Thread: Face gluing pine boards

Welcome to the forum.

laminating (what you call face gluing) is a harder ask than joining two boards edgewise. If you're thickening the timber for support strength, then your joint must be well executed and that includes being well clamped, along the entire width and length of the timber - if it isn't, then you will only get some of the benefits of a thicker timber.

The best joint of any two faces is when they are parallel in the full length and width of contact. For an edge-join that's a much smaller surface area so more likely to be OK. But you will get benefit if you can "joint" the edge face so that they are planar - depending on what equipment you have that could be an easy ask, or a more complex one, but it does help. The problem for you considering laminating is that any twists/bends/hollows/bumps will cause you to have voids and all kinds of woes that you have to adjust with clamping pressure - and even then you don't get all the benefit.

Personally, I'd just opt to buy a thicker stock to start, because that has to be simpler and less prone to failure (either in glue up or in use). In fact I'd prefer to use many narrower than 140mm boards to get to your total desired width than I would to use the thinner stock and try to laminate. Again, with more equipment you have more options, so you might want to elaborate on your facilities for more guidance. But if you're buying from BGS, then I'd opt for something like the 70x30 or 90x30 DAR options (or the 45mm thickness if you need even more meat) and build your width with multiples of that....

Thank you. That makes sense. Simpler option is always the better one. I don't have any planing tools at home except for a small block plane I might have to grab new timber from bunnings. That leaves me with just one questions. What do I use these edge glued 140mm board for? Need to figure out another project.

You could try some screws from underneath to pull it together. Or maybe park a car on them? You'd need a good amount of weight to make sure there is good contact between the pieces.

Have you got a picture of what you're trying to build?

I actually got a new piece of timber. 90 x 45mm. I will just use this to edge glue instead of laminating. I'll use the existing boards for something else. I don't have any planing equipment. As I said I am a beginner DIYer. I have a circular saw, random orbital sander, router and other hand tools.

Welcome to the Forum, Drumster.

Originally Posted by drumster

I actually got a new piece of timber. 90 x 45mm. I will just use this to edge glue instead of laminating. I'll use the existing boards for something else. I don't have any planing equipment. As I said I am a beginner DIYer. I have a circular saw, random orbital sander, router and other hand tools.

You are off to a good start. 90x45 and 90x35 pine studs are amongst the cheapest timber available, and good to use until you build your skills to justify more expensive stuff. Keep the 140mm stuff for another job.

The BGS tends to be rather expensive for timber and their quality control is rather variable. Put in a more precise location than "Melbourne" and some local members may be able to suggest better sources.

When I first started, I used and old door and screwed on battens to form jigs and then added parallel wedges in place of clamps. It worked, but made me think. Something like this in your job....

Parallel Wedges 2.jpg

Cling wrap stops your stuff getting glued to the bench. You have to be careful that the glued pieces do not lift up as you apply pressure. A light tap on the wedges applies a lot of pressure.

Originally Posted by GraemeCook

Welcome to the Forum, Drumster.



You are off to a good start. 90x45 and 90x35 pine studs are amongst the cheapest timber available, and good to use until you build your skills to justify more expensive stuff. Keep the 140mm stuff for another job.

The BGS tends to be rather expensive for timber and their quality control is rather variable. Put in a more precise location than "Melbourne" and some local members may be able to suggest better sources.

When I first started, I used and old door and screwed on battens to form jigs and then added parallel wedges in place of clamps. It worked, but made me think. Something like this in your job....

Parallel Wedges 2.jpg

Cling wrap stops your stuff getting glued to the bench. You have to be careful that the glued pieces do not lift up as you apply pressure. A light tap on the wedges applies a lot of pressure.

Thank you for the tips. Love the door jig; however, I don't have enough space for such a large jig!

That cling wrap example saved me! I had just edge glued the two panels and it was lying on an mdf work surface and it had stuck! However, there was still time to remove it. Very rookie mistake.

I have noticed the timber in bunnings is expensive. Especially when you see some American youtube videos, I always wonder where they get their timber so cheap! Would love some suggestions on places for cheaper timber near Mordialloc.

Originally Posted by drumster

Thank you for the tips. Love the door jig; however, I don't have enough space for such a large jig!...

Me either, then. The door just stood in a corner, behind a real door. When used I just laid it on top of a pair of folding Workmates.

I would put a pair of Workmates fairly high on a wish list - older ones are better than current models! So scout around. Clean ones seem to go around $40, more for the ones with cast aluminium frames.

I would also get a first hand plane fairly soon - my "go to" plane is a number 5, which I can use as both a smoother and a jack plane - with 2 blades - add a third blade and I could use it as a scrub plane. [Search this website - there has been a lot of informed discussion on this issue. Not everyone agrees with me. But that's fine.]

I always wonder where they get their timber so cheap! Would love some suggestions on places for cheaper timber near Mordialloc.

There is always the price/quality trade off. Some one should help - I am too far away.

Thought I would report back here with the finished project photos. Finished the bench with a walnut stain and polyurethane topcoat. PXL_20201018_060420171.jpg

Thats worked out pretty good and you have learned a few things along the way. Welcome to woodworking.
Regards
John