Edge jointing - do you plane in a hollow?

[fobos8]

Hello all

I just read a great article in this months British Woodworking magazine. John Lloyd edge joints boards for table tops and planes in a miniscule hollow or concave section in the middle area of boards before joining them.

He does't apear to wholeheartedly back the theory behind doing it though. I got the impression that he thinks that it just makes clamping easier.

I'm interested to know if members have a preference to join their boards with straight edges or if there's a preference to plane in a small hollow? Of those who join them with straight edges have you encountered any problems of splitting at the ends of the table or any other problem?

Best regards, Andrew

 

[Chems]

I've read it a lot of times, Chris Swartz does it and says its easier for clamping. Thomas McDonald does it, I personally don't, when it comes off the planer if its straight it will go together fine in my experience.

 

[Ironballs]

I'm just happy if I can see no light through it and the two faces are square. My skills are not yet at the point where I can plane a fag paper thickness hollow in the middle of the board

 

[Mr Ed]

I do it, but it is literally just a couple of shavings.

Ed

 

[Waka]

I do it, but it is literally just a couple of shavings.

Ed

Me too and it works quite well.

 

[Paul Chapman]

I do it, but it is literally just a couple of shavings.

Ed

Me too and it works quite well.

Me too. The biggest danger is planing the boards convex, which is easy to do. To avoid this it's best to do some stop shavings and then one or two full length shavings, which should leave you with a tiny hollow. As Ed said, the hollow should only be one or two shavings deep.

David Charlesworth explains it all very well in his books and DVDs.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[OPJ]

I've also started doing it because it does seem to make gluing up that much easier. My other reason is that I can put two boards in a vice, face-to-face, and shoot the edges 'square' (as John also describes in that article). Although the rippled machine finish doesn't bother me, my thicknesser can put the edges out of square, which is why I find this step very important (you get a flatter panel with less cleaning up to do later).

 

[woodbloke]

This is how I join two boards together as well...coupla skinny stop shavings off the middle on each one, starting and stopping maybe 50mm or so from the ends - Rob

 

[Alf]

Me four, or fifth - I lost count. As Paul says, it avoids the total no-no of planing a convex edge.

Cheers, Alf

 

[Wood Monkey]

So is this what we call a spring joint?

I attended a course and part of it was to show you this technique. The hollow is tiny, barely visible even with a bright light and a quality straight edge.

Jon

 

[woodbloke]

So is this what we call a spring joint?

I attended a course and part of it was to show you this technique. The hollow is tiny, barely visible even with a bright light and a quality straight edge.

Jon

The traditional and oft quoted expression is the 'thickness of a fag paper'...however thick that is :duno: - Rob

 

[wizer]

yes I do it, but never intentionally! :shock: Tho technically I think you might call it a ding or a dent. :lol: Not sure it's of any use when jointing :-k

 

[Paul Chapman]

the 'thickness of a fag paper'...however thick that is :duno:

Depends whether they are Rizla Blue, Green or Red papers. For real precision stuff, go with the Blue 8) :lol:

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[fobos8]

many thanks for the replies. Seems that most people do it so will give it a go then.

Cheers, Andrew

 

[woodbloke]

yes I do it, but never intentionally! :shock: Tho technically I think you might call it a ding or a dent. :lol:

...or a 'Wizer' :lol:

Hope all goes well with the op Tom. By the time you're out of hospital my post count may be higher than yours :^o - Rob

 

[DaveL]

the 'thickness of a fag paper'...however thick that is :duno:

Depends whether they are Rizla Blue, Green or Red papers. For real precision stuff, go with the Blue 8) :lol:

Blues are less than a thou, used to set the mag timing on my old A10 with them. 8)