"Jack Stein" wrote in message
...
Tom Watson wrote:

When I glue up solid wood panels I pay a lot of attention to stock
prep. Eliminate all cup, crook and bow on the jointer, or with a
plane. Get everything to the same thickness by making a final pass
through the planer or sander using the same setup for all the stock to
be machined. Rip all the pieces with a blade that will give you a
glue line edge.

At this point, I definitely have no need for anything but glue, clamps and
cauls. Hardly need cauls if everything is prepped to perfection.

I machine biscuit slots about two inches in from a line that coincides
with what the finished ends will be and about every twelve inches
throughout the length. I use one biscuit on the centerline for boards
up to about 5/4 and a pair of biscuits set no less than 1/4 from the
faces above that thickness.

Wow!

Here is where I differ from what some guys do:
In my opinion, and it is only an opinion but it is based on
observation and experience; I don't count on the biscuits for
strength, I think the glue line provides the strength.

Yet you put one (or two) every 12"?

It's for face alignment during the glue up, not strength afterward. There's
nothing scientific about it. For an edge joint 3' or 4' long, 3 biscuits
"feels" too few; 4 biscuits works out to about a foot or so between each; 5
feels a bit over done.