as described in this blog post: https://www.popularwoodworking.com/w...latform-bench/

    As you can see the base inner angles are describe as being 82 degrees and 98 degrees for the top and bottom angles. My question is if given this angle can the two actual miters be any combination of angles that together equals either 82 or 98 degrees? So for instance for the top longer base piece I can do 41 degrees and another 41 degrees for the vertical support piece. Will that work? I'm going to experiment in sketchup tonight to see if this adds up but just wondering if anyone had any tips on dealing with miters that do not add up to 90 degrees. For some reason this makes my head explode. Thanks!
    Last edited by Ray Rodriguez; 01-22-2019 at 5:42 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Location
    Fairbanks AK
    Posts
    1,566
    You are quite a bit ahead of me on workshop skills, so take this with a grain of salt.

    Looking at the splined miter joints that make up the legs behind your link, the joints will be strongest if the angle on the end of each piece is the same. So 41+41 and 49+49 for strongest joints I think.

    I do agree there is an infinity of angle pairs that could be used, but I think they would all be weaker than the matched pairs.

    Good luck, this is, from my perspective, a nice advanced problem to have. I'll go back to hacking out a cutting board now.

  3. #3
    If the angles are not the same, the inside edges won't align, as one miter will be longer than the other.
    Gerry

    JointCAM

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2018
    Location
    Michigan, USA
    Posts
    548
    Scott and Gerry are both on-target. As long as the leg frame pieces are all the same thickness, for the mitered ends to fit together properly, you need to cut both pieces at the same angle - the inside angle divided by two.

    If you want to change the inside angles from 82* and 98*, you can do that, but the two inside angles will need to add up to 180*. For example, if you wanted the bottom to be a little narrower, you could make the angles 80* and 100*. Then you'd cut the miters at the top to 80*/2=40* and at the bottom, 100*/2=50*.

  5. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by Gerry Grzadzinski View Post
    If the angles are not the same, the inside edges won't align, as one miter will be longer than the other.
    This makes total sense thank you. I also should have researched this a bit more on the internet as I just found a Chris Salomone youtube video that covers this very same topic and low and behold the opening shot is of a base almost identical to the one I need to build. We live in a world of endless possibilities. :-)

    Link to the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9DqdPI0c5s

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    Michigan
    Posts
    2,754
    Definitely make a sample with scrap to be sure you have it right.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    New Westminster BC
    Posts
    2,954
    Quote Originally Posted by Tom Bender View Post
    Definitely make a sample with scrap to be sure you have it right.
    You could even make the sample with cardboard to verify the angles. Not necessary, I'm sure the above answers are correct but may give you more confidence that the answers are correct.

  8. #8
    I hope you aren't following the materials list and dimensions presented on that page very closely. Someone was pretty sloppy with them. The errors indicate their model was poorly made. If you follow the dimensions given in the plan and the materials list, you are going to have a problem with those angles. Assuming the vertical height of the leg frame is correct and the length of the bottom frame piece is right, the correct dimensions for the top and side frame pieces are as show here.
    Last edited by Dave Richards; 02-01-2019 at 9:31 AM.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •