Thread: Gluing mitre joint keys or slip feathers

I think those keys are too thin to do any more than look good but on a really small box I guess it's probably looks first. I usually just use the table saw kerf size to keep things simple.
As for getting glue in to tight spaces thin CA is the go. I really likes to wick it's way in to tight spots.
Another way is trim down a small brush and try to work the glue into the slot. Would be best to tape up corners first to avoid overspill.
Regards
John.

Nothing to offer on getting glue into the saw cuts as such other than a glue coated piece of copy paper or similar swiped through the cut, but I would be taping the corners to collect excess glue spread to keep it off the surfaces. I would suggest doing so before you make the cuts to get 100% coverage, then gingerly cut through the tape while making the cuts. Another option might be a base coat of blond shellac or sanding sealer applied before sawing, which should also protect against squeezeout.

Grab an old table knife and grind it thin . Or artist supply places sell thin flexible palette knives for painting which work well .

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com...db37189b31.jpg
Rob

Use a piece of blue painters tape first. Grind/stick it down very well with the pads of your fingers. Really get it stuck on.

Then make the cut. Put in your big triangle of feather and using thin CA glue, touch the edges of the feather. It will wick it right in. Blow it dry and after it flashes give it a fine mist of accelerator.

Remove the tape, trim the feather with a sharp chisel and voilà...

I use this trick to fix chairs, boxes and other crappy edges, including poorly joined mitres.

edit: Here is a video from Rob Cosman showing this technique.... watch the video, but here is the skip straight to it: https://youtu.be/ei_Jq9Z_vAo?t=895

Good Morning Dengy

PVA is fine - almost always stronger than the wood, so your feather is largely decorative. You can get interesting effects by:

• having more feather on one surface than the other,
• Varying the lengths of feather on one surface - eg staggered .
• Varying angle of feather - eg 60* rather than the standard 90*.
• Groups of feathers.
• Matching or contrasting wood colours.

Lots of options; its a big field.

My technique is:

1. Mask well around slot,
2. Use a small strip of photocopy paper, folded length-wise for stiffness, to work PVA glue into all surfaces in slot,
3. Lightly smear PVA onto feather and insert into slot firmly. Important that you have Pva on all surfaces as guard against dry joints and it slips in easier,
4. When glue dry (30+ mins) remove tape and obvious excess glue,
5. Next day, with sharp chisel or block, plane trim feather flush,
6. Smooth plane surfaces to remove any visible marks, excess glue and to ensure mitres are fair.
7. Scrape or sand and apply finish.

Fair winds

Graeme

I think those keys are too thin to do any more than look good but on a really small box I guess it's probably looks first.

I have to disagree. Because mitre joints are 'almost' end grain, this type of joint by itself is relatively weak. However, because the stress in slipfeathers is along the grain, they add immensely to the strength. Try pulling a piece of veneer apart along the grain.
I regularly use slipfeathers of ~0.5mm thickness. I mask around them with wax before cutting the slots. I use the flat nozzle of the glue bottle to put a blob of glue into the slot and a little bit on the slipfeather, then push it in with the slipfeather. When it's dry, squeeze-out can be peeled off with a chisel and the wax cleaned up with white spirits.

Thanks for this info, Alex. What glue do you use, for it to get right in to such a tiny slot?

Would you approve covering the area with blue painters glue before cutting the slot, instead of waxing?

I use Titebond II, it won't run in of its own accord, but it goes in as you push the feather in.
Can't see why painters tape wouldn't work.

Hi Dengue,

I use a hypodermic syringe to get glue into these small spaces. I buy them on eBay. Currently I'm using a blunt-ended needle rather than a sharp (you can buy them this way) filled with TiteBond II. By keeping the cap on over the needle between uses one syring and needle seems to last a long time.

cheers,

Brian

Thans for this suggesion, homey, sounds the way to go. Not being up on syringes ( I shut my eyes when the Dr or Dentist comes near me with one of them), how do you fill them, and how much does each syringe hold? Can you please give me some idea of the OD of the needle at the pointy end? Are the syringe and needle separate? Pl excuse the ignorance

Originally Posted by homey

Hi Dengue,

I use a hypodermic syringe to get glue into these small spaces. .....

I used to use hypodermics, and confirm that they work really well.

With squeeze out of glue, you still have to mask and/or sand scrape off glue marks.

For a small number of feathers, say less than twenty, its hardly worth the hassle of getting a needle, filling it, doing the job. In this case my 'folded paper" technique is easier.


Cheers

Graeme

Hi Dengue,

I actually use the hypos mainly for putting glue into the recesses for inlay banding on boxes. I buy mine on eBay from "shawn-duddrige" here: (100) 23G x 1.25 inch Terumo Needles / Medical Hypodermic Syringe Tips - Sharps | eBay

The syringes and needles are sold separately, but very low cost overall. Normally I use 18g needles which are around 1.2mm but the 23g needles are 0.6 mm. Pls see the chart at the bottom of this page: -(40) 18G x 1.5" BLUNT Hypodermic Needles / DRAWING Syringe Needle Tips - Sharps | eBay

I load by pulling the plunger right out of the back of the syringe then shoving the Titebond nozzle into the body of the hypo and squeezing. As you can tell, I am am man of finesse! Using Titebond II I finish up by drawing the plunger back so the needle is cleared of glue, then put the needle cover on to protect it from drying up. The hypoderminc plunger tends to get a bit stuck in position due to the glue, but a bit of brute force usually shifts it. I will try a dab of vaseline next time to see if this keeps the rubber O-ring on the plunger from sticking.

Since the costs are low I have no problem with replacing a needle or syringe if it clogs.

I don't claim this method is perfect, but it does seem to give me better control of small amounts of glue in tight situations.

BTW, always enjoy your posts, Dengue. I'm off to the UK in April to spend a week or so with Andrew Crawford - hoping to learn lots more about fine boxmaking.

best regards,

Brian

Would this do the job?

https://www.carbatec.com.au/joinery-...pt-glue-bottle

Homey,
Do you gave a current web address for Andrew Crawford? Every link goes to an error message.
Cheers - Peter