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The Editors Mailbox

Use wedges to edge glue thin boards

Matthew Kenney, senior editor

10 users recommend

John Tetrault

John Tetrault

John Tetrault

Photo: John Tetrault

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Have you ever tried to edge glue really thin boards, less than about 1/4 in. thick? I have. It can be an exercise in frustration. For thicker boards, it's no problem to use bar or pipe clamps to apply pressure as the glue dries. However, thin boards tend to buckle under the pressure they apply, often rising so high at the joint that they fold in on one another. But I've gotten a bit smarter since I started working at Fine Woodworking, or at least smart enough to ask for help when I need it!

So, when I recently needed to glue up nine thin and narrow re-sawn boards (3/16 in. thick by 2 1/4 in. wide) to make a larger "panel" of shopmade veneer, I walked right over to Anissa Kapasales's desk and asked her how to do it. She went to the College of the Redwoods and I knew that students in the program learn how to make their own veneers. She told me that the solution is to use wedges to apply the pressure. After a brief explanation of the technique, I was out in the shop making a "jig." Basically, it's a large MDF base with a fence screwed down to one side, and another one opposite it. The boards are placed between them and then wedges are pushed between the boards and one of the fences. That's enough pressure to get a good glue joint. Check out the photographs below for more details.

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Comments (10)

MKenney writes: BigGeorgeAll,

Just make sure you glue the walnut veneers down to a piece of walnut. If all of the grain runs in the same direction, then you won't have any problems.

Matt
Posted: 8:37 am on April 15th

BillGeorgeAll writes: Thanks Matthew for a great article. I want to make a copy of a walnut chest of drawers I got from my mom. Your article solves one of the pieces of the puzzle. The drawer fronts have a 1/4" walnut veneer that has been glued to another species of solid wood. I always thought glueing veneer to solid wood was a no, no. Are there things I should do if I try this? Obviously it can be done as this piece has been around for many years.

Bill
Posted: 9:47 am on April 14th

MKenney writes: Jollyrodger,

Good question. I didn't use MDF. That's hardboard and I covered the side touching the boards (and glue) with packing tape, so it doesn't stick to the squeeze out.

Matt
Posted: 8:05 am on May 15th

Pedethili writes:
Posted: 4:37 am on May 15th

Jollyroger writes: Just a question...how did the squeeze out not stick to the MDF?
Posted: 10:48 pm on May 13th

harpmakerGA writes: I use this technique to glue up the two halves of my bookmatched harp backs. Yes, the weight on the joint is needed to keep the two thin boards from buckling.
Posted: 4:40 pm on May 13th

byhammerandhand writes: I've used the method suggested by Dimtick and it works quite well. I used nylon twine that had a little stretch to it and glued up 1/8" bookmatched panels for some stationery box lids.
Posted: 1:10 pm on May 6th

David5346 writes: Seth Janofsky (another College of the Redwoods alumnus) uses a similar technique. It was featured in an FWW article a few years ago about making veneered boxes. He uses wedges, sure, but he also lays newspaper over the glued-up pieces and places exercise weights atop them to ensure that they stay flat. Afterward, he scrapes off the dried glue and newsprint bits.
And if you really want to get technical, you could make the case that woodworkers lifted the wedge technique from the printing industry. Practically from Gutenberg's time, printers used wedges, called quoins, to hold the metal type pieces in place in a metal frame called a chase. I'm sure the original quoins were tapped in place with a mallet but probably sometime in the 19th century they were made of metal, with a series of teeth on one side. The teeth on the opposing wedges formed a rack gear; a tool similar to a chuck wrench was turned in the space between the quoins, moving them in opposite directions to tighten them against the type.
History aside, using wedges is a very elegant, cool technique. Thanks to Matt (and Anissa) for highlighting it again.
dh
Posted: 9:31 am on May 6th

Dimtick writes: There's another method that looks effective although I've never used it (wasn't feeling confident so went with 1/4" ply for my project). Look in the middle of this page. there's a system of boards with ropes & wedge boards. i think with this system you could glue all 9 boards at once. It does look like the ropes will damage the edges of the glue up panel so you'd have to give extra width so you could trim off any damage.
http://routenguitars.wordpress.com/page/2/


Posted: 9:07 am on May 6th

DWhitney writes: I've had good luck using simple wood clamping cauls also.
Posted: 10:36 pm on May 5th

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