I've got the basic boxes of two of my bookcases built, stained and
finished (inside surfaces only; the outsides of these won't show).
Looking forward to the face frames, I wondered how far apart to put the
clamps when I glue them on. I intend to use pocket screws around the
perimeter (again, because the outsides of these "built-in" units won't
show), but I think the frame pieces that edge the front of each shelf
(they are all fixed) will simply be glued and clamped. The frames will
be screwed and possibly glued together as a unit beforehand.
So I did a little searching online and found that some people recommend
festooning practically every square inch of any mating pieces with
clamps, even when there doesn't seem to be any obvious stress involved.
Can this really be necessary, or is it simply to prove the old adage?
Here's how I glued up the boxes:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gdguarino/8442008425/in/set-72157632376881493/lightbox/
I didn't worry too much that I only clamped the dado joints at the top
(actually the back) and bottom (actually the front) of the units. Should
I have? The quick-grip clamps at either end of the units were just to
hold the sides on while I applied the other clamps, by the way. Could
there be enough flex in 12" of plywood that there would be insufficient
pressure in the middle? When I glue up the next two units, should I put,
say, a 12" piece of 2x3 on the outside of the box opposite each dado
joint to help spread the pressure to the middle of the plywood sides?
I could of course have simply used screws, as the sides of these units
won't show. But one side of each of the next two units will be exposed,
and I figured I might as well get in some practice.
Thin as my experience is, I have glued together some boxes before, and
my intuition tells me these aren't coming apart, especially once I put
the backs and the face frames on. Is that wrong?
On 2/7/2013 2:24 PM, Greg Guarino wrote:
> I've got the basic boxes of two of my bookcases built, stained and
> finished (inside surfaces only; the outsides of these won't show).
>
> Looking forward to the face frames, I wondered how far apart to put the
> clamps when I glue them on. I intend to use pocket screws around the
> perimeter (again, because the outsides of these "built-in" units won't
> show), but I think the frame pieces that edge the front of each shelf
> (they are all fixed) will simply be glued and clamped. The frames will
> be screwed and possibly glued together as a unit beforehand.
>
> So I did a little searching online and found that some people recommend
> festooning practically every square inch of any mating pieces with
> clamps, even when there doesn't seem to be any obvious stress involved.
> Can this really be necessary, or is it simply to prove the old adage?
>
> Here's how I glued up the boxes:
>
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/gdguarino/8442008425/in/set-72157632376881493/lightbox/
>
>
> I didn't worry too much that I only clamped the dado joints at the top
> (actually the back) and bottom (actually the front) of the units. Should
> I have? The quick-grip clamps at either end of the units were just to
> hold the sides on while I applied the other clamps, by the way. Could
> there be enough flex in 12" of plywood that there would be insufficient
> pressure in the middle? When I glue up the next two units, should I put,
> say, a 12" piece of 2x3 on the outside of the box opposite each dado
> joint to help spread the pressure to the middle of the plywood sides?
>
> I could of course have simply used screws, as the sides of these units
> won't show. But one side of each of the next two units will be exposed,
> and I figured I might as well get in some practice.
>
> Thin as my experience is, I have glued together some boxes before, and
> my intuition tells me these aren't coming apart, especially once I put
> the backs and the face frames on. Is that wrong?
Use enough clamps to insure even contact. If you have even contact you
really don't even need clamps but clamps will straighten out bowed wood
and will help prevent pieces from slipping.
Greg Guarino <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:
<Lot of stuff snipped --sorry>
> I've got the basic boxes of two of my bookcases built, stained and
> finished (inside surfaces only; the outsides of these won't show).
>
> Looking forward to the face frames, I wondered how far apart to put
> the clamps when I glue them on.
My Standard clamping system: 48 clamps. 3" apart. :)
<sorry>
=20
> Thin as my experience is, I have glued together some boxes before, and=20
>=20
> my intuition tells me these aren't coming apart, especially once I put=20
>=20
> the backs and the face frames on. Is that wrong?
These boxes won't be under any racking strain so they way they are glued is=
fine.
Not sure I followed on the face frame question. It seems you have fixed she=
lves with a FF running across the front. If that is so, the cross member FF=
should be pocket screwed into the FF side members. Build the whole FF as o=
ne big unit. Then pocket it in from he non-showing sides as you said. Cabin=
et guys would shoot a few nails into the front cross bars. However, if you =
just glue them a little that would be fine. Again, they are not experiencin=
g much force other than the occasional bump of a book.
On 2/7/2013 6:50 PM, -MIKE- wrote:
> On 2/7/13 5:22 PM, woodchucker wrote:
>>
>> Dude, nice work.
>> even though you won't see the other side, put a light coat of finish on
>> it. It will help to seal it so that both sides absorb moisture at the
>> same rate. You don't have to make it pretty, just purposeful.
>>
>
> With shelves glued every foot, I don't see how that plywood could ever
> warp.
>
>
true, but it will put stress on the case.. and it won't hurt.
--
Jeff
On 2/7/2013 3:24 PM, Greg Guarino wrote:
> I've got the basic boxes of two of my bookcases built, stained and
> finished (inside surfaces only; the outsides of these won't show).
>
> Looking forward to the face frames, I wondered how far apart to put the
> clamps when I glue them on. I intend to use pocket screws around the
> perimeter (again, because the outsides of these "built-in" units won't
> show), but I think the frame pieces that edge the front of each shelf
> (they are all fixed) will simply be glued and clamped. The frames will
> be screwed and possibly glued together as a unit beforehand.
>
> So I did a little searching online and found that some people recommend
> festooning practically every square inch of any mating pieces with
> clamps, even when there doesn't seem to be any obvious stress involved.
> Can this really be necessary, or is it simply to prove the old adage?
>
> Here's how I glued up the boxes:
>
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/gdguarino/8442008425/in/set-72157632376881493/lightbox/
>
>
> I didn't worry too much that I only clamped the dado joints at the top
> (actually the back) and bottom (actually the front) of the units. Should
> I have? The quick-grip clamps at either end of the units were just to
> hold the sides on while I applied the other clamps, by the way. Could
> there be enough flex in 12" of plywood that there would be insufficient
> pressure in the middle? When I glue up the next two units, should I put,
> say, a 12" piece of 2x3 on the outside of the box opposite each dado
> joint to help spread the pressure to the middle of the plywood sides?
>
> I could of course have simply used screws, as the sides of these units
> won't show. But one side of each of the next two units will be exposed,
> and I figured I might as well get in some practice.
>
> Thin as my experience is, I have glued together some boxes before, and
> my intuition tells me these aren't coming apart, especially once I put
> the backs and the face frames on. Is that wrong?
Dude, nice work.
even though you won't see the other side, put a light coat of finish on
it. It will help to seal it so that both sides absorb moisture at the
same rate. You don't have to make it pretty, just purposeful.
--
Jeff
On 2/7/13 5:22 PM, woodchucker wrote:
>
> Dude, nice work.
> even though you won't see the other side, put a light coat of finish on
> it. It will help to seal it so that both sides absorb moisture at the
> same rate. You don't have to make it pretty, just purposeful.
>
With shelves glued every foot, I don't see how that plywood could ever
warp.
--
-MIKE-
"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
http://mikedrums.com
[email protected]
---remove "DOT" ^^^^ to reply
On 2/7/13 5:58 PM, woodchucker wrote:
> On 2/7/2013 6:50 PM, -MIKE- wrote:
>> On 2/7/13 5:22 PM, woodchucker wrote:
>>>
>>> Dude, nice work.
>>> even though you won't see the other side, put a light coat of finish on
>>> it. It will help to seal it so that both sides absorb moisture at the
>>> same rate. You don't have to make it pretty, just purposeful.
>>>
>>
>> With shelves glued every foot, I don't see how that plywood could ever
>> warp.
>>
>>
> true, but it will put stress on the case.. and it won't hurt.
>
A lot of completely necessary things won't hurt.
I'd love the see a measurement of the "stress" involved.
I'm guessing any books sitting on the shelves would put a stress on the
case at least 1000x of what would result from of any atmospheric
humidity on the unfinished side of 3/4" cabinet plywood in that
situation. Maybe 10,000x.
--
-MIKE-
"Playing is not something I do at night, it's my function in life"
--Elvin Jones (1927-2004)
--
http://mikedrums.com
[email protected]
---remove "DOT" ^^^^ to reply