4000 hardwood wedges!!

[trumpetmonkey]

So I've been asked for a price to make 4000 hardwood wedges, 30mm wide by 75 mm long, 25mm tall tapering down to zero (or 1mm). Any thoughts?

I don't actually need the work at the moment and I have much more interesting jobs to do, but it's an open door to a big fabrication company that might lead to future work. Anyone else up for sharing the work - pm me. Preferably in the Sheffield area.

 

[AndyT]

Good grief, that's a test of your patience and/or ingenuity in coming up with some clever jigs!

I can't help thinking what a shame it would be to start with nice 3m lengths of timber, to end up with bits that small. If you could track down a suitable source of short ends of hardwood, you could hugely reduce your materials cost. Maybe you'd be helping someone else with a scrap disposal problem? Worth asking your local merchants perhaps.

 

[Tusses]

It's going to put the labour up using bits and pieces . The material costs per unit are negligible .

 

[adidat]

i remember having this job when i worked at a joinery, never had to cut 4000, but did a couple of hundred in one go, on the bandsaw with a jig running on the fence.

adidat

 

[trumpetmonkey]

One idea I had was to get a board a few mm thicker than needed, and with circular saw against a guide, criss cross it with cuts to make the wedge shapes to the 25mm depth. Then remove the few mm on the rear side that's holding them all together with either a bandsaw or power plane. Might end up with wedges flying in all directions though!

 

[Benchwayze]

As per adidat:


Just get a piece of ply the right thickness.
Plane one edge square.
Cut the wedge shape into the edge, so it will accommodate the piece of timber you are making wedges from.
Put the timber into the socket, and just bandsaw the wedges off, flush with the plywood edge. Turn the workpiece around between each cut.
Result... Wedges of the desired size.

HTH

John

 

[AndyT]

If I were planning to make any of these I would want to know whether it matters whether the finished wedges, seen side-on, are right angled triangles or isosceles triangles. It makes a big difference to planning the cuts.
Also, how rough a sawn surface is acceptable. (I wouldn't want to plane them all smooth!)

 

[woodbloke]

As per adidat:


Just get a piece of ply the right thickness.
Plane one edge square.
Cut the wedge shape into the edge, so it will accommodate the piece of timber you are making wedges from.
Put the timber into the socket, and just bandsaw the wedges off, flush with the plywood edge. Turn the workpiece around between each cut.
Result... Wedges of the desired size.

HTH

John

...which is exactly the way to do it. Once the simple jig is made it's about 40 mins work :-" :---) ...bit more than that actually, but you'd be surprised how quickly you can knock them out - Rob

 

[Racers]

Hi,

I would do a two stage process, make 25mm square stock cut to lenght make a sledge to hold the blanks at an angle and cut the piece into two wedges on the bandsaw, leaving one face on each wedge needing finishing. Belt sander etc.

Pete

 

[woodbloke]

Hi,

... two wedges on the bandsaw, leaving one face on each wedge needing finishing. Belt sander etc.

Pete

Pete, there's 4000 to be made by the OP :shock: Finishing one edge (unnecessary IMO on a wedge) will double the time spent - Rob

 

[adidat]

i also think the sawn edge adds grip and adhesion.

adidat

 

[trumpetmonkey]

So the wedges are to be used for positioning glazing panels, then removed (and presumably disposed of) after the sealant has set. Rough sawn finish is acceptable. It's important that the grain runs in the long direction. My understanding was it should be a right angle triangle, but may not be essential.

I've quoted for 65p per unit, with the help of a friend from this forum doing the actual making! I got a quote for 76p per unit from a company that advertised on the internet that they make hardwood wedges, so hoping I'll get the job but not heard back yet! I would have thought there must be an industrial setup somewhere that could churn them out much cheaper than that too, its just finding them

 

[RogerS]

..... but it's an open door to a big fabrication company that might lead to future work. .....

Not wanting to rain on your parade, but this could be wishful thinking.....and/or you get associated as 'the man that does all those fiddly little things'.

I couldn't do it....it would do my head in. Making six sash windows all the same size was enough to send me up the wall.. :wink:

EDIT: Why wood? There are loads of plastic wedges out there, after a quick Google.

 

[Racers]

Hi,

I was thinking door wedges to hold doors open, so they would need to be finished.

Pete

 

[woodbloke]

Hi,

I was thinking door wedges to hold doors open, so they would need to be finished.

Pete

OK Pete, I see where you're coming from now. Agreed - Rob

 

[Benchwayze]

I used sash-wedges; some time ago now. They didn't need to be finished... The more grip the better, if you didn't want crushed fingers or a cracked napper! :mrgreen:

John

 

[trumpetmonkey]

..... but it's an open door to a big fabrication company that might lead to future work. .....

Not wanting to rain on your parade, but this could be wishful thinking.....and/or you get associated as 'the man that does all those fiddly little things'.

I couldn't do it....it would do my head in. Making six sash windows all the same size was enough to send me up the wall.. :wink:

EDIT: Why wood? There are loads of plastic wedges out there, after a quick Google.

Yeah I couldn't do it, I prefer more creative stuff, so I got a price for subcontracting it, with a bit on top for me. They sometimes need site carpenters as well, thats the sort of work I wanted to get my foot in the door for.

No matter, they went with someone else anyway! Don't know how much they paid, didn't feel I could waste the guy's time by asking.