# Redwood Structure Kits



## denray (Jan 5, 2008)

I am working on a set of Redwood Structure Kits, That would fit into a rual setting for city or in the woods. They are designed in Sketchup 3D Cad and cut out on a laser. Most all the parts are cut 1/4" thick. The parts are designed to interlock together, and overlap. I use Titebond 3 glue and 23 gauge headless pins. I am working on developing a few to test the market. It takes a long while to produce the step by step instuctions, this is my first one for assembly. It takes a couple kits to assemble to work out the issues.
I use Grex pinner, the pins are designed with a glue that when shot into wood the friction
heats up the glue and helps hold pieces together after setting a few minutes.
I have pulled the pins after incerting and they pull fairly easy, after setting a few minutes
it is noticable difference the holding power.
The 3/8" length is the length mostly used, almost all the pieces are 1/4" thick, so 3/8" is
the best. I use a small brush to apply the glue, and into the smaller areas the brush works
very good. With interlocking joints and lap joints really makes this structure very strong.
This structure is designed to be kept outside.









First Wall being Nailed together


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## denray (Jan 5, 2008)

This is designed in being a Freight transfer station.

All the joints are either a lap joint or some type of locking joint.










Close up of the rafters, note how they set on the plate on the edges


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## denray (Jan 5, 2008)




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## denray (Jan 5, 2008)




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## denray (Jan 5, 2008)

The porch rafters will incert into the holes in the rectangle holes in the picture in the above picture


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## denray (Jan 5, 2008)

Picture with the porch installed










The decking has been installed


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## denray (Jan 5, 2008)

The door frame has box joints in the corners that insures very stong joints, the inside frame has the same joints. The inside frame is narrower by 3/32" the same thickness of the door.


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## denray (Jan 5, 2008)

Freight door assembled, 3 layers of the 1/32" acrylic, back layer is cut with the wood strips and the
clear glass frame
second frame in the middle has the X frame and the window panes
3rd layer is the most visible frame in the front, these layers are all glued together, I use gorrilla
super glue, clamped with small spring clamps.


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## denray (Jan 5, 2008)

The freight door (close Up )









This is the door after beening installed
Dennis


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## Joe Johnson (Jan 2, 2008)

Redwood, mortised joints, titebond III and 23 gauge pins.... I don't think that structure is going to be coming apart for a very long time. 

One comment about using a pinner. The pins are just there to hold the joints while the glue dries. Once a good glue is dry, it is stronger than the wood.

The mortised joints are a great idea in they solve the problem of gluing the butt ends of woods that don't take glue well. The joints would also make for an easy build for a beginner.

That is a really nice building. The only problem I see would be keeping the cost affordable. I'd buy one in a minute.


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## Robert (Jan 2, 2008)

Fantastic. Very cool.


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## jimtyp (Jan 2, 2008)

I like how well they go together! If you are looking for ideas for kits, I need a farm house and barn for my layout, approximately 1:22 scale 

-Jim


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## CliffyJ (Apr 29, 2009)

Beautiful design & execution Dennis. 
Question, do you bother with offsetting your cut lines to account for laser kerf? Or do you just let the kerf be your clearance, and not worry about it?


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## denray (Jan 5, 2008)

Thanks for the comments and compliments, 
Jim I have a list as long as my arm that I could do and the time as long as my little finger nail to do it in.
Cliff yes I do offset where there is a male- female joint. Most lap joints works fine without offsets.
Cliff you want to design one?
Dennis


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## CliffyJ (Apr 29, 2009)

Dennis, 
The laser kerf (with the service I'm using) is .008, so that's the nominal clearance between parts. The new model I'm doing (for work) has male/female tabs all over, to help speed up the assembly. I'm on the fence though, on whether to offset or not. The parts are acrylic and wood. What say you?

Now, eventually I'd love to get a laser cutter of my own, and go to town on hobby stuff. In the mean time, I'm looking at what you're doing, trying not to drool on the keyboard...

Cliff


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## denray (Jan 5, 2008)

Cliff as far as offsetting your project, I can not make a statement because I know nothing about your project, at wether it would benifit or not.
Depends on the tolerance that is needed, and if it is coming apart and putting back together.
I want my parts to fit just tight enough to not squeeze out the glue, but tight enough to hold together.
Dennis


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## up9018 (Jan 4, 2008)

Excellent work Dennis!


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## denray (Jan 5, 2008)

Thanks Chris


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## denray (Jan 5, 2008)

This picture shows both doors and the siding that was taped on both sides , then cut on the laser.
then tape removed on the inside, glue placed on the boards and then pinned in place.


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## denray (Jan 5, 2008)

The siding in place on the back side
Dennis


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## denray (Jan 5, 2008)

Aluminum sheeting for the roof decking, last for ever and holds the roofing material










Industrial 2 sided tape , with LEXEL glue in between the tape
Dennis


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## denray (Jan 5, 2008)




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## CliffyJ (Apr 29, 2009)

Beauteous! Bellissimo!
Is the tape to hold the panels on while the glue cures?


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## denray (Jan 5, 2008)

yes and it will hold for yrs to come too, it is a exterior 2 sided tape. But it does hold it so the glue can dry.

Dennis


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## denray (Jan 5, 2008)

I am a firm believer that signs add life to structures.


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## denray (Jan 5, 2008)

The main sign will be fastened to the roof edge
Dennis


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## CliffyJ (Apr 29, 2009)

Dennis, you're sure getting value out of your laser, that's great. Does the width of the lettering cuts (on the smallest signs) represent the laser's kerf?

And, I'll take a guess on your sign material: painted plastic? Sort of like a micro version of that bi-layer sign plastic? 

Cliff


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## R.W. Marty (Jan 2, 2008)

Dennis,
That is a clever idea using the tape between glue rows to hold the roofing.
I have struggled for years trying to hold roofing in place till the glue dried, never 
once occurred to me to do something so simple, duhhhh. Thanks for the tip.

Love the signs. Is this a service you might be offering for sale?

Thanks for the post
Rick


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## up9018 (Jan 4, 2008)

Excellent work Dennis


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## denray (Jan 5, 2008)

Cliff
No the kerff is much smaller than the letters, 
the material, is exterior 2 layered acrylic, this is white over black, these signs will last for years outside all the time. The laser removes the top surface of the material exposing the color under, which is the black. 
Rick
Sometimes the simplest things can slide right by our minds as the 2 sided tape.
I buy mine from JDS Industries
http://php.jdsindustries.com/JDS_SITE/site1.php?SEARCH_TERM=tape&SITE=SEARCH&D1ID=SEARCH
Rick I have made a few signs for others.
Dennis


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## Scott (Jan 29, 2008)

Mate, simply awesome. I love it and looks like a good quality kit to purchase. I am planning and starting my own set of structure and wagon kits as well. You are truly a inspiration.


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## Ironton (Jan 2, 2008)

If you turned the plastic for the signs over, could you do white letters on a black sign? Just thought it might be interesting for some applications.


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## CliffyJ (Apr 29, 2009)

denray said:


> the material, is exterior 2 layered acrylic, this is white over black, these signs will last for years outside all the time. The laser removes the top surface of the material exposing the color under, which is the black.


Dennis, that sounds just like the "lamacoid" material & process we use for labels at work. I didn't know you could get it that thin, or use a laser cutter on it. Really neat.


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## denray (Jan 5, 2008)

Rick, No, but if you buy black over white that will produce white letters on black back ground.
Most all colors are available, on top or under the surface.
Most exterior acrylic is 1/16" thick, the cover layer usually is from .002-.010 thick, I usually use around .002-.003 thick. So the laser removes the top surface exposing the layer underneath. So white over black produces what my signs are made of. I have used several different colors with great results. Last for years, slowly fades just a little.
The beauty of the laser, it can cut many shapes, creating some creative signs.

















The time schedule, the memory stone above the window, the venition blinds are all made with the laser.


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## denray (Jan 5, 2008)

Here the structure is finished,,,,,,I THINK!!!!




























Dennis


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## denray (Jan 5, 2008)




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## CliffyJ (Apr 29, 2009)

You're sure finding great new ways to use your laser Dennis, those crates a amazing!


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## denray (Jan 5, 2008)

Cliff the greatest and funnest toy in the world. 
Dennis


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