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How do you make short boards long

Featured Replies

Hello all, 

I have finally accumulated enough solid wood to build a custom bookcase. The wood i have for the top is not long enought. I want to glue it up to make the top but how do I handle the butt ends?

Edited by Ron Dudelston
tags added

ACR, I would not butt the ends, I'd use a different method to disguise the lack of material, first of all, how short are you on the material? What is the missing length?

Finger jointing can be an acceptable way of butt joining boards.

 

http://www.performancetoolcenter.com/freud-99-037-finger-joint-router-bit-1-3-8-inch-diameter-w-1-2-inch-shank/?gclid=CKOV8eX-1dECFYNKXgodgTUNTg

 

I did a staggered joint glue up for a bar top with just butt jointed ends that has held up for years.  Similar to this.

 

Image result for staggered joint glue up

Dan I think you are mighty lucky to still be happy with the way your bar top looks today. I think this is the main reason people putting plywood together does not have ends sticking out in the middle for this is where stress would ruin everything. Flooring is an exception but they leave cracks and grooves everywhere because it will happen. Just a thought but don't worry about what I think?

waste less and spline the butts...

build a panel from the left overs and spline the edges too...

SPLINES.pdf

 

SPLINE 1.jpg  R4 splines 2.jpg

 

28 minutes ago, Smallpatch said:

 Just a thought but don't worry about what I think?

 

It's a deal

32 minutes ago, Smallpatch said:

Just a thought but don't worry about what I think?

okay...

Once ACR can determine how much he is short on the length, if it's just a few inches, he could instead put a classy bread board ends on the top to make up for the difference, and not deal with any joints.

3 minutes ago, John Morris said:

Once ACR can determine how much he is short on the length, if it's just a few inches, he could instead put a classy bread board ends on the top to make up for the difference, and not deal with any joints.

good plan...

cross cut it in two and insert a perpendicular pierce in the center of the board..

3 minutes ago, Stick486 said:

cross cut it in two and insert a perpendicular pierce in the center of the board..

That too, nice look indeed.

don't cheap out, buy the proper lumber.  small pieces are for small projects.  you're going to look at and use this thing for many, many years.  do it right.

5 minutes ago, ACR_SCOUT said:

 

Nomination for best advice because I could buy a new bit for the router. 

get a slot cutter too...

http://www.freudtools.com/products/product/61-102

 

41sTUbVAg8L._SY300_.jpg&f=1

 

1 hour ago, John Morris said:

Once ACR can determine how much he is short on the length, if it's just a few inches, he could instead put a classy bread board ends on the top to make up for the difference, and not deal with any joints.

Eww. I didn't think of it this way. 

 

I need to do a sketchup to figure out exactly what I need. 

1 hour ago, DAB said:

don't cheap out

 

When I build stuff, I like it to have a story? See this top will be made from the Leftovers of the lamps I built for the wife. 

bread board = slot cutter...

fast..simple...less waste..

i built a bar top, only 9" wide, for our kitchen island wall (rises about 9" above the countertop) a few years ago.  intended to make it out of 8/4 lumber, but the pieces i could secure were all too warped, they wouldn't lay flat.  what to do?

 

ended up recutting the lumber to about 2-1/4" wide, 1/4" thick strips.  built a base of 2 layers of 3/4 plywood, then glued the lumber to the plywood, staggering the butt joints.  they haven't moved in 4 years yet.  the bar top is about 11 feet long, so there was no way i was going to be able to get an 11 foot long piece of 8/4 lumber to come out right.

 

pic below shows the finished island and bar top.  used pieces on the top as well as the sides to hide the plywood core.

 

sometimes, you have to change your design to fit the wood and situation you have to deal with.

 

fullsizeoutput_afa.jpeg

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