Edge gluing help/question

[Kevin Smira]

So I want to make some table tops for a couple of farm tables for my daughters house and mine. Looking at making these about 7 ft long (including the bread board ends). Maybe like 36" ish wide. I'll have to glue up to get the width obviously. My question is what would you do to glue these up given my situation/tools? I want a domino, but it's not in the budget. I don't have a biscuit joiner, and while that could be in the budget, I'm thinking I'd rather save that for the domino budget. I could pocket hole it I guess. Wondering if any joinery would be necessary at all, or if I could just trust the glue to hold it? Someone suggested a half lap, but I'm not sure how I'd accomplish that.

Advice?

Thanks!
Kevin

[Rick Lizek]

Edge gluing is plenty strong enough if you get good edges. In 40 years ive never used anything except butt joints. Even the factories and custom shops did butt joints. I used curved cauls to keep the boards in alignment.

[Andrew Hughes]

I agree with Rick, dominos,dowels are for keep the boards at the same height.
Ive never used them but apparently some woodworkers need to.
I hope your not planing on using 2x4 from the Borg.

[Kevin Smira]

Thanks both. I guess I just needed some confirmation that butt joints would be sufficient. So, for glue up, you'd suggest a good joint from the jointer, glue up, plenty of clamping pressure and cauls on top and bottom of both ends to help keep in the "same plane"?

ETA: I can put my domino money into a bandsaw and drill press fund now...Thanks!

Kevin

[Mike Henderson]

If the joint fits well, you don't need "plenty" of clamping pressure. Just enough to pull the boards together snugly. Especially if you're working with softwood, the clamps will leave marks in the edge of the softwood if you really clamp down. You can put some short pieces of wood between the work and the clamp faces and that may help reduce the marks.

Also, I'd move the cauls a bit more inward. You can take two short pieces of wood, with packing tape on them, and clamp the seams (that is, clamp from top to bottom to bring the two pieces in line) with something like an F-clamp. Two pieces of wood for each seam, on each end. Easier to show than to describe.

Mike

[Mike Circo]

As said before, good jointed edges and glue is plenty strong to hold a table together. I also have done only that on many projects with no issues.

Also, do not feel the requirement to glue up the entire 36" width in one clamping session. Doing two or three boards at a time gives more time to align the boards, handle glue squeeze out and adjust the clamps. Do a couple of boards, take a coffee break to let the glue set, do another, and so on. Much easier than trying to apply glue, align, clamp and manage 4-6 boards all at once.

[pat warner]

A modest T&G will facilitate the glue up, (i.e. holds the boards together during assembly).
It adds maybe 35% to your glue line & resists impact fractures better.
It registers your sticks in thickness.
Moreover, your glue slop latitude is increased. That is, you don't
have to paint the glue perfectly.
More work, but more insurance.

[Kevin Smira]

A modest T&G will facilitate the glue up, (i.e. holds the boards together during assembly).
It adds maybe 35% to your glue line & resists impact fractures better.
It registers your sticks in thickness.
Moreover, your glue slop latitude is increased. That is, you don't
have to paint the glue perfectly.
More work, but more insurance.

Thanks Pat. How would you suggest to create the T&G? Newbie here, so sorry for not knowing!

Kevin

[Mike Henderson]

Thanks Pat. How would you suggest to create the T&G? Newbie here, so sorry for not knowing!

Kevin

They make router bits for T&G. Two bits, one for tongue and one for groove. Here's a set on Amazon.

Mike

[Kevin Smira]

Thanks Mike for that link! Exactly what I was looking for.