mdt.re

Thermo-hydro-mechanical wood processing is an advanced green technology that combines heat, moisture, and mechanical compression to modify wood properties without chemicals or glue. In this project, I explore how pre-compressed wood elements can be utilized in joinery. When exposed to moisture or humidity in the joint, the compressed wood exhibits a 'shape recovery' or springback effect. It expands and locks the components together permanently, creating a structurally self-tightening connection that withstands seasonal movement.

The impossible dovetail joins wooden boards just like a standard dovetail joint, however it consists of two sets of tails that both taper out and interlock permanently without glue. The impossible dovetail can not be assembled using conventional methods and requires specific techniques. Click on the interactive model to view the joint and its impossible assembly in detail.

The frustum tenon is an experimental glue-free joint that I am developing that provides a form fit in all three dimensions. Its conical shape, that can be either rectangular or round, wedges securely into the corresponding mortise. This creates a self-tightening connection that is both intriguing and structurally sound. It can be both made as stub or through tenon, depending on the aesthetic requirements of the design. Click on the interactive model to view the frustum tenon joint in detail.

The frustum dowel is a method for edge-joining boards to make wide panels. The dowels consist of two opposing frustums flaring out from a central cylinder, creating a mechanical interlock when inserted into matching sockets into the connected boards. Click on the interactive model to view the joint in detail.