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When to finish and glue is personal preference based on experience.
The top should be fine if it’s just shy of 3/4”
As to glue-up, break it down into small components to the extent you can.
Does the book provide you with any guidance on gluing sub-assemblies?
If so, use those.
Do several dry runs—practice assembly and glue-up without glue.
And don’t sweat it—everyone does a ‘biggest’ project at one time or another. Those are often followed by some other ‘biggest’ project.
Rinse and repeat.
Gary
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Thank you all for all the tips and advice so far - definitely gives me more confidence to move forward with the project. I am sure I will be coming back if I get stuck in the process.
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Regarding fastening the top. Yes. you need to allow for movement. Good suggestions above. What is frequently overlooked when fastening tops are the stresses applied when moving. It is easy to fasten a top down, but what happens when someone tries to move the piece. The first thing they grab is the edge of the top and lift up. So, be sure to use enough fasteners to support everything under the top.
One thing you can do to prevent glue squeeze-out problems is to apply blue tape on the surfaces adjacent to the joint so that any glue that squeezes out will get on the tape and be easily removed.
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(03-12-2019, 06:47 PM)Gary G™ Wrote: Do several dry runs—practice assembly and glue-up without glue.
^^^^^
Good advice.
Once you've put it together a few times, you will have a much better understanding of the sequence of events and the timing required. Practice until you are comfortable making it permanent. Have all your clamps and cauls strategically staged, so as to be within easy reach and also be pre-adjusted, based on what you are clamping.
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If you are going to stain the project consider using dye instead of stain. The use of dye before gluing will color the wood and prevent the uncolored area if glue gets on it and staining later. The dye will not affect the glue bond like a stain will. Roly
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(03-13-2019, 06:38 AM)Roly Wrote: If you are going to stain the project consider using dye instead of stain. The use of dye before gluing will color the wood and prevent the uncolored area if glue gets on it and staining later. The dye will not affect the glue bond like a stain will. Roly
Roly,
I am not staining it, but I will note the tip for future projects.
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08-29-2019, 12:19 PM
Well, managed to screw up during a glue up - was not paying attention
I need a looking for a way to fix this mess. While gluing this one desk section, i should have added the raised panel and the style, but failed to do so. Can someone please offer a solution.
https://flic.kr/p/2h7ooa7
https://flic.kr/p/2h7qVuw
https://flic.kr/p/2h7qVpw
https://flic.kr/p/2h7qVvi
I was thinking to chisel out that notch #3 top and bottom and slide the panel in - then cut off the tenon part on both ends of the style and maybe use splines to glue them in.
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(08-29-2019, 12:19 PM)Cpl_Eyeball Wrote: Well, managed to screw up during a glue up - was not paying attention
I need a looking for a way to fix this mess. While gluing this one desk section, i should have added the raised panel and the style, but failed to do so. Can someone please offer a solution.
https://flic.kr/p/2h7ooa7
https://flic.kr/p/2h7qVuw
https://flic.kr/p/2h7qVpw
https://flic.kr/p/2h7qVvi
I was thinking to chisel out that notch #3 top and bottom and slide the panel in - then cut off the tenon part on both ends of the style and maybe use splines to glue them in.
Not sure I understand exactly the orientation but if I do then I would route away the dado on the non-show side of one or both of the rails so you can install the panel and the stile, or is it a muntin? If it has stub tenons that fit into that dado then there's no need to cut them off; just glue it in place on the one side of the tenon. After it's dry, glue in filler pieces to replace the dado sections you routed away. No one but you will know.
John
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(08-29-2019, 02:25 PM)jteneyck Wrote: Not sure I understand exactly the orientation but if I do then I would route away the dado on the non-show side of one or both of the rails so you can install the panel and the stile, or is it a muntin? If it has stub tenons that fit into that dado then there's no need to cut them off; just glue it in place on the one side of the tenon. After it's dry, glue in filler pieces to replace the dado sections you routed away. No one but you will know.
John
I guess a muntin is the correct name for it rather than than stile. I hope this pic makes it clearer, but I think you are on to something.
https://flic.kr/p/2h7vE8z