Finger joint glue up

[Prashun Patel]

I am making a jewelry box that uses tight finger joints - 1/8". Of course, only after I've cut all the joints do I realize that gluing will be an issue.

I'm intrigued by assembling the joint and then using CA glue to capilary into the joint.

My fear is that the fingers will not accept finish after this.

My fingers are about 1/64" proud, and will be sanded flat anyway; is that enough to remove the CA?

I will be finishing with an oil/varnish blend.

Is thin epoxy a better choice?

Should I seal the non-mating surfaces with a primer of oil and then shellac before?

Thanks in advance.

[Keith Westfall]

Just a bit of glue top & bottom, and maybe middle if a long joint. Should be plenty strong and as long as the joints fit well, it should work. Not like it has to be watertight...

[Lee Schierer]

Run some blue painter's tape along the inside edges of the fingers on the inside of your box where sanding will be difficult after assembly, apply glue with a brush to the contact surfaces of the fingers, put the corners together, let the glue dry and sand the outside. Don't worry about the squeeze out, enough glue will remain behind for a good joint. Any glue squeeze out on the inside will not stick to the tape. You will need to work quickly as the moisture in the glue will tend to swell up the wood in the fingers making the assembly fit tighter. Carefully peel the tape off the inside after the glue is dry.

[Neil Brooks]

Kinda with Keith on this one.

Not sure it has to be too fancy.

If you don't feel like you left ANY gap that would properly hold glue, then ... I think there are two options: light sanding to incrementally make a tiny bit of room, or .... don't glue the joint.

I did a box joint, and ... felt like I absolutely NAILED the fingers. I felt like it was a darned shame to have to do ANYTHING to that joint.

I wrote to Gene Wengert -- a well-known wood expert -- and asked him -- with pictures -- what he thought ? In short, he said ... leave it alone. If you HAVE to glue it up, down the road, you can.

And ... this wasn't a "once in a lifetime" joint. Just one done pretty well. Here:

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_WVVYjLCNo2w/TOwpQz31a5I/AAAAAAAABco/8JmW3vITxHw/s512/P1050039.JPG

So ... maybe ... doing nothing will work in your case ?

Six months later ... my joint is still 100% :)

[glenn bradley]

In the immortal words of Sam Maloof "leave room for the glue". I have made finger joints that need to be pounded together as opposed to lightly tapped; not good. If using a thicker glue like a PVA and the joints won't slide together easily, they'll push the glue right out and starve. I like the idea of capillary action on a really thin CA for a smaller, low stress item like a ring box. I am interested as to the effect on the final finish.

Since capillary action is being used, the glue is really seeping into the pores and fiber-straws of the wood. If sanding the pins ends flush and some additional sanding to the box sides permits a good finish, I would say you have a winner of a method to use. I've got some higher quality CA that I picked up to fill out an order and qualify for free shipping. If this works, I may get my money's worth. Test on scrap, its free ;-)

[Mark Carlson]

Woodworking magazine had an article on doing just what your suggesting but with through dovetails on a blanket chest. Maybe a year or so ago. I will try to find the article. If I remember correctly it worked really well and finishing wasn't an issue.

~mark

[Brian Kincaid]

Pre drill a hole up the bottom and through the top and nail in one finish nail for each corner. You don't even need to take it apart.

-Brian

[David Thompson 27577]

I am making a jewelry box that uses tight finger joints - 1/8". Of course, only after I've cut all the joints do I realize that gluing will be an issue.

I'm intrigued by assembling the joint and then using CA glue to capilary into the joint.

My fear is that the fingers will not accept finish after this.

My fingers are about 1/64" proud, and will be sanded flat anyway; is that enough to remove the CA?

I will be finishing with an oil/varnish blend.

Is thin epoxy a better choice?

Should I seal the non-mating surfaces with a primer of oil and then shellac before?

Thanks in advance.


Go buy some Titebond II Extend. It has plenty of open time, and has all of the qualities of the 'normal' stuff.

[Prashun Patel]

I just finished the glue up. It was actually pretty easy. I used regular Titebond II, and painted it on the fingers with a little stick.
I pre-wet the inside and outside faces with BLO to semi-seal the wood. The painting went quickly and the joints clamped together nicely.

I think I was nervous for nothing.

BTW, I made that blanket chest from Wood Mag. There are relatively few dovetails on that chest compared to the joint I'm doing now, and the dt's were easy to access.