Bedpost - Glue-Up vs 16/4 stock - Woodworking Talk

Hokie-G · 06-01-2009, 04:34 PM

I'm about to start on a pine bed with 3" square posts, turned finials an feet (separate parts from main post). would you mill the posts from 16/4 stock, or glue up layers of 3/4 stock to get to the nominal thickness? Is one any stronger/weaker than the other? If I went with the glue-up, I would veneer over the edge grain to hide the layers.

Thoughts/suggestions?
Thanks.

Julian the woodnut · 06-01-2009, 05:24 PM

In most cases I would suggest glueing up thinner stock to get to 16/4 due to the fact that the internal mc of the thicker board will be more than the outer mc, and cracking warping may occur. I built a poster frame bed about 12 years ago using 4x4's and they ended up with 1/4" wide cracks from drying out. I wasn't very educated about moistue content back then, but now I know better.

woodnthings · 06-01-2009, 07:13 PM

You need a 4 x 4 post? Could you glue up 4 pieces beveled at 45 degrees along their entire length, so that no joints show? Some woodworkers do this when using quartersawn oak so the pattern shows from all sides. Usually you want a slight taper from top to bottom for a more pleasing look, This complicates the process a little, but a jointer could be used to make the taper. Just a thought.

bill

Wood4Fun · 06-01-2009, 08:04 PM

Quote:

I would veneer over the edge grain to hide the layers.

If you went this route, how would you hide the seam between the veneered side and the face? I only ask cuz I'm fixing to glue up some legs for a table and I hadn't thought of taking this route, so I'm very interested in learning more on this method

thanks

Julian the woodnut · 06-01-2009, 08:42 PM

As long as the veneer is thin enough, you'll have a hard time seeing the seem.

Wood4Fun · 06-01-2009, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Julian the woodnut

As long as the veneer is thin enough, you'll have a hard time seeing the seem.

what if you are cutting the veneer yourself on the band saw? re: its gonna be a little thicker than that which you might buy????

Hokie-G · 06-02-2009, 04:32 PM

The latest version of Fine Woodworking has a Bow Arm Morris Chair article. They do a glue-up there of the posts in the same manor, albiet with QS White Oak. They cut the veneer at 1/4" thick or so, do the glue-up, then plane the leg to final thickness. I assume that the layer of glue behind the veneer keeps tearout to a minimum. I wouldn't go so thin as regular veneer (1/16" or so), but would try to go as thin as I can. I also considered the mitered approach. so long as I can get the center filler block exactly right, it should be fine. Original Stickley is done this way, and I always marvel at the precision.

I agree with the MC concern whens starting with 16/4 rough. Definitely not going that route.

Thanks, and I'll let everyone know what method I end up using.

Wood4Fun · 06-05-2009, 11:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hokie-G

The latest version of Fine Woodworking has a Bow Arm Morris Chair article. They do a glue-up there of the posts in the same manor, albiet with QS White Oak. They cut the veneer at 1/4" thick or so, do the glue-up, then plane the leg to final thickness. I assume that the layer of glue behind the veneer keeps tearout to a minimum. I wouldn't go so thin as regular veneer (1/16" or so), but would try to go as thin as I can. I also considered the mitered approach. so long as I can get the center filler block exactly right, it should be fine. Original Stickley is done this way, and I always marvel at the precision.

I agree with the MC concern whens starting with 16/4 rough. Definitely not going that route.

Thanks, and I'll let everyone know what method I end up using.

I've had that issue sitting on the desk since it arrived. latest issue arrived yesterday, so I figured maybe I should take a look.
Looks pretty straight forward. It looks like they run a small chamfer along the edge, and you can't really tell from the pictures that there is a seam at all.
If I have enough stock left over from this project, I just may have to do that to the sides of each leg.

Thanks for pointing that out, I probably wouldn't have noticed