Edge joining
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- This topic has 7 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 9 years, 7 months ago by rickcorradini.
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1 October 2014 at 2:18 am #118740
Iām unable to get timber wide enough for the tool chest build (300mm) I can get 190mm wide, does it make a difference if I join 150mm to 150mm or 190 to 110?
1 October 2014 at 4:41 am #118748I believe it does matter.
If you join equal width boards the glue line will run all around the box at the same level. Creating a potential area for failure that could result in the separation of the two halves of the box. If you use unequal width boards the glue line can be staggered. Even though glue failure is very rare, it’s still good practice to stagger your joint lines when possible. IMHO.1 October 2014 at 9:14 pm #118792Greg, do you mean that equal board sides create equal glue lines, that create equal opposite forces, that may separate the two halves??
Ricardo, if you join two 6 inch boards together they would be 12 inches wide, if you made a dovetailed box with those, then the glue line would be at the same place all around the box. This was/is frowned upon in wood working circles for the reasons Greg explained, potential glue failure or weakening of the join would create a problem in the structural integrity of the box. I’m guessing this was a more serious issue during the era when they just used joinery without glue for furniture construction. I don’t worry about it because I’ve tried to split boards that were edge glued and the wood breaks before the glue line does, this in combination with good dovetails I think the box is going to outlast the woodworker. (No offence Greg!) š
2 October 2014 at 12:34 am #118798Nothing as scientific as that Ricardo. Like Dave points out, this stems from the days before PVA glue. When using hide glue, which can be reversed, a box that has a joint line running around the perimeter at the same level has the potential for complete failure if the glue fails. If the joint line is offset, the joinery should keep the box together in the event of glue failure.
Admittedly, this was a greater concern in the days of hide glue and before air-conditioning. In the hot humid days of summer the hide glue could soften and create a potential failure. I’ve never seen PVA glue fail. So it’s not a great concern if that is what you are using.
Personally, I try to never have joint lines at the same level on case construction. It maybe overkill but defer to tradition on this one.
(No offense given nor taken Dave. We should never hesitate to state our opinions)
2 October 2014 at 2:12 am #118802Now I understand what you mean. Thank you both for the explanation.
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