Float or glue plywood panels?
 

I am making cabinet doors with 1/4" Birch plywood panels grooved into a
Poplar frame.

I was wondering whether I still need to keep the panel floating if it is
plywood since plywood is relatively dimensionally stable and since it
will be aligned with the grain of the Poplar frame along the stiles and
rails.

So is it ok to glue? Or must they float?
(Or is there a middle ground where say I can put a dab of glue along the
mid-section of each of the panel sides)

Float or glue plywood panels?
 

"blueman" wrote in message
...
I am making cabinet doors with 1/4" Birch plywood panels grooved into a
Poplar frame.

I was wondering whether I still need to keep the panel floating if it is
plywood since plywood is relatively dimensionally stable and since it
will be aligned with the grain of the Poplar frame along the stiles and
rails.

So is it ok to glue? Or must they float?
(Or is there a middle ground where say I can put a dab of glue along the
mid-section of each of the panel sides)

It's OK to glue plywood panels and there are some benefits to doing
so.
1. They won't rattle if you made the groove too wide.
2. They won't shift over time exposing an unfinished stripe on the edge.
3. It will help keep a door with narrow rails/stiles from racking & breaking.
Art

Float or glue plywood panels?
 

On Sat, 17 Dec 2011 17:17:51 -0500, blueman wrote:

I am making cabinet doors with 1/4" Birch plywood panels grooved into a
Poplar frame.

I was wondering whether I still need to keep the panel floating if it is
plywood since plywood is relatively dimensionally stable and since it
will be aligned with the grain of the Poplar frame along the stiles and
rails.

So is it ok to glue? Or must they float?
(Or is there a middle ground where say I can put a dab of glue along the
mid-section of each of the panel sides)

The panel may be stable but the Poplar isn't.
--
Jack Novak
Buffalo, NY - USA

Float or glue plywood panels?
 

Nova writes:

On Sat, 17 Dec 2011 17:17:51 -0500, blueman wrote:

I am making cabinet doors with 1/4" Birch plywood panels grooved into a
Poplar frame.

I was wondering whether I still need to keep the panel floating if it is
plywood since plywood is relatively dimensionally stable and since it
will be aligned with the grain of the Poplar frame along the stiles and
rails.

So is it ok to glue? Or must they float?
(Or is there a middle ground where say I can put a dab of glue along the
mid-section of each of the panel sides)

The panel may be stable but the Poplar isn't.

But the Poplar is aligned with the plywood along the grain length and I thought most expansion/contraction was across the grain...

Float or glue plywood panels?
 

Float with some gasket or silicone caulk on the backs.

------

"blueman" wrote in message ...

I am making cabinet doors with 1/4" Birch plywood panels grooved into a
Poplar frame.

I was wondering whether I still need to keep the panel floating if it
is
plywood since plywood is relatively dimensionally stable and since it
will be aligned with the grain of the Poplar frame along the stiles and
rails.

So is it ok to glue? Or must they float?
(Or is there a middle ground where say I can put a dab of glue along
the
mid-section of each of the panel sides)

Float or glue plywood panels?
 

"blueman" wrote in message
...
Nova writes:

On Sat, 17 Dec 2011 17:17:51 -0500, blueman wrote:

I am making cabinet doors with 1/4" Birch plywood panels grooved into a
Poplar frame.

I was wondering whether I still need to keep the panel floating if it is
plywood since plywood is relatively dimensionally stable and since it
will be aligned with the grain of the Poplar frame along the stiles and
rails.

So is it ok to glue? Or must they float?
(Or is there a middle ground where say I can put a dab of glue along the
mid-section of each of the panel sides)

The panel may be stable but the Poplar isn't.

But the Poplar is aligned with the plywood along the grain length and I thought
most expansion/contraction was across the grain...

Correct. Unless you built it bass ackwards with the grain running from
inside to outside for artistic reasons.
Art

Float or glue plywood panels?
 

"blueman" wrote in message
...
I am making cabinet doors with 1/4" Birch plywood panels grooved into a
Poplar frame.

I was wondering whether I still need to keep the panel floating if it is
plywood since plywood is relatively dimensionally stable and since it
will be aligned with the grain of the Poplar frame along the stiles and
rails.

So is it ok to glue? Or must they float?
(Or is there a middle ground where say I can put a dab of glue along the
mid-section of each of the panel sides)

no glue, just spaceballs. See link: http://www.spaceballs.com/

Float or glue plywood panels?
 

On 12/17/2011 4:17 PM, blueman wrote:
I am making cabinet doors with 1/4" Birch plywood panels grooved into a
Poplar frame.

I was wondering whether I still need to keep the panel floating if it is
plywood since plywood is relatively dimensionally stable and since it
will be aligned with the grain of the Poplar frame along the stiles and
rails.

So is it ok to glue? Or must they float?
(Or is there a middle ground where say I can put a dab of glue along the
mid-section of each of the panel sides)

Not necessary to glue but prefinish the panels prior to glue up.

That said it can be difficult to not glue them in place during glue up.
The squeeze out in the joint will more than likely get on to the panel
also.

And as Woodstuff mentioned, spaceballs will solve a lot of your concerns.

Float or glue plywood panels?
 

On 12/19/11 6:52 AM, Leon wrote:
On 12/17/2011 4:17 PM, blueman wrote:
I am making cabinet doors with 1/4" Birch plywood panels grooved into a
Poplar frame.

I was wondering whether I still need to keep the panel floating if it is
plywood since plywood is relatively dimensionally stable and since it
will be aligned with the grain of the Poplar frame along the stiles and
rails.

So is it ok to glue? Or must they float?
(Or is there a middle ground where say I can put a dab of glue along the
mid-section of each of the panel sides)

Not necessary to glue but prefinish the panels prior to glue up.

That said it can be difficult to not glue them in place during glue up.
The squeeze out in the joint will more than likely get on to the panel
also.

And as Woodstuff mentioned, spaceballs will solve a lot of your concerns.


The latest Wood Magazine Tip shows cutting small pieces of foam caulk
backer rod to make your own space balls.


--

-MIKE-

"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
http://mikedrums.com

---remove "DOT" ^^^^ to reply

Float or glue plywood panels?
 

On Mon, 19 Dec 2011 12:21:07 -0600, -MIKE-
wrote:

On 12/19/11 6:52 AM, Leon wrote:
On 12/17/2011 4:17 PM, blueman wrote:
I am making cabinet doors with 1/4" Birch plywood panels grooved into a
Poplar frame.

I was wondering whether I still need to keep the panel floating if it is
plywood since plywood is relatively dimensionally stable and since it
will be aligned with the grain of the Poplar frame along the stiles and
rails.

So is it ok to glue? Or must they float?
(Or is there a middle ground where say I can put a dab of glue along the
mid-section of each of the panel sides)


If you ever want to disassemble the frame for some reason, you would
let the panel float. Otherwise you can glue if you prefer.


Not necessary to glue but prefinish the panels prior to glue up.

Yes.


And as Woodstuff mentioned, spaceballs will solve a lot of your concerns.


The latest Wood Magazine Tip shows cutting small pieces of foam caulk
backer rod to make your own space balls.

Or you can just squirt out a rope of silicone caulking on some wax
paper, let dry, then cut into pieces to get a similar result.

Float or glue plywood panels?
 

"blueman" wrote:

I am making cabinet doors with 1/4" Birch plywood panels grooved into
a
Poplar frame.
----------------------------------
I'd use at least 3/8" or 1/2" for panels and rabbit the edges.
-----------------------------------
I was wondering whether I still need to keep the panel floating if
it is
plywood since plywood is relatively dimensionally stable and since
it
will be aligned with the grain of the Poplar frame along the stiles
and
rails.
-----------------------------------
Why glue the panels?

Lew

Float or glue plywood panels?
 

And as Woodstuff mentioned, spaceballs will solve a lot of your concerns.


The latest Wood Magazine Tip shows cutting small pieces of foam caulk
backer rod to make your own space balls.
***********************
I squeeze out several lines of different diameters from a tube of 100%
silicone caulking, on to a piece of wax paper. Great way to use the last
part of a tube of caulk for something other than leaving it to harden in the
tube.

When you need spacers, select the diameter you need and cut off several
pieces an inch or less in length. A drop of glue in the slot of the frame
works great to hold the spacer in place as you assemble the door.

-- Jim in NC