Interlocking Plate

Some time ago I made the 3D printed shelf bracket because why not?

Well if you are going to have a 3D printed bracket, you are going to want a 3D printed shelf to go on it!

So I set about designing a simple panel which incorporates dovetail and mortise/tenon joints.

These panels can be joined together with staggered joints like brickwork, two sizes of end cap in both the male and female form are included so that the finish panel can have flat ends.

The combination of the two joints and the staggering of the joins produce a surprisingly stiff end result!

I found that a little lubrication and a tap with a hammer helps with assembly, you could try scaling the prints if it it is too tight for you but be careful as the joints need to be very tight in order to produce a solid end result. A 0.1mm tolerance is built into the design. The mortise is also 2mm deeper than the tenon so that you may print it with supports and not have to worry too much about cleaning it all out.

At