Gluing up table tops

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When I started out in woodworking I used a sack full of dowels to glue up a table top. Then I changed to biscuits but still used a lot of them. Then I saw Norm A. gluing up a Cherry table top and he didn't use anything at all (but glue).

What do you do when gluing up a table top, just glue, a few biscuits etc?

Thanks, DKT
 
glue is enough but dons method of using a couple of dowels to line up with is a good idea on larger tables. just remember that if your gonna cut the top to a smaller size or different shape to have your dowels away from the cutting path. those white round spot dont look right in the edge:)
 
Lots of guys say glue is enough and I'm sure it is. I've always used dowels. Gave biscuits a try and had poor results. I've gone back to dowels. I don't use them for strength I use them for alignment.
 
I'm a glue only person. I've had alignment problems WITH biscuits and dowels. :doh:

I glue one joint at a time, clamping and adjusting from the middle out, one clamp at a time, alternating from side to side. My adjusters include the big dead blow hammer! :thumb:
 
I usually use just glue, but I recently got a glue joint router bit that works well. It takes a little adjustment to get it right but if you have a lot of boards to glue it makes alignment quick during glue-up.
 
Building a dining room table was one of the main reasons for me getting into WW. After the first one ended up mostly on the burn pile because of alignment problems, I started to use biscuits. No more alignment problems. However since that time, I have also upgraded several machines that have made glue-ups a real pleasure (jointer, freud glue line rip, bessey k clamps, etc.). Every now and then I will use them on large glue ups, but I think Dave and Al have the right idea of using joint cutter (on larger ones). Just have not had a reason to try one yet. Like most tools, I think there is a right time to use them...based upon the task at hand and my ability.
 
Building a dining room table was one of the main reasons for me getting into WW. After the first one ended up mostly on the burn pile because of alignment problems, I started to use biscuits. No more alignment problems. However since that time, I have also upgraded several machines that have made glue-ups a real pleasure (jointer, freud glue line rip, bessey k clamps, etc.). Every now and then I will use them on large glue ups, but I think Dave and Al have the right idea of using joint cutter (on larger ones). Just have not had a reason to try one yet. Like most tools, I think there is a right time to use them...based upon the task at hand and my ability.

For a lot of glue ups I just rip the board on the tablesaw and glue them up, no biscuits, dowels, or any thing else. I usually do this when the glue up is small enough to fit into the planer. I just leave the boards thicker then they need to be and glue them up, when its dry I stick it through the planer and it works great. Before I had the glue joint router bit I just had to hand plane the glue up when the boards didn't line up, which was all the time. The only thing I don't like about the router bit is how the end grain of the board looks after its glued. I think it looks like cheap manufacturing. I think a glued tongue and groove would look nicer:dunno:
 
What do you do when gluing up a table top, just glue, a few biscuits etc?

I hate biscuits. The only two things that I've found a really good use for one is for glueing corners on handrails, and for attaching the stool to a window jamb.

I generally have more issues getting things aligned when I biscuit or spline things together.


Once I would like to try gluing up a solid wood top using a rail and stile set on the shaper. I think the glue lines might be kinda cool looking with the right edge detail.
 
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