Expert: Jamie Yocono - 11/25/2008

Question
QUESTION: Hi Jamie - I'm making a 1" oak frame for a stained glass project. I've cut the corners, glued them together with Gorilla Glue, and clamped them overnight. I followed the Gorilla Glue directions: dampened both edges, applied glue to one edge without overdoing it, clamped with corner clamps overnight. The bottom of the frame fell off when I was bringing the panel upstairs. Today I'm going to try to get the rest of it apart, but need to know if I should have used regular wood glue (or something else). Also, what about finish nails in the corners (nailed horizontal to vertical)? This panel is considered small (18"x16") and will be hung from brass hooks screwed to the sides of the frame. Thanks in advance for your answers!

ANSWER: Hi Claudia,

You've assembled that frame just about the same way I would have, except for a couple of things. First, you didn't specifically mention that you mitered the corners, but I'm assuming you did. That means that the wood you were gluing together was end grain, and that has virtually no strength to it.

Some people claim you can seal the end grain with a thin coat of glue, and then reapply more glue and clamp it up. (That works best with Titebond or some sort of aliphatic wood glue, but not Gorilla glue, as Gorilla glue will start to foam up on that first "sealing" coat.)

So I think the problem was this - not sealing the end grain, using perhaps not the best glue for the project, and then not adding some metal fastener to beef up the joint.

Another thing - if your frame looks the way I envision it, there might have been a better way to design it, so the bottom couldn't fall out. You might have been able to use a combination of dados on the upright pieces, so that the horizontal members fit into the dados and couldn't fall out.  This would be almost like a glorified butt joint, only the dado would keep it together.

I suggest you clean off those joints as well as you can, even slicing off a sliver to reveal fresh, clean wood. Apply a thin coat of glue, and let it dry on both ends of all four pieces. Then re-glue it, using Titebond, clamping it up, But before you clamp it - shoot a nail into both directions of the corner. Clamp and wipe the joint clean.

I think that might work a little better.

Also, I've seen some people who make stained glass frames use a wire system that connects the top member to the bottom member, using hook eyes and wire. It's sort of like a cross brace system. If the wood and the glass piece is especially heavy, you might consider doing something like that.

Good luck, I hope this helps. Write back if you need more help.

Jamie Yocono
Wood It Is! Custom Cabinetry
Las Vegas, NV
www.wooditis.com


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks, Jamie, for the info and your fast reply! Yes, I mitered the corners. The rest of the frame came apart extremely easily. The gorilla glue that's left doesn't stick up at all, so I think I'll be able to just apply the Titebond, and it should stick. Do you have any photos of "a combination of dados on the upright pieces, so that the horizontal members fit into the dados and couldn't fall out"? I think I know what you mean - kind of like dove joints? I didn't mention that for this first frame, I used pre-chanelled wood (image attached). Also, because I'm building this frame on the stained glass piece, I'm worried about hammering nails. I was going to use a small (3/4") finish nail and go slowly with a light hammer, maybe even drilling a partial hole to get it going. Then use a nail punch and a little wood filler before I stain. Please advise on that part. Thanks again for your help, Jamie.

Answer
Hi Claudia,

That picture really helps, and also shows that you have even less wood (as a gluing surface) than I thought. So I suspect even re-gluing this isn't going to be all that successful.

Can you send me an e-mail address so that I can send you a simple drawing of what I think would work better? I just drew something up, very simple, but it will show what I mean about using dados to make your frame stronger.

I'll e-mail you a small JPEG or something similar to show what I mean.
I think the picture will do more than I can write here. We'll get this solved!

Will wait to hear back from you,

Jamie Yocono
Wood It Is! Custom Cabinetry
Las Vegas, NV
www.wooditis.com