why surface before gluing up panels?

there really is no good answer that i can think off but honestly i often glue up panels while they are still thick and surface to final dimensions… it gets much better results…. im interested to see what other peoples reasons are

The only reason I could offer is because dried glue can be like little rocks and can chip a planer blade easily if any squeez out is present when you fire it through the planer.

-- A hammer dangling from a wall will bang and sound like work when the wind blows the right way.

And the width of the panels vs. the max width of your planer.

Another reason that I do some dimensioning before glue up is to get a good look at the grain and coloration of the wood. And, I agree with Cstrang’s comment, having a planed surface helps with the glue removal, which should be done with a card scraper or putty knife after the glue sets up.

-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.

true… you want to get a look at the panels… all you need to do is take a little off of it though just maybe skin plane it to see the grain… after that remove the squeeze out because that will mess up your blades the glue making up the actual joint wont

Scott covered it pretty well for you. I do my raised panels @ 5/8” thickness, so I usually plane my stock to 3/4”, pick my grain flow and coloration and glue up my panels at that time. Remember what Lew said, it doesn’t work too well if you are gluing up 14” wide panels and you only have a 12” planer. LOL Once I glue my panels and have all the excess glue removed from both sides, I will run my stock down to 5/8”.

-- John @ Myrtle Beach

I always surface the lumber before glue up because it is much easier to glue boards that are flat. I joint and plane them to 7/8” before glue up. Trying to glue boards that a cupped can be a headache.

-- Keith, Charlotte, MI www.julyswoodworks.com www.TheBenchDawg.com

I surface the lumber before glue up also. The main reason is my planner isnt usually wide enough to plane it afterwards.

-- Wayne - Plymouth MN

thanks for all these responses.

I guess the biggest issue is the width of the planer – for the more narrow glue-ups i have in mind this wont be an issue. However, the next issue is the bowing or cupping of stock, which could screw things up a little – but again not so much a problem for the narrower “panels.” Finally, there’s the matter of the grain itself – direction, color, texture. I think what I’ll do is do a very light surfacing to expose the grain and get things reasonably flat/square, then glue up, then finish the rest of the dimensioning.

also, thanks for the heads up about squeeze out!

I’m going to be making a bunch of ornaments, candle holders and magic wine holders for Xmas presents and those “panels” are only about 3” width max, which is how this all came up. anywya, thanks again for the input!

I agree with those above. My panels are usually too wide to fit my 13” planer. I would have to have a wide drum or belt sander to make it work for me, which is definitely moving up my wish list. If panel size is not an issue for you then by all means make it easier for yourself and do it after; of course taking care of any squeeze out to save your planer blades.

-- "Insanity runs in my family. It practically gallops."--Cary Grant from the movie Arsenic and Old Lace

I surface my panels before glue up since I only have a 13’’ planer.

-- CJIII Future cabinetmaker