Edge Glue Question

Great advise all - thanks! I'll work through it and post the results!
Thanks again.....
Schroeder
"Schroeder" <f@f> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Never glued large panels before. Am edge gluing for a 30 inch panel 6
> pieces of 4/4 Black Walnut. I have jointed the edges and still they don't
> dry fit perfectly...is that common? Is it going to be a problem when I
glue
> up or will clamping & biscuits take care of it....any other advise would
be
> appreciated! Hep me!
>
> Schroeder
>
>

"Schroeder" <f@f> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Never glued large panels before. Am edge gluing for a 30 inch panel 6
> pieces of 4/4 Black Walnut. I have jointed the edges and still they don't
> dry fit perfectly...is that common? Is it going to be a problem when I
glue
> up or will clamping & biscuits take care of it....any other advise would
be
> appreciated! Hep me!
>
> Schroeder

Sounds like your edges are not perfectly even. You'll need to joint them
flat using a jointer or jointer plane, or run them VERY carefully through
your table saw after tuning it. When using the hand plane, joint only the
"high" areas until you get a fit. Don't rely on heavy clamping to eliminate
the gaps in the joints--that will only put strain on the finished piece and
the joints may open eventually. They should fit properly before you glue.

Bob

My first suggestion would be that you only glue up two boards at a time.

Example in your case, glue up two of the boards that are going to make up
one side of the panel. Glue up the other two side boards and the two middle
boards also if you have the clamps for it. After at least a couple of hours
glue two of the sections together then after a couple of hours glue up the
final section.

lining up and keeping six boards slick with glue lined up as you apply clamp
pressure can be quite a chore.

I'd have to say that no it is not usual for the jointed boards not to fit
perfectly. I consider two boards ready to glue up when I stand them on edge,
one over the other, and can't see any light shining through the jointed
edges. Neither biscuits nor clamp pressure should be used to "cover up"
badly jointed boards since it introduces stresses to the glue joints.

There is a caveat here though. Though I don't practice it myself there is a
school of thought that holds that one has a very small gap at the middle of
the two boards and when they are pulled together by clamps it puts tension
on the ends of the joints which is a common spot for panel glue ups to fail.

While I don't practice that method I see nothing wrong with the theory.

--
Mike G.
[email protected]
Heirloom Woods
www.heirloom-woods.net
"Schroeder" <f@f> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Never glued large panels before. Am edge gluing for a 30 inch panel 6
> pieces of 4/4 Black Walnut. I have jointed the edges and still they don't
> dry fit perfectly...is that common? Is it going to be a problem when I
glue
> up or will clamping & biscuits take care of it....any other advise would
be
> appreciated! Hep me!
>
> Schroeder
>
>

its common, and according to some, a SLIGHT bow in the middle is desirable.
biscuits wont help your joints become tighter, they will just help them line
up better. Are you going to have a problem? depends on how far out the
boards are. What ecaxtly do you mean by "dont fit perfectly" can you slide a
playing card between them? more?




"Schroeder" <f@f> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Never glued large panels before. Am edge gluing for a 30 inch panel 6
> pieces of 4/4 Black Walnut. I have jointed the edges and still they don't
> dry fit perfectly...is that common? Is it going to be a problem when I
glue
> up or will clamping & biscuits take care of it....any other advise would
be
> appreciated! Hep me!
>
> Schroeder
>
>