Taping Joints For Glue Up?

[Derek Arita]

I'm doing a rocker build and I'm taping off all of the glue joints to make clean up easier. Never having done this before, is there anything I should know before I do this? At what point do I remove the tape?
I'm hoping this keeps me from having to do a lot of sanding in very small spaces, after the glue dries. I've always done the wet sponge clean up, but it always leaves glue/water marks and since I'm going to fume this oak rocker, I don't want anything to ruin the stain. Thanks for the help.

[Bill Huber]

I do a dry glue up, that is I don't use any glue just put all parts together like I was gluing them up with the clamps I will be using, this does 3 things for me.

1 it gives me a chance to see how and in what order I need to do the real glue up.
2 it gives me a chance to make sure all my joints are good.
3. If all is well I put on the tape.

I use the blue painters tape and put it on each joint that I don't want squeeze out to clean up. I put it on both sides of the joint and get it nice and tight to the other surface, I use a 1/2"x6" steel ruler to make sure it is tight against the wood.

I then do the glue up on the parts that I can and clamp everything up. Now while the glue is still soft I use the little ruler to get the largest part of the squeeze out off and then with a dry blue rag I wipe the joint and then remove the tape. I will some times wrap the blue rag around the ruler to get in a really tight corner.

I like to glue up as many sub-assemblies as I can so the glue up goes better. The glue the sub-assemblies together this way I don't go into the panic mode as much.

[Derek Arita]

Bill, thanks for the reply. It's just what I wanted to know. It took some time to tape off all the joints, but I think it will be worth it as a work saver after the glue up. Thanks again.

[Derek Arita]

Well, I'm half way thru the glue up and all is going well so far. It's a complicated glue up with lots of mortise and tenon joints, some very close together. I can't believe I didn't do this earlier. No smears of watered down glue to clean up with lots of sanding...I really like this. Thanks for the help. I'm using a tooth brush to help take off the excess glue and it's working quite well.