Gluing up panels

Andy P Devon · 3 May 2020

Hi All,

After dimensioning my wood with hand tools, my next step is to glue pieces up for panels.
I joint the edges with my no.7 then apply glue to one or both edges (???)
I notice in the power tool world they use biscuits or dominos to add mechanical strength to the join. Is there any equivalent in the hand tool world or do we just rely on the glue strength?
Don't want to buy a biscuit cutter to 'infect' my hand tool world.
Andt

AndyT · 3 May 2020

From those who have run tests, the general consensus seems to be that dowels, biscuits, dominoes etc provide an aid to alignment but don't add strength. So keep it simple!

For much more detail, there's a sticky post in the Joinery and Cabinetmaking section by Custard:

how-to-edge-joint-t112936.html

Doug B · 3 May 2020

If you want to reinforce the joints & have a plough plane then run a groove in the mating surfaces, make a loose tongue to fit & glue together.

That said a rubbed glue joint should be strong enough for most panels when doing this I apply glue to one surface & simply bring the two mating surfaces together with a slight rubbing action then clamp.

thetyreman · 3 May 2020

I've never had a problem with strength jointing without biscuits, just using regular (not titebond) PVA white glue, a no7 plane and some clamps. It is worth following custards guide, it's excellent.

D_W · 3 May 2020

Andy P Devon":2p4j17r8 said:
Hi All,

After dimensioning my wood with hand tools, my next step is to glue pieces up for panels.
I joint the edges with my no.7 then apply glue to one or both edges (???)
I notice in the power tool world they use biscuits or dominos to add mechanical strength to the join. Is there any equivalent in the hand tool world or do we just rely on the glue strength?
Don't want to buy a biscuit cutter to 'infect' my hand tool world.
Andt

You can make splines or use tongue and groove or something but a sound glue joint won't fail and the others may actually be less strong. When using hand tools, we generally glue rough boards together first and then do all of the dimensioning. Biscuits are assembly tools so that two already finished boards can be glued together without leaving more than sanding error behind.