I am particularly sensitive to the end-grain problem as I’ve built a number of
things over the years with simple 2x4 frames and fasteners into end-grain have
always ended up failing on me. They frequently seem Ok to start with, but as the
wood ages, every attempt to fasten straight into end grain has failed.
I’ve had some success with using 3" screws and driving them in at a sharp angle
(30-45 degrees), and I’ve had success using pocket hole jigs so that the scres
isn’t going into the end grain.
but any fastener (nail. screw, lag bolt) that has gone directly into the end
grain and has needed to resist pull-out (as opposed to purely resisting sheer)
has failed on me before very long.
And the solution is so trivial, either cut a couple of short blocks, or just put
the rear kickers on the inside of the legs at the appropriate height, and you
eliminate any need to rely on fasterners not pulling out of end-grain.
I see no problem. I do see a frame from a different perspective as I intend to attach or “pin” my workpiece to the frame. To fasten it so it will not move latterly and it will distribute all forces through the workpiece and frame so they are working together. If you are setting the workpiece and not mounting the workpiece there are possible issues to address. If the forces I demonstrated here were not shared in the system it could have failed.
Edit: Until I saw how @bar made the legs I did not understand how they were to protrude forward in the new design. @dlang Unfortunately reading and the images did not convey the intent to me. Once I understood, reading it is more clear. In some images it looks flush while others it’s forward.
I’ve been wondering awhile about the need for the short verticals on the sides. Couldn’t you just screw through the leg into the top and bottom horizontals?
I felt the side verticals made the build much easier for the user. There are 2 screws through the side verticals into the legs. The time trying to mount the blocks just seemed like more work. I’d like to try doing an all dowel and glue version. Maybe a rope frame tension to keep it tight during gluing. Just to show no metal at all is required.
I have calculated as my example frame was built it should have 24 screws = 2400 lbs or ~170 Stones of distributed weight bearing surface for the screws alone, then factor the timber in…
