Hi. After all these years I've never had the occasion to glue up a
large panel. Well now's my chance. I've done small ones that turned out
fine, but there's no chance of a do-over this time because I'll be consuming
most of my 100 year old pine. This is for a captain's bed headboard and
footboard. Both panels will be over 30" wide, roughly dimensioned.

I lay the boards on my pipe clamps and just sitting there, some of them
mate perfectly with their neighbours. But one or two boards have the
slightest bow. I'm thinking I can clamp a pair of pine cauls on each edge
to pull them back. I'll cover the seams with wax paper so I don't end up
gluing the cauls to the panel with the squeeze-out. Any objections?

I won't be staining this wood, but I haven't decided on a finish.
(Please help me do that.) Should I apply the finish to the outer surfaces
first, before the glue-up, so the squeeze-out doesn't doesn't fill in the
pores? I see Norm always wiping it away with a damp sponge, like the
instructions on the bottle, but I can never seem to get at what's under the
pipe clamps. This time there will be 11 of them, alternating under and over
the panel. What do you usually do?

I've got half a bottle of Lee Valley cabinet maker's glue left, and a
new bottle of yellow carpenter's glue. (Side question; is there any
difference between LV cabinet maker's glue and Titebond III? It's almost
irrelevant because I can't find Titebond III anywhere around Ottawa except
LV.) Since this is such a visible part of the project, should I prefer
white glue?

Finally, this project is going to have to have a rustic look, because
these boards were reclaimed from a demolition; they were the walls of an old
house, and are full of nail holes and gouges. I intend to post some
pictures of the bedpost blanks I've prepared to a.b.p.w, since I'm quite
proud of them. But a few of the boards destined for these large panels have
some ugly looking tearouts, gouges where the aggressive contractor must have
used a crowbar. And there are a few large knots and splits threatening to
leave the scene later. I'm thinking about filling them with epoxy. Good
idea? Bad idea? Alternatives? Should I learn to make a dutchman? Too
many questions?

Without advice I'll muddle through. With it, perhaps the results will
be that much better. I tend to be a perfectionist, so I really have to be
careful not to overdo it this time. Otherwise my son will probably be grown
up before I finish it for him. My goal is to make some progress of any kind
every day until it's done. So far I'm working without a design, but the
ideas are really gelling so very soon I'll commit it to paper, since I think
not knowing the exact next step each time is what's slowing me down the
most.)

Yesterday my wife accused me of being passionate about woodworking. I
like that!

Thanks for all your help!

- Owen -