Top glue up newbe question

[Roger Reynolds]

Simple question from a newbe. I'm glueing up a top about 24"x48" and am using 7 boards of various widths. How many (boards or inches) would you glue at once and would you use biscuits? Thanks

[Joe Chritz]

As many as you can handle comfortably.

I don't like to use biscuits on top glue ups but it may help with alignment, they aren't needed for strength.

I would probably opt for a couple cauls top and bottom to keep it aligned.

Joe

[Marcus Ward]

All of em. No. Just use a mallet to align them once you have them snug.

[Charles Seehuetter Panama City]

Personally I use biscuits for all my wide panels. They really do help with alignment. I know they are not needed but for the small amount of time it takes it sure makes wide panel alignment easy. I have a Dewalt and a PC biscuit cutter so might as well use them. If you need the good plywood biscuits you can find a good price on them here.

http://woodworker.com/cgi-bin/FULLPRES.exe?PARTNUM=138-089

A lot of guys do not like pipe clamps but they work for me. I alternate one top and one bottom about every foot apart for the full length of the panel. I find that by laying a strip of soft wood (pine) the same thickness as the panel I'm glueing, full length between the clamp pads and the panel works great to protect the project and help put even peressure along it's length. Don't over tighten the clamps. I usually tap the panel down against the lower pipes as I tighten them to make sure the panel is flat. As suggested cauls may help keep the panel flat if necessary.

Here is a pretty good hints page on using pipe clamps or any other clamp as far as that goes.

http://www.woodmagazine.com/woodworking-tips/techniques/joinery/3-rules-for-edge-joining-with-pipe-clamps/

Chuck

[Roger Reynolds]

Thanks for your replies - I'll glue the all with cauls.