# Looking for advise on pine



## RussellAP (Feb 21, 2012)

I'm going to be making a table top for a customer out of 2" pine. The radius is 32" on the table and the pine is aprox 11" wide so I need to join it.

My question is, is glue enough or should I use biscuits too?

The legs of the table are some metal legs that originally had a wicker top. They seem pretty strong but the wood should have nice strong joints nonetheless.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

Since biscuits do not add strength they are not needed. Straight glue up will work fine.

If for some reason you need to add strength, use dowels.


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## DrDirt (Feb 26, 2008)

The glue should be enough. I have seen folks make tables like this, where the glued up planks are tongue and groove- either from a router or just cutting a dado along the edge..
That adds dramatically to the gluing surface, as well as ensuring all the surfaces remain flush with eachother.

32 radius is a pretty big circle - I would try to lay it out so that the joints are as far from the edge as possible. the thin wedge around the joint would be weak, and have higher seasonal changes in dimension due to humidity.


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## Mahdeew (Jul 24, 2013)

It will be like a cutting board made of two boards.


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## Roger (Feb 20, 2008)

I would use biscuits. Even if they don't add strength, they make aligning the boards easier during glue up.
Roger


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## Smitty_Cabinetshop (Mar 26, 2011)

I'm with Roger. Glued up this pine top and used biscuits for alignment. It limits a couple variables.

Pic is from edging it after glue was totally cured.


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## madts (Dec 30, 2011)

I would also look at the end grain of the pine. When you glue it up you want it to look like an ocean wave. That way any climate issues will even out.


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## mojapitt (Dec 31, 2011)

Whether they add strength or not, I still prefer to use biscuits. It helps my piece of mind.


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## Knothead62 (Apr 17, 2010)

Interesting thread. DrDirt, thanks for the tip. Wouldn't have thought of it myself.


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## bigblockyeti (Sep 9, 2013)

I too prefer biscuits for aid in keeping everything registered flat to adjacent surfaces during final assembly. Will you be jointing the edges on a jointer or with a hand plane? I read an article on how the tiny scallops created by a jointer (or any other spinning cutterhead for that matter) can reduce the effective glue up surface area. This, however, doesn't stop me because not only do I not have a jointer plane, but a machine in this case is much faster. I would keep an eye on how much of the table top is overhung past the apron where a parallel grain failure would allow part of the table to break off. This shouldn't be a major concern given the thickness you're working with, but there's never been such a thing as too much support!


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## RussellAP (Feb 21, 2012)

Thanks for the advise boys. Looks like she didn't want to do the job after all. I should have known, trailer park folk. I should have never even stopped by her trailer let alone go all the way out to my sawyer checking out a piece of pine for her.

Quoted the price on the wood yesterday and never heard a thing back. Now another project will have to take it's place.

Why do people waste my time?


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## bigblockyeti (Sep 9, 2013)

That stinks, like most, I too hate having my time wasted.


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