Just completed a bunch of bridal joints. The tenons are loose by 1/32. I’ve heard Gorilla glue will expand to fit but some have said it’s not strong. Another method is to glue in a slice of veneer. I’ve got some iron-on veneer that is just the right thickness. Will the iron-on glue hold well enough to the tenon or should it be glued into place? Any suggestions are welcome?
English44
Replies
Don't even think about using Gorilla Glue! It will expand to fill the gap, but what you'll get is a gap filled with a very low-strength foam, not a solid glue joint. Either glue on a piece of veneer (the iron-on should be okay as long as you make sure it's firmly adhered), or use a good gap-filling glue, such as this one: http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=45104&cat=1,110,42965&ap=1
-Steve
Sometimes when a manufacturer says his glue is "gap filling", he's not saying it has mechanical properties across the gap, only that the glue is thick enough to cosmetically "fill" a gap. I don't know whether the glue mentioned fits this category or not. I just thought I'd mention this as a heads up. I would use hot hide glue in a joint like that. Epoxy would be a safe choice as well.Adam
Edited 4/13/2008 6:08 pm ET by AdamCherubini
In this case, the glue is supposed to be strong across the gap.
-Steve
Paul Here. I would reccommend "The Chair Doctor" Glue availble from Lee Valley. I does have gap filling properties with strength. Check it out.regards Paul
I think you mean Cabinet Maker's glue, not Chair Doctor (they make both).
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=1&cat=1,110,42965&p=45104
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=30261&cat=1,110Personally, I'd shim or use epoxy.
Edited 4/27/2008 5:26 pm ET by byhammerandhand
I use regular garden variety veneer (not iron-on) glued with Titebond at the same time that I glue the entire joint with the same adhesive. Works perfectly. Somehow I just don't trust iron-on adhesive to stand up to the demands of a M&T joint. Maybe it would, but why would I want to try?
David Ring
http://www.touchwood.co.il/?id=1&lang=e
I also was concerned about the holding power of the glue-on veneer as I've used it to band a plywood platform bed and it didn't hold up well. Why take the chance? But, expediency is very tempting. That's how I got in this problem in the first place. The loose tenons are a result of sloppy measuring. The stock I used for setting up the tenoning jig is ~1/32 wider than all the other pieces for the tenons and mortises. At least I think that's what happened. The older I get, the less exacting I am and then problems arise. Fortunately, it can be fixed.
By the way, I like the photos of your work. Very nice. Thanks.
I'd glue on the veneer, or fill the joint with epoxy.
I've got some glue-on veneer about 4 y/o. I'm going to take a small piece, glue over the glue and apply it to a scrap piece of wood to see how it adheres. I've also seen a 'fix' for this problem by cutting diagonally across the tenon and hammering in a wedge at glue-up time. These tenons are fairly large, 1 1/2" x 1" for a bridal joint in the legs for a storage bench in Poplar.
Why not just slice some wood through the bandsaw and cut pieces to fit. Then you can do the whole glue up thing at one time.
I don't have a band saw. Since the gap is not large, a shaving from a plane might suffice as well...Hell, maybe I'll just drive a couple of nails thru the sucker! That's the way we used to do it on the farm.
What a table saw? If careful, I can cut a 1/32nd off with the table saw, too.
At my age, I can shave 1/32 off my thumb! No problem! In fact, it seems the older I get (70+), the more fun it is correcting the mistakes I make, instead of getting it right the first time. Isn't that a sign of a true craftsman? I think so.
Thanks to all of you for the help...
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