# Do you use salt for glue-ups?



## lumberjuniorvarsity

I was just watching a show on TV ('A Craftsman's Legacy' on PBS), and the woodworker sprinkled a few grains of salt on his glued up board before clamping them together. He explained that the salt grains keep the boards from sliding as you increase clamping pressure.

Makes sense to me, but I had never heard of it, nor could I find a discussion about it on this site.

So I'm posting this question to see if anyone does this and has tips on how to do it correctly, and also to potentially save others heartache when they see their glue-ups go wonky.


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## JAAune

I'd take that tip with a grain of salt.

Never tried it but it's possible it would perform the stated function. A test on scrap before attempting a real joint would be advisable. Personally, I don't have much problem with boards sliding. I just use multiple clamps and gradually increase the pressure and everything stays put.


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## JayT

I have done it a few times in the past. It does help to keep the two pieces from sliding, but have never really tested a joint to see if there are any adverse effects. Used that trick on a couple Krenov style handplanes I built that needed to keep things very precisely lined up.


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## Dark_Lightning

Never used salt. I will use blocking to control any sliding. Once the clamps are tight, the blocking can come out. That or pin nails to control the sliding (if the project allows for pin nails- i.e., you won't see them when finished).


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## JulianLech

I have tried it a couple of times when I had a difficult glue up on angled pieces. It worked surprisingly well. I only added the smallest amount of salt I. I have read this somewhere other than the TV show you mentioned.


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## Planeman40

Interesting! I never thought of using salt this way. I have often imbeded very short pieces of small straight pins in the to-be-glued surfaces to keep them from sliding while trying to clamp. I may give salt a try.


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## BillWhite

I use sand, not salt.
Bill


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## Underdog

I've tried the cut off pins trick, and heard about the sand, but never heard of using salt.
I don't see why it wouldn't work, unless it degraded the glue somehow.


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## hotbyte

On the rim of a glass while glue dries


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## oldnovice

I do what *underdog* does because I want to keep my projects on a *salt free diet*!
I just wonder what effect, if any, this has on the glue itself?


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## Aidan1211

Try pinch dogs on the ends. Then nothing slips and you don't have to introduce something that you aren't sure chemically if they meld well with modern glues. Never had anything wonder when I beat a couple of those things in the end. They're pretty cheap too! Couple of bucks a piece.

Robert


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## DaGentooBoy

I use the 4-way panel clamps to do my big panel glue ups. http://www.rockler.com/4-way-equal-pressure-clamp

I would be really concerned with what the salt would do to the strength of the glue up. A friend of mine always said to use dowels to keep everything aligned. With the strength of modern glue I never really saw the point in dowels.


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