From: JROBERTS@UTDALLAS.BITNET (Jeff Roberts)
Newsgroups: rec.woodworking
Subject: Re: joining edges of wood
Date: 4 Sep 92 14:08:53 GMT
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU
              3 Sep 1992 20:46:13 GMT from <neves@ARISTOTLE.ILS.NWU.EDU>

On Thu, 3 Sep 1992 20:46:13 GMT David & said:
>I want to make a chest of drawers for my preschooler.  I am a relative novice
>with just a few portable power tools (including a just purchased router).
>
>I was thinking of using plywood for the carcass of the chest but was
>also wondering about using (pine) 1 bys and gluing them together.  My
>questions:
>
Well......it depends on the plywood, I use ALOT of knotty pine cabinet grade
plywood for cabinets.  It looks great but costs the same if not more than oak
skinned plywood or other common hardwood ply's.  If you are talking about the
construction plywood at the home center with big voids etc.  I'd glue up my
own panels if I were you, you won't be satisfied with poor plywood.  You really
have to take into account the labor involved in gluing your own panel and the
tools required to do the job right.  Also, you could make the sides out of
good plywood, install a face frame of solid wood on the front to hide the ply's
and possibly make the top out of glued solid wood.

>Is carpenter glue the appropriate glue to do this?
>
A yellow carpenters glue joint is usually stonger the the wood (pine) itself
and would be an excellent choice.

>What width of 1 bys does one usually glue together?  Would the width
>of these 1 bys be different for the top and the sides?
>
I would rely on what the wood is doing before attempting the gluing process.
For example,  many times I've purchased pine at the home center, brought it
home and it'll cup within a day, to hide the cupping of the wood I glue more
pieces with smaller widths, say 2-3.5 inches.  I glued some oak the other night
that was very flat and stable I went 5.5 inches on the width, 3 days later the
panel is still VERY flat.

>Is it enough to just use glue or would one also have to use dowels or
>something similar to connect the edges of wood?  If just using glue is
>making the edges straight by using a router good enough?  I've read
>something about hollowing the middle of the edges slightly for long
>pieces of wood.  Is that necessary here?
>
Some would say you need to use dowels (I never have), I believe that the glue
alone with light clamping pressure does a good job.  I currently use biscuits
which gives strength but they really help in keeping the edges of the various
boards on the same plane...less to plane, less to sand.

I used to joint the edges with a plane, then I tried it with a router one night
and things really didn't go so well so I bought a jointer.  I am sure somebody
out there does it with a router all the time with good results.

I've never heard of the hollowing out procedure and it really doesn't seem
to make much sense.  If I understand your question you would be removing
some of the surface area on the edge of the piece, that would really take
some imagination on my part as to exaactly how I would do it, you  would also
be removing surface area for the glue to stick to making a weaker joint.

I'd say skip the fancy stuff, make the edges square and smooth, glue it, clamp
it (lightly), and you're in business.  Also, if you use plywood on all or part
of your chest make sure you a have plan to cover any edge that will be exposed
so the ply's don't show.

Good luck on your project and don't forget that the less tools you have the
more labor is involved on your part, in other words don't get frustrated, it
will come together but will take twice as long as expected.

Jeff Robert (JROBERTS@UTDALLAS.EDU)

>-Thanks for any help, David
>
>--
>neves@ils.nwu.edu
>Institute for the Learning Sciences, 1890 Maple, Evanston Il 60201