interior doors & cabinet doors GLUE PROBLEM

[Dominique Meuris]

I have to make 12 solid oak 3-panel interior doors for a customer. similar to these http://www.livo.be/prod/269392.jpg
I have a perfect knife for doing this.
http://bivenmachinerysales.co.uk/ind...product_id=213

But at this moment I only have 1 problem. I'm affraid to make them!
In the past I have made a lot of interior doors in this way, but some of them started to get problems.
Seems that when glueing up the frame with the panel inside. small drops of the glue settled on the panel. and this resulted in cracks.
How can this be solved?

I have had this problem with cabinet doors aswell.

Please give me an easy solution for this, i'm in desperate need!!

[Rich Engelhardt]

These things are remarkable.

Spaceballs


Not only will they help keep the corners of the panels out of the glue, they center the panels in exactly the right spot.

[Dominique Meuris]

seems like these can only be ordered in canada? our factory is in Romania
is there another solution?

[Justin Ludwig]

Are you leaving enough space for wood expansion in the stiles and rails? If not, that's probably causing the doors to crack, not drops of glue. If so, sounds like you need to be careful when applying the glue so the squeeze out is minimal and travels outward instead of inward. Other than that, Rich is right about spacer balls.

Good luck!

[Justin Ludwig]

seems like these can only be ordered in canada? our factory is in Romania
is there another solution?

Do an internet search for "raised panel spacers"

[Dominique Meuris]

We are alway's taking wood expansion into account. the cracking isn't hapening because of this.
Actually we started making our cabinet doors like this. now we usually cut out the visual fraze part. and mount the panel seperatly + fix it with small wooden elements of 1x1cm, but this is taking a long time to do so. We make around 80-100 cabinet doors a day, so it takes a long time to fix the panels in this way.

That's why I'm thinking of going back to the old method, but I cannot afford to have cracking panels because of glueing them up in the corners.
How can I make certain that the glue is going outward instead of inward? In my opinion the glue is going to whatever place it want's to go to.

[Bradley Gray]

before spaceballs showed up some used a small dowel pin top and bottom center to keep the panel centered.

[Kevin Jenness]

Don't be afraid. Use the correct amount of glue to minimize squeezeout. Use spaceballs or barrel buddies. If they are not available, put the rails on your panels at the appropriate distance apart and centered on the panels and pin through the groove and panel edges at rail centers before gluing on the stiles. Prefinish your panels or wax the corners to prevent glue adhesion.

[Dominique Meuris]

Which of these spacers do you guy's think is the best?
http://woodworker.com/250-barrel-spa...su-150-956.asp
http://woodworker.com/fullpres.asp?P...8&LARGEVIEW=ON

it will be used for pine doors and solid oak doors

[Justin Ludwig]

I apply glue to the tenon (cope) only. I put glue on the end grain and sides. I stop short 1/4" from the inside and outside of the tenon. Squeeze out pushes the glue to those parts. I only build up to 150 doors a month. Experiment with what works for you.

[glenn bradley]

seems like these can only be ordered in canada? our factory is in Romania
is there another solution?

You can make your own space balls by laying out a 1/4" bead of silicone rubber caulk on waxed paper. When cured, peel the strip off and cut it into 1/4" chunks with scissors. A high density foam tape (exterior-rated, like for weatherstripping) can also perform this function. Another tip to prevent glue caused panel cracking I have seen is to nip the corners of the panel off a bit. Not so much as to not seat in the channel of course but, enough to keep interior corner squeeze out from being able to get a grip. A bit of paste wax on the corners would do the same I imagine. The idea is to not let the panel get glued in and therefor split during movement. Just my two cents worth of wisdom .

[mreza Salav]

Finish the panels first so that the glue doesn't stick to it. If not you can apply a little bit of oil (tiny amount) at the corners of the panel so that again the glue doesn't stick to it in case of a glue up. Another thing I've done is to use scotch clear tape at the corner of the panels (at the 90 degree) to prevent glue getting to the panel.

[Bob Wingard]

I buy rolls of "BACKER ROD" and cut it into 1/2" long chunks ... every bit as good as space balls, readily available, and a fraction of the cost. I can run to LOWE'S .. get the rod .. have the whole thing sliced up .. and be gluing up doors before an order for space balls is processed. It's also wise to use a very small roller, and apply just a touch of wax to the very perimeter of the panels prior to insertion ... keeps the glue from sticking to them.

[Dominique Meuris]

I buy rolls of "BACKER ROD" and cut it into 1/2" long chunks ... every bit as good as space balls, readily available, and a fraction of the cost. I can run to LOWE'S .. get the rod .. have the whole thing sliced up .. and be gluing up doors before an order for space balls is processed. It's also wise to use a very small roller, and apply just a touch of wax to the very perimeter of the panels prior to insertion ... keeps the glue from sticking to them.

actually, that sounds like a good idea!
and I can buy this locally aswell then ...

does anyone else have experience with this?

[joseph f merz]

i used baker rod once due to using wider then 1/4" dado .for me baker rod failed .With-in a yr panel had dropped .had to return ,pry panel up and use a brad to center it .
I am using the domino now for my doors .i glue domino and lightly glue style and rail surface . after hearing your experience I am more pleased with this tool