Expert: Jamie Yocono - 4/20/2009

Question
HI, Im new to woodworking and I recently took on a bookcase project. I need to make 2 stiles by laminating 2 boards together for each one. The finished stiles are to be 1 1/2 x 1 1/4 using two 3/4 x 1 1/4 boards to make them. My question is about the gluing. Any tips would be very helpfull. I plan on using Titebond2 and the case is made of Oak. A few people have said to spread the glue on both surfaces, but the bottle says only apply to one. And I'm not sure if i should sand the wood before gluing.
 Anyway, like I said I'm new to this. SO any tips would be very helpfull...Thank-You  

Answer
Hi Greg,

Gluing two boards together is a fundamental operation to woodworking, so it's wise to learn it the correct way from the start.  When you glue up something, it's wise to cut the pieces slightly oversized. This will give you a little bit of leeway if the pieces slip out of alignment during the gluing process. You can trim it down later, if it's too big.

I don't sand the wood before gluing, but you do need to ensure that the wood is flat and smooth. Put the two boards together and see if you see any gaps. No gap is best, but small gaps can be eliminated during the clamping.

You will need some clamps - something this small could probably be done with some C-clamps, but almost any clamp will work. Depending on how long the piece is, you will need a few clamps. I like to space the clamps every 8" or so along the piece I'm gluing up.  So if the piece is short, you'll need a minimum of two clamps. If it's long, figure on one clamp for each end, and one every 8" or so.

As far as glue - I apply it on one side only, somewhat heavy. You don't want any bare spots, and you want it thick enough so it's not transparent. Depending on how warm it is where you are, the glue can start to set up quickly. I just glued something up yesterday and it was very warm, the glue skinned over in 3 minutes. So work fairly quickly if it's warm.

Once you get the glue spread, put the pieces together and then clamp them. If you tighten the clamps too tightly, you can "starve the joint" of glue, thus squeezing it all out. So the correct pressure to apply is important. I generally tighten them until I see a nice bead of glue squeezing out all along the joint line.

Clamps can mar your wood, so if you can, put some scrap wood under your clamp. In a piece like you are making, I just use an extra piece of 1 1/4" material the same length as the piece you're gluing. That way, if the clamps mar the wood, it will only mar the scrap wood, not your good piece. The scrap will also help even out the clamp pressure along the whole length of your piece.

Finally, let the piece dry at least 4 hours before unclamping. Again, the temperature will determine this, but if it's cooler, let it stay clamped up overnight. If it's warmer, you can unclamp in just a few hours.

Scrape off the excess glue while it's still wet. I like to let it set up a bit, so it's  skinned over and thick like toothpaste. It will scrape off easily. Take as much of the ooze off as you can, that way when you clean up the piece, you won't have to sand glue, which will clog your sandpaper.

Good luck, it's really pretty easy to glue. Just make sure you have all your stuff laid out before you start, so you don't get in the middle of this and realize that you forgot to buy clamps!

Write back if you need more help,

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