HerHusband wrote:

I want to glue up some scrap boards into panels, but the boards I
have are shorter than the panels I need. So, I'm curious if there
is an easy, and Inexpensive method of gluing boards end to end?

I'd like to glue up a couple of boards end to end. Then cut those
to width, and glue them side-to-side into panels (staggering end
joints, of course). Then I'll run the panel through my planer and
cut to size. That's the theory anyway....

I thought about getting a finger jointing router bit, but Rockler
wants $75 for one of those ($137 for the adjustable kind)! Ouch...
The wood isn't worth that much. I'm just trying to use up my
scraps, and then I won't need to do this anymore. So I don't want
to make a huge investment.

I thought about a tongue and groove, but that's a fair amount of
labor, and I'm not sure how it would look when I plane the panels
to thickness.

Also thought about cutting the two boards on a bevel, but wasn't
sure if that would really be any stronger than a simple end-to-end
butt joint. It would also be difficult to clamp up?

Any tips?


I've made a few things from glued up short pieces. There are two
tricks I'd say. One, best have several small staggered joints than one
large one. In that case the end joints need only be simple butt joints
because all the strength comes from the edge joints...

good bad
__ __ __ ________
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
|__| | | | |
| | |__| | |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
| | | | |________|
| | | | | |
| |__| | | |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
|__| | | | |
| | | | | |
| | |__| | |
| | | | |________|
| | | | | |
| |__| | | |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
|__|__|__| |________|

And two, all pieces must be EXACTLY the same width. I've used a router
table setup as shown below...

|
fence -- |
|__
| |
| | --wood
| |
| |
| |O --straight bit
| |
| |
| |
|__|
|
|

Machines each piece perfectly and each the exact same width.

Another concern is to chop the end of each piece as clean and square
as possible.

Gluing up can be tricky. Getting all glued and clamped and flat is a
lotta fun.

After it dries, run it through your planer and you'll have a spiffy
new panel with a bit of a hardwood floor look to it.

Hope that helps,

Joe Barta