4 Tips for Gluing Clamping a Tabletop

[@TomKaren94]

I use cauls less and less. Straight, flat boards are critical to a flat top. But, there's one simple technique at the jointer I've discovered that no one talks about in these videos that has cured the bowing problem for me. If you have 8 boards a-h to glue up, make sure you joint the edges of a,c,e,g with the top facing the fence and b,d,f,h with the top facing away from it. If your jointer is out of square, it DOESN'T MATTER, and there's no "going back to the jointer." Simple and effective.

[@johnlargent9630]

That was better than any tip I saw in the video (no offense meant to video creator) Great tip!

[@CrochetNewsNetwork]

Great tip. I saw the "Wood Whisper" (who is awesome) show this same tip BUT YOUR EXPLANATION I can understand better.. I just jointer(Ed) a table top with a couple of small gaps. Now I will go back and tweak up all my boards per your tip. THANK YOU.

[@almorris171]

@@johnlargent9630 I've seen / read this same tip before. My friend and his two sons do construction for a wealthy finance guy. They make stair treads by joining 3 or 4 smaller boards versus a single wide board. They reverse the grain direction like you suggest between boards and the contrast also make for a more attractive look.

[@U2BER2012]

Man, that tip on putting a clamp in the center of the butted joint; (prior to glue up), to check for crowning is awesome. Thanks Chad.

[@lessilies2048]

Good job with this video. You captured and effectively presented several tips inside 5 minutes. Highlights: square and crown testing before glue up, glue one section at a time, roll out glue but do not glue the added biscuits (my favorite), using parallel clamps and cauls.

[@almorris171]

Excellent presentation, that is clear, concise, and to the point.

[@doubtalot8384]

this guy is both skilled, and creepy. i love him

[@raidenmaverick8191]

pro trick: you can watch series on flixzone. Been using it for watching loads of movies during the lockdown.

[@skylarkylo4962]

@Raiden Maverick Definitely, have been watching on flixzone for since december myself :D

[@paulcarrier2424]

How would you add that crown in those straighteners with a jointer? Great vid and thanks for the info!

[@hammockmonk]

Hunh, crowning the cauls is an interesting idea, I think I'll give it a try on the two tabletops I'm putting together today...

[@homelessjoe]

Not sure why you wouldn't take the extra yet super quick step of gluing the biscuits. The wood they are made from expands when wet allowing for a very strong/tight joint. I understand you added them initially to help alignment, but they can serve two purposes for just a few minutes extra work.

[@ianclark5644]

Yes, a major part of the operation of the biscuit is that it expands when glued thereby creating a firm, tight joint. Seems odd that he overlooked that given the care taken elsewhere.

[@ianclark5644]

Yes, a major part of the operation of the biscuit is that it expands when glued thereby creating a firm, tight joint. Seems odd that he overlooked that given the care taken elsewhere.

[@robertanthonyfarrell]

+Joseph Lynn Only guessing but maybe he only did this to make it completely clear that the important bit is getting the boards square so they adhere to one another, which is where the strength comes from. If he glued the biscuits it might make some people think that they could rely on them for strength, which isn't what they're meant for.

[@karlackdamack4238]

+Joseph Lynn biscuits can expand and cause a slight bulge in some types of lumber (usually softer woods) if they are glued excessively. While adding glue to these biscuits can add a little strength, their primary job is for alignment.

[@jamesmcintyre348]

You can avoid biscuit ghost by putting the biscuits below the center of the boards. Jon Peters has a video on this problem.

[@TomKaren94]

I totally agree, and have had the same experience. I wait about 30-60 minutes so that the glue is soft but not runny, and easily and safely zip it off with a chisel or scraper, being careful to not gouge the wood. Much easier.

[@brucemiller1696]

Use tape on each side of the joints.

[@rick91443]

Almost clicked to another window,...but boy that last technique with the "calls?" was a great one...Thanks you(and I will always wait till the end of your videos now, lol...)cheers...rr

[@bgt1666]

Really helpful , can you expand on how you did the cauls where you had a crown in the middle? I don’t have a jointer yet, but the procedure would help.

[@rabuayya1]

Fab video. You present well. Thank you

[@briannewton3535]

Something learned. Thanks for sharing. Great tips.

[@chapmanhere3397]

Ben stiller shows me how it’s done great!

[@markywellsboy2182]

Some useful info here. I would maybe drop the camp hand on hip pose and cheesy grin at the end.

[@mattpower3048]

Nice video! Helped me a lot! Thanks!

[@tubestick00]

ok ben stillers brother

[@luisrivera6794]

tubestick00 they should make a movie about Ben Stiller being a wood handling instructor

[@elvivanco3]

tubestick00 best comment!

[@kylehinds793]

time to go buy $1000 worth of clamps

[@werbnnerf]

clamps cannot possibly be that expensive... can they?

[@edwells80]

probably 600 bucks are enough for those kinds of clamps. Actually the best you can get

[@G00SEISL00SE]

harbor freight clamps are cheap yea there not the best but they will do pretty damn good job clamping for an 1/8 of the price

[@mariemalcolm2405]

ratchet straps work as a good alternative that don't cost as much.

[@mik6700]

G00SEISL00SE bgwood

[@neilconfesor9845]

Great smile at the end! How about some cooking videos too?!

[@danieldelapena8369]

there is also an old clamping method used in guitar building where you wrap a rope around whatever two pieces of wood your gluing. then tie a knot and insert two wedges opposing each other, underneath the rope. then hammer them against each other. this gives horizontal and lateral clamping pressure. also you dont have to spend 50 dollars a clamp like this guy. : )

[@nowherebrain]

hey, I do that...but I use two protective boards on both sides and then I just run a thin long board @1"x10" under the string and start twisting pulling out all the tension....do this in 4-5 places and you're set string is cheap...if you're really broke you can even reuse the string.

[@federune]

would it make sense to use cheap tie-down straps instead of parallel clamps? (because for large and lengthy tabletops, the cost of the required number of clamps would be enormous)

[@terrystephens1102]

Excellent tip, thanks👍👌👏👏

[@Papatch64]

Good video, less emotive, without the antics of some others you've made. Good job. Ed Sr. Veneta, OR

[@andrewa2584]

Would a glue joint router bit in place of biscuits assist with alignment?

[@annelley8910]

Can I know if you're using a rotary clamper? For school purposes, Thank u!

[@CrimeDoesNotPay]

Nice guy! Good job with the video, brother

[@johnvanderhoof1248]

I would rather use clear packing tape to cover the cauls and wax paper to cover the clamps. Then after 30 minutes I take out of the clamps scarpe, then reclamp and wait overnight. Good tips and video. I like it much better when he isn't trying to be goofy.

[@claywixom7807]

Why do you use TiteBond lll, instead of resin

[@twochordcool]

I'm new to working with wood and joining boards - I've learned a little bit here and there on the internet. I'm currently building a TV stand with compartments for a center channel speaker and stereo equipment. I REALLY goofed when I didn't remove the glue squeeze out before installing the cauls and the C clamp pressure - the squeeze out, under the pressure, pressed into the wood and it is REALLY being a pain in the ass to remove from the wood fibers - it's relatively deep in the wood ;(

[@SteveH4es]

Put packing tape on the caul it won’t stick to it

[@pablou3600]

What a very helpful, very nerdy tip!

[@HDean1002]

Very good tips. Thank you!

[@martynkellighan2242]

i've heard that you should stick to a width/thickness ratio of 3/1 for the boards you use to make the table top. do you agree?

[@19ExtremePete19]

Yes.

[@keywestpuma4095]

Why didn't I think of that? Great tip, Thanks

[@ToddAndelin]

cool video. great process...

[@TomKaren94]

On the router table, there shouldn't be any out-of-square issues contributing to bowing. So, I'd say unless your router is mounted at something other than perpendicular, you should be fine. I've not used my router table for jointing edges, but I think I'll try it and see how it goes.

[@hammockmonk]

Excellent tips, thanks!

[@randysngh]

Thanks, this gives me a great idea.

[@Pyroesuna]

Excellent advice thank you so much!

[@jwstanley2645]

Impressive video. One thing I add as a difference, perhaps belt and suspenders. I make sure to use the biscuit cutter (or other guide tools) on the same side (up or down) on all the boards. This is extra insurance that I need not be certain my biscuits (etc.) are centered top to bottom. Again, as implied here, the purpose of tongues/grooves, biscuits, dowels, or dominoes, is alignment, not strength. Today's glues are so effective, these other measures add nothing to strength or longevity. Where would we see this happen most? Flooring. Narrow boards, many of them, no time to fiddle with multiple additions of one board to the larger board, and let's make sure it is flat, as flat as float glass if possible. Maybe this is not so true for those who use older (think purist) glues, such as hide glue or rabbit skin glue.

[@DENNYRAT]

much better video no clowning around

[@johngraves6878]

Extremely helpful.

[@burgbuilds]

Chad Stanton is the man.

[@mouseboots46]

Need to see HOW to join the boards with no joiner - he skipped right over that part. I have a round table that fell all apart because someone else stored it wrong. Need to put it back together.

[@robrockme]

Actually the techniques he's showing here are the best to achieve good results while maintaining the original top thickness ... and not having to spend many passes trying to 'shave' away the results to rush to an end of the construction process. I believe the reason to not glue the biscuits is to avoid the swell that could push against the flush jointing end-to-end since you can't really control the swelling

[@johnnylloyd1298]

I'm so ready to buy a used car from this guy...

[@Jumpman67]

You really should glue the biscuits as well. The moisture from the glue will cause the biscuits to expand making a stronger bond.

[@jrmjrmeeker]

how far apart should biscuit be on a 60 " borads

[@19ExtremePete19]

12"

[@after2003]

How do you cut the crown on jointer?

[@brucemiller1696]

Adjust the outfeed table.

[@JohnathanH22]

hey what kind of glue do you use exactly?

[@19ExtremePete19]

Wood glue.

[@daveengstrom9250]

Thats a good tip. Thanks.

[@ericbenoit7006]

how do implement the bisquits?

[@19ExtremePete19]

With a biscuit jointer.

[@ccting2020]

any faster way and cheaper way to do it without clamps? If i am going to glue panels of this size for 100 piece per day, i don't think i could do it. Time is money... ;). What if i don't have planer and jointer to ensure the panels are square and same thickness, and panels are not flat and curry?

[@markgunther90]

So you want a fast, cheap way of joining warped, uneven boards without clamps or proper machinery? Tell you what, let's cure cancer while we wait for your question to be answered.

[@MaghoxFr]

+Mark Gunther lol

[@m3rdpwr]

Izzy Swan on KZbin covers just that.

[@ericmatthewdavis5064]

I'd like to know how to put a crown on a board? Please demo.

[@justinfortin6667]

Just go to Home Depot and buy any off-the-shelf board that fits your size requirements. They're all crowned...

[@stevespencer5158]

That is rich. True but rich.

[@brucemiller1696]

Adjust the outfieed table of your jointer.

[@dakotapowell9612]

Since I read “pepe amazing plan” (Google it), I do think nothing will ever surpass it as a great woodworking book. The text is easy to read and the pictures and drawings exceptional. I look at this book a "must have" because it gives a broad range of info on pretty much everything working with woodworking and does it quite well.

[@221Dw]

Wow first videos i've where where he's not being completely silly half the time.

[@andyjnuttall]

Hey not trying to teach you how to suck eggs but what about alternating the clamps thus distributing force evenly its the way iv done it since my apprenticeship 30 years ago and it works also sanding the boards after laminating together is part of the process and shouldn't be seen to try and get around it Just a comment!!

[@johnnienaber4268]

Glues on boards one piece at a time, not caring about the extra time required, but rolls on the glue to each joint because it saves time.....

[@evgenpatotskiy177]

Did You make it with woodprix instructions?

[@islamnoor3257]

The Bengal show panel

[@jamesmcintyre348]

Where's your half brother Mr. Safety? And why wasn't he allowed in this video?

[@brendi901]

Legend!!

[@BrianFeral1]

Let's stick together

[@canceRZet]

Are you Alan Harper? (Two and a half man?)

[@michaelwhite-oi1ft]

+canceRZet Two and a half men not man.

[@alexphu1873]

+michael white chill out m8

[@michaelwhite-oi1ft]

+Alex Phu F U

[@canceRZet]

+michael white thank you - english is not my native language. Thats really good that youtube has users like you. Now the world is better than before.

[@andrewford80]

+michael white oh, there you are again. What a d bag

[@cedricgolden4602]

Is this John Mulaney's carpentry brother?

[@GWoldstuff]

Thanks

[@allobove7798]

Love Chad.

[@17jflor]

isnt this the Woooodchip Chipppeeruuu guy?

[@mikeanderson9276]

Time to dance Chad.

[@goosecouple]

Makes sense.

[@Yankeeracers80]

Where is Safety Dan?!

[@billdiehl156]

Thanks for the tips, but I was expecting you to dance at the end of the video.

[@nurkaemirovic4762]

He's like doing comertial for TOP SHOP

[@nabarajacharya7889]

There’s an interesting alternative way to do this if you look inside Woody Hyezmar’s Woodworking Bible.

[@stendhal48]

Watched this just to learn how long to keep the boards clamped before working them. Didn't say.

[@michaelwhite-oi1ft]

+stendhal48 minimum 4 hours for glue of this type to dry. Best to leave over night.

[@Leowulfs]

+michael white Hey thanks a lot Michael. I just bought a biscuit joiner, miter, table and circular saws after building a bed and a desk with my brother in law's miter saw. A lot of this stuff isn't common knowledge to us beginners.

[@martynkellighan2242]

@@Leowulfs this really depends on the glue you use. Most glues will advise clamping times and full cure times on the bottle.

[@jesse977]

harbor freight has some cheap ass clamps that work well

[@michaelholopainen2822]

I am looking at this bad image quality & resolution and just for a fraction of second I was thinking did he really carve those steps to the edge of the board until I realized it the ladder - effect was due to really bad resolution and image quality. Then I started thinking that in few decades or hundred years from now when historian look back at these videos, they might wonder why did we at this period always carved the steps into edges of diagonal lumber and other items as this poor image quality is completely alien to them :)

[@chevyvega6622]

funny, for the amount of $$ spent on clamps,, one could have bought a nice slab for the top.

[@JoelEmberson]

yep, once. but the clamps will still be there after a hundred more tables.

[@tylerr.gregorka8649]

Where's safety Dan?!

[@AZTechLabs]

thanks for explaining all these terms and tools... cough cough

[@vadymrodionov6098]

It's good to see the woodprix has new instructions to save my money and energy to build it.

[@jessicasommy1741]

You should visit Stodoys website if you would like to make it by yourself I think.

[@artemlebedev6297]

woodprix is full of awesome tips. Very helpful to me. Thanks

[@martinschulman1751]

Hey Chad- Nice to see you in a serious woodworker state of mind. Your clowning-hopefully gone for good together with your smoking beer drinking buddy- was pretty disgusting.

[@coryulrich6489]

He has the same mouth as the guy from numberphile who smokes all the time.

[@rick91443]

cauls....

[@evgenpatotskiy177]

Mine works too. I used woodprix plans and build it without any problems.

[@shantelfullerton9865]

I did something very similar, my plans from stodoys helped me with this.

[@dakotapowell9612]

I like this woodworking book “pepe amazing plan” (Google it). Not only does it cover wood working methods, however it even describes the development cycles of trees that lead to the characteristics that craftsmen find favorable in lumber. I actually had to get a second copy for my father.

[@BlkJ19]

who the fuck has this laying around??

[@jlgoins64]

I'm guessing he does not answer any of the questions...SMH

[@michaelwhite-oi1ft]

No way this can be done in a production environment. It takes way too long. Not going to make any money selling that table because you wasted so much time.

[@andrewford80]

Not everyone is trying to make money.

[@michaelwhite-oi1ft]

+andrewford80 I did not say they were. I added the point that it takes too much time. No need to do all those extra steps if you have a planer.

[@CrimeDoesNotPay]

+michael white It's not wasted time if you want accuracy and quality. A lot of people do this as a hobby, not for profit.

[@michaelwhite-oi1ft]

+CrimeDoesNotPay Either way it's a waste of time. Same as walking to the store when you can drive. Waste of time.

[@andrewford80]

+michael white what if you enjoy walking and benefit from the exercise? Have fun in car with heart disease! Terrible analogy.

[@emmawalker3698]

I love Safety Dan!