Glue up & assembly help

[Chris Livingston]

I’ve been woodworking most of my life and I guess I have always taken the glue up stage for granted…until recently.

I’m making a two-tower entertainment center to surround my widescreen TV and the tower consist of several frames made by using loose tenons to connect 4/4 maple with panels in between (see attached pic). My problem is that as soon as I add the glue, I’m using the “slower” setting Titebond, and get all six rails with their panels glued I have a very hard time getting things square because the glue has already started to set by the time I brush on the last bit. This makes it really hard to shift things into the correct place, get both sides even with each other so they are not racked, and clamp it all up.

I screwed some aluminum angle to my work bench to help square things but they get out of square when I’m using the rubber mallet to knock things into place so I may have to use wood.

What slow setting glue do you guys use on complicated glue-ups? Is there some secret setup I don’t know about for squaring everything?

Any help you guys can provide would be most appreciated.

Chris

[Byron Trantham]

Chris,
First I hope you not gluing the panels themselves. If you do, they will probably crack. If not, this is how I would do it. I would glue the first six rails to one stile and slide the panels in as you go. Now install the other stile but don't glue it. Apply clamps. After he glue has set up, remove the un-glued stile and apply glue to rails and install the remaining stile and clamp. This way you are working with six joints, not twelve.

[Steve Clardy]

Chris,
First I hope you not gluing the panels themselves. If you do, they will probably crack. If not, this is how I would do it. I would glue the first six rails to one stile and slide the panels in as you go. Now install the other stile but don't glue it. Apply clamps. After he glue has set up, remove the un-glued stile and apply glue to rails and install the remaining stile and clamp. This way you are working with six joints, not twelve.

Good advice

[Chris Livingston]

Byron, I definitely do not glue the panels. Know all about that and they have enough room to move. I do like the idea of gluing one side at a time, that's a really good idea. Less to deal with and not fighting the hydraulic/hydrostatic (?) pressure trying to get the racking out between the two long sides.

[Doug Shepard]

If you're stuck 2-handed, Byron's tip sounds like a good one. For bigger glue-ups like yours I often phone around and find someone willing to give me a hand for 30 minutes. Then I lay everything out, ready to go (including the clamps, any damp rags, extra glue brushes, wax paper, etc) and do a dry practice run with them to make sure they know which parts get the glue, and in which order, and how it all goes together. Once I'm satisfied, the glue comes out and it's a 4-handed project. So far it's worked pretty well when I've needed it.

[Joe Unni]

What slow setting glue do you guys use on complicated glue-ups?

Chris,

I started using Lee Valley's Cabinetmaker's Glue 2002 GF a few months ago and I'm really growing to enjoy it. With its longer open time (15-20 minutes) it makes the more complicated glue-ups a little easier.

Good luck,
-joe

[Mike Cutler]

I use System Three epoxy. I can adjust the working time.with different hardners, and the application of heat/cooling.