this post was submitted on 25 Apr 2024
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[–] mipadaitu 18 points 6 months ago (3 children)

Skeptical of this, while the dovetail is a good joint in woodworking, it's not really the best joint for most applications. Even drawer boxes.
Modern glues are so good, that just a normal box joint or even a rabbit joint is actually stronger when properly made.

While you can control the layer lines and orientation to some degree, I'm thinking that a dovetail, in real designs, would be extremely hard to implement. Peg and hole with CA glue is most likely better when splitting parts that are too big for a bed.

[–] obinice 10 points 6 months ago

a normal box joint or even a rabbit joint is actually stronger

For anyone confused I looked it up, a rabbet joint is what they call a rebate joint in the USA. Learn something new every day! :-D

[–] SzethFriendOfNimi 3 points 6 months ago (1 children)

I was wondering about that. Considering with ABS a little acetone makes a stronger overall part.

I was thinking maybe the dovetail would be good in that situation for strength but maybe something like a biscuit or peg and hole as mentioned is better?

[–] mipadaitu 6 points 6 months ago (1 children)

I think the video is better as a way to show some design techniques, than as a demonstration of dovetails as a connector.

That being said, if you didn't need a permanent connection, it does seem like a decent way to make something that can come apart easily. Wondering how strong it would be after multiple assembles and disassembles.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

I’ve done some dovetails for a puzzle design before. They were meant to assemble and disassemble in multiple orientations.

Depending on the layer line directions the problem I had was getting the fit tight enough to not fall apart, but not too tight to remove. I abandoned it because the PLA absorbed water and they became stuck after sitting in humidity for a few days.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 months ago

Yeah, I like the ease and customization of peg and hole and have used this as my go to. I do like printing with wood filament though, and I guess a dovetail joint for a multi piece print would help with the illusion if I was going for that.