Bob Feeser
09-22-2010, 4:33 PM
I'm redoing the main bedroom and installing Wainscoting all the way around the bottom. I started to joint and plane some boards out of Hickory but it got to be too huge of a job trying to get much finish wood out of "barkey" Hickory. So I bought a bunch of high grade 3/4" MDF. It's all perfectly 3/4". So I am doing raised panels using cabinet making router bit set.
I am at the glue up stage and was wondering what everyone felt was the best way to glue it up. I have 2 test pieces curing in the shop right now using Titebond III and clamped.
I tried using dowels in addition to the cabinet rail and stick contours, but it resulted in some splitting of the MDF. So I glued up some test samples without dowels.
I read up on someone who was using pocket hole screws but his tolerances were too narrow. He was predrilling and mentioned if it was off by only a little bit it would split.
Then I read where someone put a thin coat on first, and then came back and put on a second coat on quickly before assembing, thereby offsetting the problem of the MDF soaking up the glue and creating a dry joint. I have one with a single coat, and a second one with a dual coat. Tonight those joints will have cured 24 hours so I plan on putting them to a reasonable stress test. I don't plan on using a vise on them though. If they can hold up to all that I give them, that is sufficient.
I know I am posting this in a sea of people who have experienced wainscoting glue ups, so I am curious as to what you think works best? What kind of glue works best?
I ruled out Gorilla glue because I don't want the foam cleanup.
I am at the glue up stage and was wondering what everyone felt was the best way to glue it up. I have 2 test pieces curing in the shop right now using Titebond III and clamped.
I tried using dowels in addition to the cabinet rail and stick contours, but it resulted in some splitting of the MDF. So I glued up some test samples without dowels.
I read up on someone who was using pocket hole screws but his tolerances were too narrow. He was predrilling and mentioned if it was off by only a little bit it would split.
Then I read where someone put a thin coat on first, and then came back and put on a second coat on quickly before assembing, thereby offsetting the problem of the MDF soaking up the glue and creating a dry joint. I have one with a single coat, and a second one with a dual coat. Tonight those joints will have cured 24 hours so I plan on putting them to a reasonable stress test. I don't plan on using a vise on them though. If they can hold up to all that I give them, that is sufficient.
I know I am posting this in a sea of people who have experienced wainscoting glue ups, so I am curious as to what you think works best? What kind of glue works best?
I ruled out Gorilla glue because I don't want the foam cleanup.