[44260]

This may sound dumb, however I understand that when you glue up pieces of wood (mainly small pieces) and they slide around easily during clamping that you more than likely have to much glue on the joint. I'm really curious though, I read somewhere that if you sprinkle salt on the glue joint that it will help keep the 2 pieces from sliding?!!! Can anyone tell me if this really works and if so what are the long term effects? I know salt is corrosive to metal so I am wondering if it has some kind of long term effect on wood.

 

[TomC]

This may sound dumb, however I understand that when you glue up pieces of wood (mainly small pieces) and they slide around easily during clamping that you more than likely have to much glue on the joint. I'm really curious though, I read somewhere that if you sprinkle salt on the glue joint that it will help keep the 2 pieces from sliding?!!! Can anyone tell me if this really works and if so what are the long term effects? I know salt is corrosive to metal so I am wondering if it has some kind of long term effect on wood.

I don't know but I've told that if you sprinkle salt on a birds tail that you can catch it.

Even if you put the correct amount of glue on a joint it get very slippery. I have never heard of putting salt on the glue to stop the slipping. I don't think it would work. There are way to deal with the slipping. Use cauls to keep the pieces aligned. I have even made jigs for certain glue ups.
Tom

 

[Manco247]

Try this. If you have a pin gun, shoot a few pins on one edge of the pieces being jointed, but make sure you don't sink em. Then snip them off to where tey're just protruding out. Now just butt up the other piece and the pins will press into it, thusly, locking it. Viola!

 

[rrich]

First do a dry fit and hold in clamps. Then with 2" wide BLUE 3M painter's tape run a couple of strips across the glue up. As you put the tape on, pull it tight. Remove from the clamps and flip over.

Treat the tape strips as hinges and apply the glue. Re-clamp.

BTW - Put the tape where the clamps will be and you won't have black marks or glue on the clamps.

 

[yank]

Try this. If you have a pin gun, shoot a few pins on one edge of the pieces being jointed, but make sure you don't sink em. Then snip them off to where tey're just protruding out. Now just butt up the other piece and the pins will press into it, thusly, locking it. Viola!

Now that is a great idea, slaps forehead, why didn't I think of that.

THANKS

 

[HowardAcheson]

I've never heard of using salt but I have used sand. Salt will dissolve if you use a waterbased adhesive and a joint could swell and no longer be tight.

Rather than either salt or sand I use some brads. Hammer 3 or 4 in slightly. Using a flush cutter pliers and nip off the brads just above the surface. This leaves a little sharp nib just above the surface that will dig in to the bottom of the top piece and keep the pieces from wiggling around as you tighten the clamps.

 

[cabinetman]

A glue up should be comprised of pieces that are straight and square edged and mate without gaps. Using a media as a non slip device could keep the joint from closing. Brad nails shot in or hammered in would have to be very short and cut on an angle to penetrate the mating piece. If one or more is skewed at all, it could prevent closure.

A well fitted spline, or the use of cauls will keep the alignment. It should take just enough clamp pressure to get a tight joint. If the boards are not flat, or cupped or bowed, where excessive clamping is needed to get them to mate, you'll have a constant tension on the joint.

.

 

[44260]

Thanks for everyones input, I thought this technique didn't sound right

 

[bzguy]

If you use cauls with waxed paper you get joints aligned and can sand off excess glue.

 

[44260]

This is where i got the idea from.
http://lumberjocks.com/bigchopperoo/blog/31411

 

[Steve Neul]

I don't like the idea. Adding salt to a joint is adding an unknown substance to the chemical composition of the glue. There is no telling what long term affects it may have with the glue and may cause premature failure of the joint.

I've always accepted the movement. When I make a glue up I innitially snug the clamps and hammer the wood flat with a block of wood and a 8 lb. sledge hammer. Once leveled I fully tighten the clamps.