Sashimono Nail-Free Joint Example

thingiverse

I see this awesome Japanese Sashimono-style nail-free joinery example and immediately build an example of a working joint for everyone to try. One key benefit of a Sashimono joint is that because only one material is used in the joint, it expands and shrinks equally with itself, unlike if joined with nails or screws which have a different expansion rate than wood (or other materials). This results in a joint that lasts essentially forever - it never grows loose over time or works itself free. In this example, use the square piece to make a leg, with the other two pieces on top of it; gravity holds them in place and reinforces the pins forever. The joint stays together by friction and compression in all directions; thus, design tight fitting components. After printing, sand the parts slightly to fit perfectly and apply plenty of pressure to join them correctly - this is exactly how the design should work. What holds everything together are two square pegs in the elbow-piece that act as a butterfly joint, effectively keeping it all intact. Truly remarkable!