# Edge gluing question



## Stevedore (Nov 8, 2012)

I'm working on a mission style blanket chest, using frame & panel construction. (Working at a glacial pace, I might add!) I bought rough quartersawn white oak, and have been milling it to the sizes I need.

Originally, I thought to use plywood for the panels, but for a few reasons I decided to use solid QSWO. I settled on 3/8" thickness for the panels, and resawed some thicker boards to get the pieces I need. Although the original boards were quite straight, after resawing, the 2 resulting thinner boards were curved along their length. I've had this happen before; I'm guessing due to released internal stresses?

The panels will need to be glued up from 2 narrower pieces. My thoughts were to cut grooves in the edges of the pieces, and use splines in the joints both for alignment & added strength. However, after cutting the finished 3/8" stock to approximate lengths for the panels, the resulting pieces lay quite flat next to each other, with no noticeable curvature relative to each other.

So now I'm thinking I don't really need the splined joints for alignment purposes, and I'm wondering if I really need them for any added strength in the glued joints. The glued edges will be about 10" long, and as I mentioned, the thickness is 3/8". Is glue alone sufficient for these joints? There will be no stress to speak of on the panels, as they're only in the front, back & sides of the chest. I'll be using either Titebond II or III.

Thanks for your thoughts!


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## bondogaposis (Dec 18, 2011)

Is glue alone sufficient for these joints?

Yes.


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## Bonka (Apr 13, 2012)

With the grain edge gluing is very strong as long as other factors are included such as not clamping too tight and causing glue starvation and the edges are recently milled and clean.
The wood would probably fail before the glue joint.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

Glue is stronger than wood ,that 's all you need if your joints have a been jointed properly.


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## pintodeluxe (Sep 12, 2010)

Yes that will work. 
I usually need 1/2" thick panels, and make them a little differently. I start with 3/4" stock, and glue the panels together. Then I plane the panels down to finished thickness, taking light passes from both sides. I think the thicker stock is easier to edge glue, and less likely to bow and warp. Another advantage is the planer cleans up the panel, which saves some heavy sanding.

In your case since you wanted to resaw, using clamping cauls to keep the panel flat may help.


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## BinghamtonEd (Nov 30, 2011)

As was said before, those panels will be just fine with a glued edge. I just finished a similar box, and if I may add one thing, it would be to mark the panels along the top edge with a pen/marker, if you're going to bookmatch them, to keep them organized. My box had 4 sets of bookmatched panels, and 2 center panels. When I was standing there with a stack of 10 panels, none of which I had marked, I started wishing I had labeled them in pairs, as some looked similar to more than one other panel.


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## RichardHillius (Oct 19, 2013)

When glueing thin panels together I find cauls make the process a lot easier. They don't have to be complicated just a couple pieces of straight 2X4's with packing tape on the faces will make the process a lot easier. Also make sure the edges are 90 degrees to the faces or at least the two panels have compliment angles (match planning) so they sit flat and you get a good joint.


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## Stevedore (Nov 8, 2012)

Many thanks for the comments & suggestions; sounds like I don't need splines.

BinghamtonEd- I actually thought of marking & organizing my resawn boards before I started cutting & milling, but then completely forgot. So now I have the pile of panel pieces as you described. Hopefully I'll be able to pick out matching pairs.


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

I agree with the others.

(Working at a glacial pace, I might add!) What the heck is a glacial place???


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## Stevedore (Nov 8, 2012)

> I agree with the others.
> 
> (Working at a glacial pace, I might add!) What the heck is a glacial place???
> 
> - AlaskaGuy


 Glaciers move & change very slowly. Glacial pace => very slow pace

It's a phrase borrowed from a movie my wfe & I enjoy, The Devil Wears Prada. Obnoxious boss says to assistant, "By all means, move at a glacial pace, you know how I enjoy that."


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

> I agree with the others.
> 
> (Working at a glacial pace, I might add!) What the heck is a glacial place???
> 
> ...


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## BinghamtonEd (Nov 30, 2011)

> I actually thought of marking & organizing my resawn boards before I started cutting & milling, but then completely forgot. So now I have the pile of panel pieces as you described. Hopefully I ll be able to pick out matching pairs.
> - Stevedore


Yeah, I prefinished my panels before gluing up the whole box, and somehow I ended up with 3 pairs that looked bookmatched, and one, not so much. That pair went on the back of the box.


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