Beautifying a 45 degree join in plywood?

[Midday Gun]

I'm rebuilding my chart table switch panel area, previously I just had a flat plywood panel that ran along the port side of the chart table.


The chart table is aft facing & sits against a partial bulkhead.



As seen in the attached pic (plan view, but not a correct scale) the new one will have a 45 degree piece between the side panel & the bulkhead that I can mount the MFD / Battery monitor, etc in so that they face whoever is sat at the table.



I want to make the two joins shown by arrows look good, I thought of just mitering the plywood, but it doesn't look all that good IMO. So I'm thinking some kind of hardwood trim or rabbet block of some kind. It would be nice if it could support the plywood as well, but that's not critical.

Does anyone have any tips / ideas / shortcuts on how to go about making it? I've got a router table & table saw available, although they aren't the best quality tools & neither am I that practiced at using them, coming from more of a metal working background.

[coopec43]

Why can't you use the router to trim the edge at 45°?

https://www.outwater.com/color-plastic-angle-moulding/





And this

[Sailmonkey]

If you your tools are not capable of cutting a smooth miter in the veneer, you can always rip pieces of solid wood, glue and nail them to the edges of the ply, then miter only the solid wood.

[S-V SAGA]

Try the 45* first and if you don't like it cover the joint with a small half round strip.

[tkeithlu]

I'm in a similar position - a lot better with metal than with wood, and I greatly respect anyone who can make a perfect corner. The problem is that both the angle (2 times 22 1/2 degrees or 1 times 45 degrees) has to be just right and the lengths of the trim has to be right. Easiest may be make the side strips a little long, sand them into line with the corner, lay the diagonal strip on that, and sand to shape again.

The cheap miter saw I inherited won't cut a 45 degree accurately enough for two pieces to mate without a gap.

[jimbunyard]

Well, if you're going to mount electrical devices in it, I assume you'll want to make it hinged, or at least easily removeable.

I like the mitered look, if it turns out that it looks ok, you have to miter the two side pieces at 22.5, or the thicknesses won't match up and will cause a problem with internal fastening.

Another option is shown below, which would require a bit more work but you could use contrasting woods for a nice look, or you could use a router to trim or shape the rabbeted blocks where they butt against the panel, if you make them thick enough to extend proud of the exterior face. The blocks can be screwed to the panels from behind, hiding the fasteners, though some people (me) like the look of exposed fasteners. One advantage of the rabbet blocks is that it makes a good door frame for door hinges and catches.

You could also just make some trim to cover whichever joint you decide is easiest for you to make, using the table saw and router, and any of a multitude of router bits. Don't waste your time and money on anything other than carbide tipped bits, if you plan on doing much woodworking.

[Wotname]

Do you have to have a sharp edge join - how about a small radius internal kerf bend or even a large radius bend if the instruments allow for that.

[Midday Gun]

Thanks, I quite like the look of the last one, although I think I'll need to practice on some cheap softwood before my router skills are up to producing that middle block.

I can be a 90 degree rounded rabbet block & that's what I'm using for the bottom edge of the panels, (they don't sit flat on the chart table, but 50mm above so that I gain extra width underneath) so it would be nice to have the panels hinge and sit into hardwood pieces all around.

[coopec43]

I have some rubber strip with a groove down the middle. It is adhesive backed and might be used to seal (say) the bathroom cabinet with the mirror or tiled wall. (It comes in brown as well as gray, white and......? )

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Bath-Sea...4AAOSwo1Ze3gCw

[TrentePieds]

If you have a reasonably good table saw, you'll find that it's a lot easier to make these corner pieces on it, rather than using a router. Tilt you blade to 45º and verify the tilt with a 45-45-90 set square. Use a planer blade with a fairly high tooth count and go slow as you cut.

Plan the sequencing of the cuts before you start. Use oversize stock that will come down to size with each cut.

TrentePieds

[Rhwins]

You can use veneer tape. Building supply stores carry it, self adhesive (with heat but you might prefer to use contact cement) and of several kinds of wood. It can be cut with scissors.

[LooseGoose]

make a very accurate template of stiff cardboard or doorskin, transfer the angle to the table saw angle jig.

make the 2 pieces long, work on the center joint, then the ends.

[keepondancin]

TrentePieds is correct. You could loose body parts trying to do the pieces with a router. Even if you had a router table, there are only a couple of cuts you could do. Table saw is the way.
Mock up and practice on some scrap, you need to keep looking three steps ahead before you make a cut, so that it can be supported for the next step. NEVER free hand with a table saw, always use the fence, or miter gauge, or hold down jig, again, easy to loose body parts. You could do the desk top to slope in two pieces, make a plump joint at the inside 45. Hope your using something reasonably soft that is sandable, like teak, soft maple, etc, not oak or hard maple.

[jimbunyard]

Originally Posted by Midday Gun

Thanks, I quite like the look of the last one, although I think I'll need to practice on some cheap softwood before my router skills are up to producing that middle block.

I can be a 90 degree rounded rabbet block & that's what I'm using for the bottom edge of the panels, (they don't sit flat on the chart table, but 50mm above so that I gain extra width underneath) so it would be nice to have the panels hinge and sit into hardwood pieces all around.

Originally Posted by TrentePieds

If you have a reasonably good table saw, you'll find that it's a lot easier to make these corner pieces on it, rather than using a router. Tilt you blade to 45º and verify the tilt with a 45-45-90 set square. Use a planer blade with a fairly high tooth count and go slow as you cut.

Plan the sequencing of the cuts before you start. Use oversize stock that will come down to size with each cut.

TrentePieds

Yeah, practice first is a good idea. If you use rabbeted blocks all around, that introduces the problem of joining them in the corners. For some that's a pain, for others that's part of the fun...

Wasn't really thinking when I made the suggestion; just assumed you'd know what I meant, but TP is correct, the right tool to make the corner blocks is the table saw; you'd typically just use the router to do any edge treatment.

Also thought it might be easier to do away with the 135 degree angle in the center block, though that kinda messes with the continuity, so there's a revision below. For either block the cuts are in sequence, dark blue first, green second, light blue third, black fourth, dark brown last, the dashed dark brown is just thrown in to have a smooth edge to pass wires (or your wrists) around.

If this is too much information, as it could be for some who like to figure things out for themselves, oops --- don't look at the picture.

[Midday Gun]

Cheers guys, I've got enough to be getting on with.
I tried the mitre look at the boat this afternoon, with just the two boards butting up to each other, but as I suspected its very difficult to get a good gap.


Naturally the bulkhead at the aft end of the chart table & the mini one at the forward end aren't exactly in plane with each other, same top edge as well. I'll drag out the table saw and get a new blade in & see what I can do.