Just a fun poll

[J. Z. Guest]

What is your favorite method of edge-joining boards for glue-ups? You can say why in the body of the thread.

I voted dowels. Since I got Dowelmax, I've never had a glue-up not align perfectly. The only problems I've had is when I forgot to pay attention to which was the reference face, or when I placed a dowel too near to the edge, and had it exposed when I cut the glue-up to length.

Before DM, I used cauls with no other alignment aid.

You?

[Brian Effinger]

Just glue. The wood will fail before the long grain glue joint will. Of course I have a Mortise Pal on the way, so my views may change in the near future :)

[Eric Roberge]

Jeremy,
I use biscuits, well... because I have a biscuit joiner. I want to get the beadlock system. I know it's for tenons and that's what I want it for, but I imagine that you could use it for edge joining too.

[Jack Roberts]

I normally just use glue, however I just made a cabinet with a mixer lift in it and I used dominos in the shelf the mixer sits on.

[Tony Greenway]

I run everything across the jointer now, I used to run a glue joint set up on one of my shapers, but didn't like the extra wood it required or the squiggly joint lines it made on the end grain of my raised panels.

[Bill Petersen]

Jointed and then routed with a glue joint bit.

[george wilson]

Splines are my choice.

[Bill Huber]

If less then 15 inches nothing but glue, over that I use dowels.

[Joe Jensen]

In 30 years of this hobby I've never had a straight glue joint fail. The key is flat straight stock. If you need lots of clamping pressure, something is wrong.

[Bill Wyko]

Once you go Domino you never go back.:D

[Matt Meiser]

Just glue, unless it is really big then I might put a couple Dominos in for alignment now. But I don't even bother gluing them.

[Craig T. Smith]

Jeremy, I joint it then biscuits, I've had the biscuit jointer awhile and I like it. I know it may be over kill but they just feel right. Craig

[Lee Schierer]

Just plain glue and edge jointed boards. I've never read anything that beats this joint for strength and alignment during clamp up isn't a big deal. I would hate wasting a glue up by cutting into a dowel or biscuit.

[Jim Summers]

I have started using dowels now that I have DM.

I used to use biscuits but they really didn't give reliable assistance with the alignment. I think it was due to my old skil biscuit cutter was cutting sloppy slots. With DM I can confidently pull it together and get great alignment without having to worry about some unseen movement.

I try to keep chalk or pencil marks on the stock as long as possible that indicate the location of the dowels. I also mark it out on the outer edge, since when wiping or scraping at the joint it will remove those marks before you know it.

HTH

[Tony Bilello]

right off my table saw.

[John Thompson]

Joint the edges to a "butt kiss".. glue it.. move on...

Sarge..

[george wilson]

Biscuits do not give perfect edge alignment. They are thinner than the groove,and swell up with wet glue to fill the groove. Meanwhile,you are trying to glue everything up,and get some misalignment.

It is just not a good idea to use nothing but glue. You really need to use some kind of joint to increase the glue area.

[Chris Tsutsui]

Haha, I chose straight glue in the poll thinking I'd be mostly alone in my vote, but I was shocked to see how many people just use glue.

It cuts out having to use other tools and if you can align everything before the glue sets then you're golden. :)

The trick is to apply the perfect amount of glue and smooth it with your finger. Then rub that finger so the glue rolls off...

No need to dirty a brush or use a roller for edges.

[Myk Rian]

My Freud glue-line rip blade gives me a great glue-up.

[Jerome Hanby]

I use biscuits just to help with alignment, the glue is stronger than the wood, so I'm not concerned about adding strength to the joint.

[Jon Grider]

Yeah,like most, just glue unless I have long edges or a warped board, I'll use biscuits to try to help align the board.

[sean m. titmas]

i use dowels because i purchased the Hoffman PDS 32 to build kitchen cabinets and it works great on solid wood as well.

[Jonathan Spool]

Just glue after jointing has never failed me. However, I use biscuits to aid in alignment, and they are quicker to install then other methods.

[Cody Colston]

I would hate wasting a glue up by cutting into a dowel or biscuit.

That's why I quit using biscuits. Nothing but glue now.

[george wilson]

Glue may be stronger than the wood,but the joint gives you greater glue area,which holds better. If you just glue up boards,and the boards shrink just a little,it is very easy for seams to open up at the ends of the boards. Adding a spline greatly increases the holding power of the glue,if you want your work to last a long time.

[Chris Padilla]

Yeah,like most, just glue unless I have long edges or a warped board, I'll use biscuits to try to help align the board.

There ya go. If the boards are straight, glue works fine but if you have a twisted (however it is twisted) board that you just have to or need to use, the various alignment aids listed can assist immensly in getting things close.

I use to use biscuits until I got my domino. :D

Does anyone use sprung joints for these glue-ups?

[george wilson]

I suppose everyone knows to not try to clamp edges that are not straight together? Sooner or later,the wood will have its way.

[Danny Thompson]

+1 for splines

[Peter Quinn]

Joint and glue. Everything else is weaker, believe it or don't, its true. If the stock is twisted, its meant for something else and doesn't wind up in my long edge glue ups. I like cauls for alignment, biscuits are nearly useless to me for this purpose. I use to use dowels or splines, but I started asking what I was doing wrong to necessitate this, and some one showed me how to do it with out them. I don't miss them.

[george wilson]

It is amazing how much faith some people have in the powers of glue. It causes me to wonder why hundreds of years of woodworking experience by people just as smart as us,and probably a lot more experienced,since wood was a primary material,invented all these joints.

[Rick Fisher]

I used to do dowels, then biscuits... then I just did glue.

I have never had a problem with just glue. I think yellow glue is stronger than most wood..

[Mike Heidrick]

It is amazing how much faith some people have in the powers of glue. It causes me to wonder why hundreds of years of woodworking experience by people just as smart as us,and probably a lot more experienced,since wood was a primary material,invented all these joints.

They never had glue this good. Heck 20 years ago they did not have wood glue this good. This is one area where science and technology has really paid off for woodworking!

[M Toupin]

They never had glue this good. Heck 20 years ago they did not have wood glue this good. This is one area where science and technology has really paid off for woodworking!

All the new glues are nice, but how are they going to hold up for 100 years? Nobody knows... I believe the question isn't "if" but "when" will it fail. The real question is how are you going to fix it when it does?

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=21822&highlight=glue

I'm a glue only guy, but I take Bob's advice seriously. I'm using more and more hide glue on stuff I want to last after I'm gone. Someday someone is going to have to repair it and I want them to have a reasonable chance to do it right.

Mike

[Joe Jensen]

It is amazing how much faith some people have in the powers of glue. It causes me to wonder why hundreds of years of woodworking experience by people just as smart as us,and probably a lot more experienced,since wood was a primary material,invented all these joints.

Really, do you see a lot of old furniture with joints between boards on flat glue ups?

I use joints where joints are needed, but not with flat glue ups.

[scott spencer]

Just glue. The wood will fail before the long grain glue joint will. Of course I have a Mortise Pal on the way, so my views may change in the near future :)

Agreed... I used to use biscuits, but you just don't need them if the joint mates well. I sold my biscuit cutter....I can always use a biscuiting router bit if I ever need to make a biscuit slot again.

[george wilson]

It was my priviledge and a great educational opportunity,to work among many of the finest craftsmen,and conservation people for 39 years,and a priviledge to have been asked to join them.

All I can offer to this forum is the benefit of what I have learned.

There is plenty of old furniture around that is just glued up,true. But,what caliber of furniture is it? I look to the way the greatest furniture was made for examples that I cite. I also had the opportunity to see a great deal of 18th.C. furniture dismantled,being repaired.So,could see the joinery used.

I knew that I would hear that todays glues are superior.But I remind you that hide glue has been in use for thousands of years .Our new glues have not had that proven record.

I just think that it is too bad that people get convinced that taking short cuts is actually the best way to work wood. I do not always do the right thing myself.It depends upon how important the particular job is. But,I know what the real way to do a job actually is.

[Steve Mellott]

After jointing the edge, I use titebond glue only. I think a recent study in one of the woodworking magazines rated Titebond 3 glue superior to hide glue.

Steve

[Bill Geyer]

If the wood is properly jointed (and dried) anything else is a waste of time.
In 35 years the only failures (few) have been a result of improperly dried lumber put too close to a source of heat.

[george wilson]

Guys,just ignore history.I give up,o.k.? It eludes me how hundreds of years of good woodworking foundations can be ignored. It's your hobby,enjoy it.

[george wilson]

Titebond,and some other glues may test stronger than hide glue. Question is,will the new glues stand the test of centuries like hide glue has? Is it reversible? To me it is a question of how important the job at hand is. If it's real important,I err on the side of caution.

[Gary Chester]

I didn't vote... I thought this was supposed to be a FUN poll!!!:D

Actually... I use what I'm in the mood for at the moment...

[Tony Bilello]

It is amazing how much faith some people have in the powers of glue. It causes me to wonder why hundreds of years of woodworking experience by people just as smart as us,and probably a lot more experienced,since wood was a primary material,invented all these joints.

If a glued up joint of long grain to long grain is all we need to do and the glue joint is stronger than the original wood, than a glue joint is all that will be necessary. Glued up table tops with no other joinery than a simple glue joint have held up for centuries. When the joint fails 200 or 300 years later, just clean up the joint and reglue.
Almost all of the joints that were invented for woodworking were for other than edge gluing. These joints are for mechanical strength needed when the grain (boards) are running at a severe angles as in table or chair apron to leg joints. End grain does not glue well at all so that will always require a joint.