So.
New year, new volumes.
Sort of an annual tradition now (5th year! WoooHoo!).
I hated the idea of paying a small fortune for plywood volumes, so we started building our own from the start.
We were not so successful initially.
This winter, I built an extra workshop into the wall above the cave, so that I could work and run the place and stay warm (the workshop upstairs was unheated). And in the process, decided to build a custom cutting table for volume production...
Started with two spacer blocks and arms, set to give a slight clearance above the 18mm ply I use for volumes.
Using the washers to give that clearance...
Because I needed the cutting guide to be removable, I put the ply square to hook it under, and fix it with an 80x5 screw when in use.
The guide itself is made of 25mm aluminium angle and standard drywall framing C16 (~£2 for 2.4mtr in B&Q). The spacers set for our circ saw base.
That was before fixing those ply squares.
I adapted our saw with a laser sight some time back, using a cheapy Chinese laser level, araldite, 25mm alu angle and some M4 machine screws. Gives and excellent guide and allows each cut to be lined up efore clamping when using the table.
I drilled and tnutted the long baton of the guide, so I could use bolts to clamp the panels prior to cutting.
And adapted the saw, so I could use it as a plunge saw...
Again the M4’s with some butterfly nuts and a tap set.
Over the years, we have discovered that fixing ply volumes direct to the wall, leads to delamination. Pulling the volume hard up against the surface is not a good idea. So, now, we make inserts from that framing C16 cut and shaped to fit inside. These are screwed to the wall and then the volume fixed to the insert, with the screws perpendicular to the face of the volume.
I can’t really tell you how to calculate all the bevels and mitres for the shapes, it varies from volume to volume.
Best technique is to cut the face panels with square edges, dry assemble with duct tape, measure all the angles and slopes and sketch it out.
You need one of these:
And my workshop is covered in these, stapled all over:
I say better to do the dry assembly, because trying to calc it out, it’s too easy to be a couple of degrees out and then nothing fits...
Trust me, I’m an Engineer. Of course I tried to calc everything and royally fucked my first dodecahedron volume...
Texture is just fine building sand mixed with Vinyl Emulsion. Trial and error, but ~3:1 paint to sand. Takes 4 days to fully harden. Don’t use it early, it just flakes off. Surface keyed with 40grit, edges rasped and all crners well rounded.
I glue all the joints. These days I use “No more nails” type glue instead of PVA, as it’s better gap filling properties compensate for a certain lack of skill...
Joints are all screwed while the glue is wet (3.5x40mm screws) and chocked and screwed too.
Some finished lumps:
And some filled and waiting to dry prior to sanding and coating:
Those are mainly recycled from older knackered volumes, and there are two solid wood pinch volumes there too.
