No biscuit jointer

[mike farm]

HI,
I have TS,router,jigsaw,bandsaw,mitersaw etc.
I do not have a biscuit jointer and because of a recent
divorce I do not wish to buy one right now.
Question - is titebond 3 good enough to edge join panels
for oak or cherry tv stand shelves and top ?
If not would splines cut on table saw replace biscuits ?
Thanks
Mike

[Russ Massery]

I'd say as long as it's the long grain of the panel. And not end or cross grain.

[Don Baer]

Mike,
For alignment when I edge glue panels I prefer to use dowls over biscuits. That said I have also had good success just glueing up panels for table tops. The biscuits don't add any strength.

Oh and welcome to the creek. In case you haven't heard pictures are necessary..

[Mack Cameron]

Hi Mike; Don't think of it as a divorce, think of it as an improvement to your life. A lot of us have been there.:)
But, back to the question at hand -- Titebond III is meant for waterproof situations. Unless your TV stand is underwater, it's not necessary to use TB III. A good construction glue will do. LV 202 GF, Elmers, Lepages etc.
Splines will certainly replace biscuits (which I use faithfully on every edge to edge joint) but today's glues are quite satisfactory in themselves. I use the biscuits or your spline idea mainly for alignment.

[Dan Oliphant]

Mike, welcome to the creek, As stated earlier, as long as the glue up is long grain to long grain, the glue goint will be stronger than the wood it's self. Glues are always a topic of discussion, I for one only use Titebond II. I have never had a customer complaint over glue joints failing or joint failures.

[Per Swenson]

Hi Mike and welcome,

I see you list a router.

Go buy a slotting bit.
http://routerbitworld.com/product_p/amana%2053620.htm

Per

[Jim Becker]

There is no need for biscuits when edge gluing panels...the glue does all the work, anyway, for the most part. They do help with alignment, but careful use of cauls will help you keep everything flat and minimize "excess" sanding requirements to flatten.

[Allen Bookout]

I have a slot cutting bit like Per was suggesting and it works fine. There is one other option using the router and it is a glue joint bit. I will have to admit that I have not used it yet but it seems that the idea is a good one and would be better than using biscuits. Anyone given it a try that can give an evaluation?

Here is the one that I bought: http://www.infinitytools.com/products.asp?dept=1064

This is a more economical alternative that is still probably a pretty good bit. I know that there are other brands if you wanted to look around. http://mlcswoodworking.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/smarthtml/pages/bt_door.html#glue_joint_anchor

The only thing is that you will need to have your router in a table. A very simple top with a clamp on fence would do the job.

Welcome and good luck!

Allen

[glenn bradley]

I've described an article here before in which a WW mag took two pieces of 3/4 oak, glued them long grain to long grain just like you would a panel, clamped for 30 minutes, removed clamps and let dry for 24 hours "following the directions on the Titebond II bottle specifically".

They did state that they weren't testing Titebond per se, it just happened to be handy. After the 24 hours they grabbed the now glued-up panel in a bench vise and strained the joint to the point of failure; the wood split in the middle of one of the boards along the long grain. The glue joint held.

I was impressed and look at our modern glues in a whole new light.

[David Rose]

When I first heard that glue was stronger than wood, a neighbor challenged the statement. I glued 3 sets of walnut boards that were about a foot long edge to edge. I think they were about 3/4" thick. I didn't know *how* to glue them. I just got the edges fairly close (with a router and guide board), smeared on some Titebond (I I think), and clamped them overnight. The next evening the neighbor came over. I set two bricks on the garage floor that would support the board's edges. Then set a dowel right on the glue line. After a good whack with a framing hammer, each broke. Between the 3' of boards, there was maybe 1/2" of glue showing. All cracks at least did their best to follow the wood grain. I gave it every chance to break on the glue. Like I said, there was barely glue showing on any break. It wasn't particularly scientific, and the neighbor objected on some grounds or the other. I was convinced.

I believe for me, alignment is easier when there is nothing else in the way of the boards aligning.

David

[Chris Padilla]

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

Mike, welcome to the Creek! The above is an interesting post to read regarding glues. Everyone else has addressed your question already. For my opinion, biscuits in a long-grain to long-grain joint only aid in alignment and not strength. Now biscuits in an end-grain to end-grain or end-grain to long-grain, they will add strength to that weak joint. Picture frame miters are also another good spot for biscuits. I will soon be posting a picture frame I did (for a mirror).

[Ken Weaver]

Nothing to add to the dicsussion except welcome aboard Mike - make sawdust, have fun, and be safe.

[Bob Childress]

Welcome to the Creek Mike! Pictures please (if you still have a camera after the you-know-what). :rolleyes:

[John Kain]

I bought a biscuit jointer awhile back and rarely use it. For long grain joining there's no need and I feel (for me) it doesn't help the joint or the ease of the construction. Any glue these days will work and hold the joint very well.

Actually, I use the biscuit jointer so rarely I'm thinking of selling it. I figure my router could do just as good of job......

[mike farm]

Thank you all for your replies and your warm greetings for me
at the creek.
I stopped by a place around the corner. Previously I thought he just
made furniture so I did not bother him. Come to find out he sells lumber
and only does furniture for something to do waiting to sell wood.
The wood is kiln dried, but the cherry is not steamed to even out color.
Does one good side of planned 3/4" cherry at $7.50 US sound reasonable,
especial just 2 miles away. How about red or white oak at $4.50 ?
Thanks again.
Mike

[Harley Lewis]

Mike, those prices seem a bit high, at least for my neighborhood. I can get plain sawn jointed and straightlined oak for $1.70, walnut for $4.00 and cherry for $4.00. 1/4 sawn oak is $2.70.

Harley

[glenn bradley]

Welcome Mike! I forgot to say that in my last post. You don't mention what part of the country you're in but, in SoCal I get red for about $2.75 a board foot in 4/4 and pay around $3.00 for white. Haven't looked at cherry lately.

[Dan Oliphant]

The prices are quite high unless you live somewhere that all lumber is shipped in ie: Alaska, Hawaii, Avalon island and such.

[Kevin McBride]

I had thought about purchasing a biscuit jointer myself, but after doing quite a bit of homework, I declined. I have done testing on gluing panels together myself, long grain to long grain, and have not broken a glue joint as of yet.

[tod evans]

welcome mike! i don`t own a biscuit joiner any more and don`t miss it at all...you`ll do just fine eating biscuits and gluing wood.....02 tod

[David Rose]

When I was considering a biscuit slot cutter, I decided to get a slot cutter for the router first, just to try it. I knew that the slot cutter could be used for other things. Sho Nuff! It gets used only for "other things".

David