Thread: Glueing up.

This may be a little simplistic for some.

It occurred to me to keep a record of glueing up the two Military cabinets. In part, I always look for feedback to improve methods. And in part, it may help someone what to do - or what not to do! - as glueing together dovetailed cabinets can be a little unnerving.

I left off last weekend at this stage - a dry fit of the two cabinets ...



Here I present the right hand cabinet, which will have three drawers and three shelves ...



Glue? I am using Titebond III. It has about 15 minutes of open time, and is required to be clamped for 30 minutes for the initial bond.

The internal "seen" surfaces (around the shelves) have been scraped. All other internal surfaces are planes flat and smoothed but scratches and scrapes are left be. They will never be seen.

The clamps are ready, the glue bottle is clean. I have made up a fresh bunch of spatulas.

I make glue spatulas from an old, broken, cheap tape measure ...



I start with the sides:



I only add glue to one side, not both. I find it easier to place the glue on the pin board as there is a wide area, and it can be plastered on evenly and completely.

First one side ...



Then the other ...



And lastly the centre (even if it is end grain) ...



The clamps do double duty. As the boards warp a little and are no longer as straight as they were when first built, the clamps pull the join into alignment. Secondly, by angling the clamps you are able to alter the pressure on the sides and square up the angle.



Next the centre divider is glued in. Glue runs the full length of the stopped dado, and I add a little more for the undercut edge. I am never sure whether one should leave an unglued section for expansion here?



I clean up with tepid water as I go.

Now the top can be added ...