creating laser cut plywood structures with finger joints
Does anyone on this list design plywood structures with finger joints
using OpenSCAD? Any pointers? I would want to create the 3D structure
in OpenSCAD and then send the 2D cut patterns (DXF?) to a friend with a
laser cutter.
Thanks
Jon
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I'd be tempted to design a plate with parametrically modified sides. A
cube where each of the 4 edges has an optional overlay that does the
notches. You can auto center it and control the width of the finger. So
a flat cube, difference each side (as needed) with an array of cubes
modified for finger depth and spacing. A little work with a defined
vector (side, spacing, depth) at a minimum would allow you to have
uniform fingers. That as a template would allow laser cut holes as needed.
I'm doing something of the same concept, but using printed circuit
boards and 3D printed cases. It's all derived from the board layout.
Harvey
On 2/14/2026 10:13 PM, Jon Bondy via Discuss wrote:
Does anyone on this list design plywood structures with finger joints
using OpenSCAD? Any pointers? I would want to create the 3D
structure in OpenSCAD and then send the 2D cut patterns (DXF?) to a
friend with a laser cutter.
Thanks
Jon
On Saturday, February 14, 2026 at 10:14:13 PM EST, Jon Bondy via Discuss discuss@lists.openscad.org wrote:
Does anyone on this list design plywood structures with finger joints
using OpenSCAD? Any pointers? I would want to create the 3D structure
in OpenSCAD and then send the 2D cut patterns (DXF?) to a friend with a
laser cutter.
Guenther has been working on this in PythonSCAD:
https://old.reddit.com/r/OpenPythonSCAD/comments/1r0xkpi/triangular_shelf_for_laser_cutting/
https://old.reddit.com/r/OpenPythonSCAD/comments/1qsg4my/more_lasercut_progress/
https://old.reddit.com/r/OpenPythonSCAD/comments/1qmwfse/creating_lasercuts_with_pythonscad/
I've also been experimenting with this sort of thing: https://github.com/WillAdams/gcodepreview/blob/main/gcpcutdxf.py
Arguably, what someone should do is code up support for boxes.py https://boxes.hackerspace-bamberg.de/ or https://www.makercase.com/
William
I have a beta version of a tabbed-box library I built. There are still
some bugs I am not satisfied with, but I have been using it to design
French Cleat holders and jigs. Let me know if you are interested and I
will share it with you for evaluation. I feel that I am quite a way from
releasing it publicly, but would share it if you are willing to help polish
it up (or at least not accept it as a rough work in progress).
Anyway, some of the specialized functionality allows you to specify pin
lengths, and how to skip particular pins when appropriate (I used this when
designing French Cleat holders where the pins along the edge of the
backplate would interfere with a cleat's support foot).
EBo --
On Sat, Feb 14, 2026 at 10:44 PM Harvey white via Discuss <
discuss@lists.openscad.org> wrote:
I'd be tempted to design a plate with parametrically modified sides. A
cube where each of the 4 edges has an optional overlay that does the
notches. You can auto center it and control the width of the finger. So
a flat cube, difference each side (as needed) with an array of cubes
modified for finger depth and spacing. A little work with a defined
vector (side, spacing, depth) at a minimum would allow you to have
uniform fingers. That as a template would allow laser cut holes as needed.
I'm doing something of the same concept, but using printed circuit
boards and 3D printed cases. It's all derived from the board layout.
Harvey
On 2/14/2026 10:13 PM, Jon Bondy via Discuss wrote:
Does anyone on this list design plywood structures with finger joints
using OpenSCAD? Any pointers? I would want to create the 3D
structure in OpenSCAD and then send the 2D cut patterns (DXF?) to a
friend with a laser cutter.
Thanks
Jon
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On 2/14/26 22:14, Jon Bondy via Discuss wrote:
Does anyone on this list design plywood structures with finger joints
using OpenSCAD? Any pointers? I would want to create the 3D
structure in OpenSCAD and then send the 2D cut patterns (DXF?) to a
friend with a laser cutter.
Thanks
Jon
Finger joints, or even dovetails or butterfly's might be easier to do in
LinuxCNC with a common text editor. I've done several pieces of green
and green style furniture that way, then converted it to wood on my
milling machines, all run by LinuxCNC from starting to make chips to
finish application.
Basically you define the XY points needed to mark corners. Including
setting tool diameters according to which side of the tool is to follow
the line between 2 sets of points, then write the RS-274-d gcode to do
it. Do the test cuts in cheap white pine to get it right, break out the
$20 a bd-ft walnut, cherry, mahogany or white ash and do it for real.
Lets you control the fit to a thou or less. That laser cutter is likely
a lot slower than a normal mill if its being used as a precision saw.
And gcode is easy to write most of the time.
Cheers, Gene Heskett, CET.
"There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty:
soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order."
-Ed Howdershelt (Author, 1940)
If we desire respect for the law, we must first make the law respectable.
- Louis D. Brandeis
Don't poison our oceans, interdict drugs at the src.
On Sunday, February 15, 2026 at 03:02:15 AM EST, gene heskett via Discuss discuss@lists.openscad.org wrote:
Finger joints, or even dovetails or butterfly's might be easier to do in
LinuxCNC with a common text editor. I've done several pieces of green
and green style furniture that way, then converted it to wood on my
milling machines, all run by LinuxCNC from starting to make chips to
finish application.
Finger (or box) joints and butterfly joints work well on a laser since they are 2D through cuts --- I'm kind of stumped as to how one would do dovetails since they require variable depth pockets w/ angled sides --- are there readily available and affordable at a hobbyist/individual user level which supports the kind of cutting needed for dovetails?
William
On Sun, 2026-02-15 at 13:51 +0000, William F. Adams via Discuss wrote:
On Sunday, February 15, 2026 at 03:02:15 AM EST, gene heskett via
Discuss discuss@lists.openscad.org wrote:
Finger joints, or even dovetails or butterfly's might be easier to
do in
LinuxCNC with a common text editor. I've done several pieces of
green
and green style furniture that way, then converted it to wood on my
milling machines, all run by LinuxCNC from starting to make chips
to
finish application.
Finger (or box) joints and butterfly joints work well on a laser
since they are 2D through cuts --- I'm kind of stumped as to how one
would do dovetails since they require variable depth pockets w/
angled sides --- are there readily available and affordable at a
hobbyist/individual user level which supports the kind of cutting
needed for dovetails?
I think the clues in Gene's comment might be LinuxCNC and milling
machines.
Larry
Dovetails would require through cuts at an angle, not perpendicular to the
material surface (for making the pin board). Can laser cutters change the
angle of the laser?
On Sun, Feb 15, 2026 at 8:52 AM William F. Adams via Discuss <
discuss@lists.openscad.org> wrote:
On Sunday, February 15, 2026 at 03:02:15 AM EST, gene heskett via Discuss <
discuss@lists.openscad.org> wrote:
Finger joints, or even dovetails or butterfly's might be easier to do in
LinuxCNC with a common text editor. I've done several pieces of green
and green style furniture that way, then converted it to wood on my
milling machines, all run by LinuxCNC from starting to make chips to
finish application.
Finger (or box) joints and butterfly joints work well on a laser since
they are 2D through cuts --- I'm kind of stumped as to how one would do
dovetails since they require variable depth pockets w/ angled sides --- are
there readily available and affordable at a hobbyist/individual user level
which supports the kind of cutting needed for dovetails?
William
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To unsubscribe send an email to discuss-leave@lists.openscad.org
@Adrian Mariano avm4@cornell.edu
there ARE some laser cutters that can angle their beam path off of
perpendicular, but those are REALLY EXPENSIVE machines (for example:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFqm-QqgdeE ). The types of machines that
us mere mortals can afford does not allow us to cut bevels or variable
angles from perpendicular.
EBo --
On Sun, Feb 15, 2026 at 9:15 AM Adrian Mariano via Discuss <
discuss@lists.openscad.org> wrote:
Dovetails would require through cuts at an angle, not perpendicular to the
material surface (for making the pin board). Can laser cutters change the
angle of the laser?
On Sun, Feb 15, 2026 at 8:52 AM William F. Adams via Discuss <
discuss@lists.openscad.org> wrote:
On Sunday, February 15, 2026 at 03:02:15 AM EST, gene heskett via Discuss
discuss@lists.openscad.org wrote:
Finger joints, or even dovetails or butterfly's might be easier to do in
LinuxCNC with a common text editor. I've done several pieces of green
and green style furniture that way, then converted it to wood on my
milling machines, all run by LinuxCNC from starting to make chips to
finish application.
Finger (or box) joints and butterfly joints work well on a laser since
they are 2D through cuts --- I'm kind of stumped as to how one would do
dovetails since they require variable depth pockets w/ angled sides --- are
there readily available and affordable at a hobbyist/individual user level
which supports the kind of cutting needed for dovetails?
William
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Adrian:
are the "dovetails" that are generated by BOSL2 straight vertical cuts?
They look so to me.
Jon
On 2/15/2026 9:14 AM, Adrian Mariano via Discuss wrote:
Dovetails would require through cuts at an angle, not perpendicular to
the material surface (for making the pin board). Can laser cutters
change the angle of the laser?
On Sun, Feb 15, 2026 at 8:52 AM William F. Adams via Discuss
discuss@lists.openscad.org wrote:
On Sunday, February 15, 2026 at 03:02:15 AM EST, gene heskett via
Discuss <discuss@lists.openscad.org> wrote:
Finger joints, or even dovetails or butterfly's might be easier
to do in
LinuxCNC with a common text editor. I've done several pieces of
green
and green style furniture that way, then converted it to wood on my
milling machines, all run by LinuxCNC from starting to make chips to
finish application.
Finger (or box) joints and butterfly joints work well on a laser
since they are 2D through cuts --- I'm kind of stumped as to how
one would do dovetails since they require variable depth pockets
w/ angled sides --- are there readily available and affordable at
a hobbyist/individual user level which supports the kind of
cutting needed for dovetails?
William
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