# Connecting plywood 90 angle joint



## jefff (Jan 23, 2014)

I'm building swarm traps, D. Coates style nucs, etc. out of plywood and don't know a great way to connect them at 90 degree angle. My first attempt with fairly large nails was a disaster so I went with some finish nails and glue that works ok but seems less than ideal. I have a narrow crown stapler, hammer and screw gun. I'm not all that comfortable cutting fancier joints with a table saw but can learn. Any suggestions for a quick and fairly strong way of connecting plywood?


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## rolftonbees (Jul 10, 2014)

Can you put a small 1x1 or .75 x.75 inch rod in the corners. This way you can nail or screw into solid wood while passing through the layers instead of between them. Or do the same from the outside with two strips about .5x2 or .5 x 3 and just don't extend it to where it will interfere with the lid. or bevel the joint with a router or a cut off saw or mitre box and put the 45's together giving you a compromise between nailing into the layers.

OR simplest pre-drill some holes at a 45angle through the corners and screw them together so you don't spread the layers. Just brace/clamp it then drill through both boards at once.


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## KPeacock (Jan 29, 2013)

I've assembled a few dozen nucs for use in the bee yard and for swarm traps. I use the narrow crown stapler for all of them along with either titebond-II or TB-III depending on what I have handy. I don't have long term data as my oldest ones are only 2 years old, but even the ones that reside outside are plenty sturdy enough for me to jump on them and I'm 230#. I use the stapler for most bee things, and a brad nailer for my frames.


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## cg3 (Jan 16, 2011)

I just made the short sides (with the frame rabbet) out of wood. Easy, solid connections.


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## jefff (Jan 23, 2014)

Thanks for the ideas.

KPeacock do you have a recommendation for length of staples and spacing? Seems like the easiest option and I'll give that a try first.


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## SquirrellyOne (Feb 24, 2015)

This would be my recommendation. Just maintain your proper internal dimensions.

EDIT: Rolftonbees recommended this very thing, so I'll just call this an illustration of their idea!


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## KGB (Jun 25, 2014)

Pocket screw from inside on long boards if you have a small enough screw gun (short enough to fit inside the box while screwing second end on).


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## B52EW (Jun 3, 2013)

I use Coates style swarm boxes (8-frame) and nucs too...small finish nails holds it until the Titebond drys.


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## JConnolly (Feb 21, 2015)

I just pulled the plans for the D. Coates style nucs and the plans call for butt joints. If you are uncomfortable with making rabbet joints then just use butt joints and staples with TiteBond III wood glue. Since the plans call for using 1/2" plywood you aren't going to gain a lot with fancy joinery unless you adapt to using 3/4" plywood.

Hammer driven nails are going to be a challenge in any plywood, but your plywood selection also has a bit to do with your success. A lot of the inexpensive BORG (Big Orange Retail Giant or Blue Old Retail Giant that builds large cube stores and assimilate the local mom and pop hardware stores) plywood has a lot of voids and inferior materials in the internal plys. Inspect the edges of the plywood and if you see a lot of voids move on to a higher quality sheet.

If you use screws instead of staples then you need to pre-drill and countersink. Google to find the right drill diameter for your selected wood screw. I know that drilling seems counter-intuitive to non-woodworkers, but screws are tensile fasteners, and if you don't pre-drill the threads will delaminate the wood instead of cutting into it, which actually decreases the joint's tensile holding strength. 

One of the challenges with screwing plywood in a butt joint is that half of the plys are oriented so that the threads are biting into end grain, which is weak in the tensile direction. A screw option which doesn't have that problem in plywood is to use pocket screws. Pocket screws will put the head of the screw in a pocket where you have the large surface area of the head to spread the load out over the weaker end grain plys and the threads will "bite" into the face grain of the attached piece. Making the pockets requires a special jig which will run about $40 for the portable version, a big economic disadvantage. They also require the purchase of screws designed for pocket holes and hole plugs, so you'll be into it for a portrait of Ulysses S. Grant.


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## Billboard (Dec 28, 2014)

Ok


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## pndwind (Feb 17, 2013)

For plywood I use butt joints, titebond, crown staples, and a few heavy coats of paint.


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