[Oldiebutgoodie]

8" shelf boards. They are mitred to 30 deg. angle. I'll be using biscuits, and it'll be on top of a table, so I want it to be as neat as possible. Cut both ends with a power table saw. When I place the edges together, it looks pretty good.
Question is: Do I need to give these edges any further attention before gluing? Very light, fine sanding? Or best leave well enough alone?

 

[woodnthings]

I can't quite picture this...

Can you post a picture? Regardless, using biscuits on a 30 degree miter may prove difficult. A full length spline would be better and easier in my opinion. IF you have a good means of securing the boards at that angle, you don't even need a spline. You just don't want the edges to slide as you apply clamping pressure.

You may have to fab up a jig to make the clamping go well....

 

[mics_54]

you aren't edge joining...you are END joining. Gluing ends doesn't work that great biscuits will help.

 

[unclefester]

Try a Festool Domino for the joints. Will stay flush and won't slide like biscuits

 

[rrich]

you aren't edge joining...you are END joining. Gluing ends doesn't work that great biscuits will help.

That was my thought exactly!

As a suggestion and it will make life a lot easier. Use lap joints and no biscuits / dominos / dowels. An inch "lap" glued and clamped would be as strong as the wood itself.

You could put a slight chamfer (1/16 to 3/32) all the way around the boards of the table top. You may have to do one end of the lap joint with a sanding block.

The result is that the table top will look like tongue and grove. For a casual dining table that would be very acceptable.

 

[Oldiebutgoodie]

Sorry for the terminology mix up. I'm pretty new at this.

"Gluing ends doesn't work that great biscuits will help. "

I'm a little confused about what you're saying here. Biscuits will help, or
won't?

I seems to me that an inset such as a dowel or biscuit would keep things straight and turn out strong, but I have admittedly never done a biscuit before.

The lap joint sounds llike a good idea. I'll take a look at the Festool.

I'll post a picture in a bit to make sure I am not mis-describing it. It's not a dining table, just one part of a crazy concoction to hold books and CDs. So I want it be somewhat solid looking as opposed to fancy-dancy. The wood I have is hickory.

 

[Oldiebutgoodie]

Pictures. Showing just laid together. Second picture could cause some depth perception problems. Both boards are flat on the floor.

 

[MT Stringer]

I just built a frame from 100 year old barn wood. I used two pocket screws at each joint. It is nice and snug.