Gluing Edge Grain Against End Grain

[Dale Wallace]

I have a general woodworking question for a cutting board. Do you think there would be an issue gluing a couple of edge grain pieces against the end grain of a board like in the picture?
Obviously only the edge grain is on the top of the board but what I was worrying is how the breathing of the grain may affect the board causing cracks or warping. Maybe I'm wrong, what do you think ?

Sent from my HD1907 using Tapatalk

 

[Rennie Heuer]

There are others here much more well versed in such things as I, but my first thought would be just gluing it would be a big mistake and would most certainly fail. However, this is a perfect opportunity to use a bread board end. That, IMHO, would work.

 

[glenn bradley]

Short answer, yes.

Longer answer. This is not exactly what you are setting up but, close enough to demonstrate why a failure may occur.



I will say that you can prepare end grain so as not to be unattractive . . .

This:



Versus this:



If you must have end rails, use breadboards although I feel this construction on a food prep item just offers gaps for organic material to get into and cause other sots of problems.

Here's a cutting board example of prepared end grain which is more like your example.

 

[Don Baer]

I would look at using some sort of a fastener such as a dowel or biscuit. You could also use a mortice and tenion.

 

[Vaughn McMillan]

Glenn and Rennie and right. I've learned this lesson the hard way with cutting boards. Unless the pieces are attached in a way that allows the movement that will inevitably happen, you'll get cracking. Wood expands and contracts mostly in the direction of the grain as the temps and humidity change. So in this case, the darker wood on the right of the picture will expand and contract, and the lighter wood on the left will most likely crack.

 

[Don Baer]

here is a short vidio on how it is done.

 

[Dale Wallace]

here is a short vidio on how it is done.

Glenn and Rennie and right. I've learned this lesson the hard way with cutting boards. Unless the pieces are attached in a way that allows the movement that will inevitably happen, you'll get cracking. Wood expands and contracts mostly in the direction of the grain as the temps and humidity change. So in this case, the darker wood on the right of the picture will expand and contract, and the lighter wood on the left will most likely crack.

I would look at using some sort of a fastener such as a dowel or biscuit. You could also use a mortice and tenion.

Short answer, yes.

There are others here much more well versed in such things as I, but my first thought would be just gluing it would be a big mistake and would most certainly fail. However, this is a perfect opportunity to use a bread board end. That, IMHO, would work.

That absolutely makes sense. Thank you all very much for your help and comments. I'm gonna follow your advices.
Quick question, do you think gluing the pieces together using biscuits or dowels help or make any difference ?


Sent from my HD1907 using Tapatalk

 

[Don Baer]

like I said you could try the dowels,. Sam Maloof one said during a class that a dowel was nothing more than a floating tenion. I believe the mortice and tenion as shown in the film would be the best. The dowels/Biscuits may not have enough surface area and really are only intended for alignment until the glue dries.