Creating Laminating Base - V4 - Plywood Corner Brace

Proven

27° plywood wedge held with plastic corner braces to support the footpocket section of the laminating base.

Goal

Create a rigid, low-cost angled support that is quicker to assemble than cardboard and more stable than loose plastic wedges.

Specifications / Dimensions

• Target working area: ~60 × 90 cm on the acrylic sheet surface
• Wedge angle: 27° for the footpocket rise
• Wedge footprint: ~30 × 60 cm under the footpocket section; add a second wedge if you need more width
• Support requirement: Must sit on a flat, rigid surface such as a bench

Reference Images

Materials	Triangles cut	Supports dry-fit

Gluing braces	Plywood wedge	In use under acrylic

Time needed

Type	Hours
Implementation	0.75 h
Waiting	0 h

Bill of Materials

Material	Quantity	Unit Cost	Line Cost
Acrylic sheet (A3, 2 mm) Reusable Six panels for laminating base	1 6 pack A3 sheet (2 mm)	£16.00 per 6 pack A3 sheet (2 mm)	£16.00
Plywood sheets (300 × 200 × 1.5 mm) Reusable Pack of thin plywood sheets for wedges	1 Pack of 8 sheets (300 × 200 × 1.5 mm)	£8.48 per Pack of 8 sheets (300 × 200 × 1.5 mm)	£8.48
Plastic corner braces Reusable 90° braces to lock triangles into a wedge	1 Pack of plastic 90° corner braces	£4.89 per Pack of plastic 90° corner braces	£4.89
Super glue Consumable Fast-set cyanoacrylate for bonding braces to plywood	1 3-5 g tube	per 3-5 g tube — Inexpensive
Cello tape roll Consumable Clear tape to tack the wedge to the acrylic or bench	1 roll	Inexpensive
Electrical tape roll Consumable Wide PVC tape to join acrylic seams	1 roll	Inexpensive
Total			£29.37

Tools Required

Tool	Purpose
Protractor or angle finder	Mark 27° triangles and confirm wedge angle
Tape measure	Check dimensions and spacing during setup
Craft knife	Cut plywood triangles and trim edges

Instructions (step-by-step)

Build the wedge

1. Cut the plywood wedges

   • Mark 27° on the plywood sheets with the protractor/angle finder.
   • Cut matching right triangles (only to optimise cutting; a single layer is sufficient).

2. Brace the triangles

   • Lightly roughen brace contact faces.
   • Super-glue corner braces to join adjacent triangles, keeping the 27° face true.

3. Finish the wedge edge

   • Align the triangle hypotenuses so the long edge is continuous.
   • Trim or re-glue any pieces until the edge is straight and sits flat without gaps.

4. Position the wedge

   • Set the wedge beneath the footpocket section; ensure braces sit fully on the flat bench.
   • Check the angle with the protractor; adjust or re-glue before loading weight.

Lay the acrylic surface

1. Arrange acrylic sheets

   • Flat blade section: 4 A3 sheets in a 2 × 2 layout (~59 × 84 cm).
   • Footpocket section: 2 A4 sheets side by side (cut one A3 sheet).

2. Join sheets

   • Tape the seams with electrical tape, keeping the surface flush (wipe edges first if needed).

Benefits

• More rigid and repeatable than cardboard, still inexpensive and lightweight.
• Quick build with only a craft knife, glue, and braces; no sawing required.
• Reusable; swap wedges if they become fouled with epoxy drips.

Limitations

• Higher material cost than cardboard, but the wedge is highly reusable and durable.
• Angle is fixed once glued; changing angles means cutting a new set of triangles.
• Super glue bonds can be brittle if heavily flexed; avoid large point loads on a single brace.