Dominoes and glue

[David Stone (CT)]

I love the glue bottles with the rollers on top for glue up... even though they require much more clean up than just a regular glue bottle.

I 100% agree about the glue bottles with the roller applicator. I really like mine for getting an even coat of glue on edges fast with minimal mess. Also useful for moderately wide surfaces, though at some point using an old plastic key card, ink brayer or foam paint roller to spread out a river of glue poured directly from the jug is faster / better.

[Jim Dwight]

It's probably not needed but I will add my .02 to agree with Jim Becker. The important part to get glue on when using dominos for alignment is the edges you are joining, not the domino. I believe the "right way" to apply glue to a domino joint is to apply glue to both the mortise (spreading it out) and the tenon but I pretty much never do this for edge joints because it is not needed and I do not want the glue on the edge of the boards to start to dry while I am buttering up the domino joints. A dab in the mortises as you apply glue to the edge seems like a reasonable compromise to me.

I think both biscuits and dominos in joints where you wouldn't normally put a mortise and tenon joint is just alignment. Mitered boxes don't need them and people who use tape to "clamp" the joint seem to get their alignment that way. But when I am gluing up a large panel for the top of a dresser or table I really like the added help of dominos in the pieces because the glueup is stressful enough without having to try and bend the boards into alignment as I clamp. I am not using them to increase strength in the joint.