Replies

1. 
   UncleDunc | Dec 16, 2002 04:53am | #1

   Sealing the wood before you cut the joints should work just fine. Sealing the surfaces to be glued would not be a good thing. If the sealer keeps the squeeze-out from sticking, it will also keep the intentional glue from sticking. You'll probably have to add another coat of sealer after you clean up the glued joints, unless you work to a very high degree of accuracy.

1. 
   BG | Dec 16, 2002 01:48pm | #3

   Uncle,

   That's interesting, seal the wood before cutting the fingers.  My joints are fairly tight...do you think it would work to assemble dry...place in vertical position..and wipe on a little sealer on the outside of the joint only? I realize that the sealer would need to be applied again after planing and sanding the joint...but at least the yellow glue would not have absorbed into the wood.  Thanks

2. 
   Splintie | Dec 16, 2002 08:46am | #2

   Cover the fingers with tape, finish the insides, then wipe some paste wax next to the tape. The dried glue will simply pop off by running an X-acto knife down the "V" the joint forms. Remove the tape and glue up. I make a few hundred trays and boxes a year like this (though with mitered joints); works great, very clean. 

1. 
   BG | Dec 16, 2002 02:00pm | #4

   Splinte,

   Thanks. 

   If I remember correctly, you laminate quite a bit to make fancy patterns in the table tops, etc.  Do you use tape on all the ajoining pieces to avoid squeeze out...or just sand the hell out of it afterwards? thanks

1. 
   Splintie | Dec 17, 2002 09:41am | #8

   On the laminated pieces, i let the poly glue foam into mountains, grind it back with 50 grit on my 24" drum sander. Yet another thing i love about poly glue--it doesn't wreck my belts. Doesn't work for boxes, though... 

2. 
   eximreb | Dec 17, 2002 04:41pm | #9

   BG I use a yellow glue and as I finish clamping I take a damp face washing rag & completely wash the glue off. I also plan on sanding when I unclamp the thing any way so try it.

   Bohiemian

3. 
   NormInFujino | Dec 16, 2002 06:12pm | #5

   I'm only an amateur, but I also do not like the yellow glue, both for its bubbly nature and the residue. If your project is an indoor project that's not exposed to much water, I'd go with the ordinary white stuff.

   ". . .and only the stump or fishy part of him remained."

   Green Gables: A Contemplative Companion to Fujino Township

4. 
   HowardAcheson | Dec 16, 2002 07:58pm | #6

   There is little difference between yellow PVA adhesive and white PVA adhesive. The white was first then reformulated to have more tack and faster set time. The new stuff was colored yellow to differentiate it from the white. The white has virtually the same strength with a longer open time.

   Now, my question. Are you going to put a finish on your item? If so, no matter what glue you use, it will become visiable if you do not fully remove all the residue.

1. 
   BG | Dec 16, 2002 09:30pm | #7

   Howie,

   Yes, I will be putting a golden oak/oil finish on the piece (tool cabinet).  The finger joints will be planed and probably sanded.  What I don't want to see when I finish is any little yellow lines in the joints.  Normally, I can avoid that but with all these joints so close I thought I'd ask how the professionals do it.  Thanks

5. 
   ChipTam | Dec 17, 2002 06:15pm | #10

   I've done a lot of small boxes and drawers using finger joints and always use 2-ton epoxy in the small tubes for the glue.  Epoxy has a lot of advantages.  It has a long open time and is water-proof. It doesn't bubble up all over the place like poly glues.  Also, if a small fleck of epoxy is missed in the clean-up the amber color of the epoxy doesn't telegraph through the finish like yellow glue does.  Finally, I usually pre-finish the interiors prior to glue-up.  While I try to avoid getting the finish on the joints themselves, the bond will not be affected if some of the finish migrates into the joint area.

1. 
   BG | Dec 17, 2002 07:54pm | #11

   Chiptam,

   I've never worked with epoxy.  What is this 2 ton stuff, and does it come premixed?  I looked on woodcraft and highland's web site and could not connect your description to theor products. Help, thanks 

1. 
   ChipTam | Dec 18, 2002 02:28pm | #12

   BG,

   You should be able to find 2-ton epoxy at any hardware store.  It comes in two small tubes which you mix together as needed.  You'll find it right next to the 5-minute epoxy.  However, I would avoid the 5-minute epoxy.  It sets up too fast and doesn't have the strenght of the 2-ton epoxy.

1. 
   BG | Dec 18, 2002 04:06pm | #13

   Chiptam,

   Thanks, I did go over to Woodcraft yesterday and took a look at their selection.  Also, I did a Google and found some slow acting epoxy...about an hour open time and 24 hour setup time.

   Woodcraft is having a demonstration in Jan. and I'm going to go to that.  I just finished sanding the box joints and filling the voids with sawdust and glue.  There are close to 90 box joints and maybe 10-12 that are narrower than the rest (scratches head).  If I had used epoxy would those spaces have been filled?...and the corollary question, would the seam look good?

1. 
   ChipTam | Dec 18, 2002 05:14pm | #14

   BG,

   I'm not sure I understand your question correctly but here's an attempt at some additional input.  Epoxy has very good gap filling ability and, because of all of the surface area you have with finger joints, it's unlikely that you'll experience a structural failure if the joint is less than perfect.  On the other hand, for appearance sake you would want the joint to fit together properly.  Epoxy is not going to hide big gaps or tear-outs.  If the joint fits together right you should only need a very thin film of epoxy on each finger.  Also, I usually don't put any epoxy on the inner third of the joint.  That way, you avoid having to do clean-up on the inside of the box.  Finally, check out your local hardware store for this epoxy.  Woodcraft may carry something similar but I know you can get it at hardware stores and the big box stores.

2. 
   BG | Dec 18, 2002 06:31pm | #15

   Sorry for the confusing message.  The gaps I have in the fingers run between 1/64-1/128 "...of course, I would like to make them look like the joints are tighter.  So I'm applying a touch of glue and rubbing saw dust in the gaps....works well.  I was asking (or at least thinking) what the gaps would look like with epoxy, and could I still do the saw dust trick...or would I have a thick line of epoxy?  Does that make sense? 

3. 
   ChipTam | Dec 18, 2002 07:35pm | #16

   BG,

   Epoxy should look better on those gaps than any other type of glue because the amber color generally blends in with the color of the finish. For a few tiny gaps of 1/64" or less I've used thin wedges of wood rather than saw dust.  Use a razor saw or some other type of fine saw to cut the wedges to proper thickness.   Orient the grain of the wedge the same as the finger.  After the box is assembled lightly tap the wedges in the gaps leaving the wedges slightly proud.   After sanding, the wedges will be impossible to see.