So, I wanted to talk about this thing I tried recently, something I’m calling the ‘Birk Nelson’ method for putting together simple wood stuff. Not sure if that’s the real name, maybe it’s the guy I saw doing it, dunno. Anyway, I saw this way to join wood pieces that looked dead simple, mostly for making basic frames or legs for things.
Getting Started
First off, I needed some wood. Didn’t have much lying around, so I went down to the local lumber place. Just grabbed some cheap pine boards, maybe 1x4s or something similar. Nothing fancy. Figured if I messed it up, it wouldn’t cost much. Already had a handsaw, a measuring tape, a pencil, and some wood glue. Oh, and a drill, which I thought might come in handy later, maybe.
The Process – Trying the ‘Birk Nelson’
The idea I saw, this ‘Birk Nelson’ way, was basically cutting a notch halfway through one piece of wood and another notch halfway through the piece it connects to. Then they just slot together, like a cross. Seemed easy enough on the screen I watched it on.
Making the Cuts:
- Measured where the joints needed to be. This took a bit longer than I thought, gotta be precise, right?
- Marked the wood carefully with my pencil.
- Then came the sawing. Cutting those notches… well, it wasn’t as clean as the video. My handsaw skills aren’t exactly pro level. Got the depth kinda right on most of them, but the edges were a bit rough. Had to clean them up with a chisel I found in the shed.
- Did this for all the leg pieces and the cross supports I planned for a small stool thing.
Putting it Together:
Okay, moment of truth. I took the notched pieces. Put some glue in the notches – probably used too much, it squeezed out everywhere. Then I pushed them together. Some fit okay, others were a bit tight, needed some gentle persuasion with a rubber mallet. A couple were too loose, damn it. Had to use some extra bits of wood shaving to wedge them tighter before the glue set.
Let me tell you, getting four legs and the cross supports all lined up and slotted together at the same time was a bit of a juggling act. It wobbled. A lot. I ended up using some clamps I borrowed to hold it all square while the glue dried overnight. Also decided to drill and put in a couple of screws at each joint, just for good measure. Didn’t trust the glue alone, especially with my dodgy cuts.
The Result?
Well, I have something that resembles a small stool. It stands up, mostly. It’s not gonna win any design awards, that’s for sure. The joints aren’t perfectly flush, and there’s dried glue visible if you look close. It’s a bit wobbly if you really push it, but hey, it holds a book or my cup of coffee next to the sofa.
So, the ‘Birk Nelson’ joint, or whatever it’s called? Yeah, it works. Simple concept. But like most simple things, doing it well takes practice. My first try is functional, barely. Learned a lot, mostly about how much better I need to get at sawing straight lines. Might try it again on something else, maybe take a bit more time measuring and cutting next time. It was a decent way to spend an afternoon, messing around with wood.
