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Edge gluing plywood

6/6/18       
David Waldmann Member

Website: vermonthardwoods.com

Not sure if this is the right forum but I thought this was the most likely place for this to happen.

I have a job that requires quartersawn W Oak plywood at 58" x 82". Neither one of my suppliers carries it. One says they could make it, but I only need one sheet...

So I am thinking about edge gluing. My thought was to use biscuits; re-dress the factory edges and maybe one biscuit per foot or so. I did think about T-G, but we don't have a "glue-joint" quality T-G set, ours are for flooring. However I would consider buying a set if necessary for this project.

This will not be structural, it's going to be part of a frame for a TV. The plywood will be attached to the wall, and the TV will be mounted in the center of it. There is a 1-1/2"w x 4"d D4S piece with rabbet at back for plywood that makes the "frame" around the TV.

However, I am concerned with the strength of the joint while handling it in-house, as well as during shipment (it will be going by LTL from VT to FL). I was thinking of screwing some 1x4 or so cross-wise to the joint on the back, maybe 4 or 5 of them.

Does this all seem reasonable? Any better ideas?

Pic from customer:


View higher quality, full size image (2313 X 2773)

6/6/18       #2: Edge gluing plywood ...
Kevin


Spline it.
Run a 1/8" groove thats 3/8" deep down the edge of each piece and use a 3/4" piece of masonite as the spline.

6/6/18       #3: Edge gluing plywood ...
Geoff Wade

I use a lock miter cutter head on the shaper. Run both pieces horizontal on the shaper with a power feeder. Obviously, the height of the cutter needs to be perfectly centered.

6/6/18       #4: Edge gluing plywood ...
David R Sochar  Member

If plywood and running on the shaper, run face down. Plywood will vary in thickness - enough to make the thin veneer not align.

See if you can get the sheet good in MDF core or one of the 'engineered' cores of plywood and MDF. This will ease the concern over strength and alignment.

If you have two good edges, you should be able to glue with no great trouble. Use pipe or bar clamps and slowly work along the joint, tapping a block to get one face or the other to match, then snug a clamp. Use a slow set glue, and make sure you have squeeze out.

6/6/18       #5: Edge gluing plywood ...
David Waldmann Member

Website: vermonthardwoods.com

Actually I do have a lock miter set. Never thought about using it for a 180° joint. Great idea.

Thanks

6/6/18       #6: Edge gluing plywood ...
Adam

routing a groove and using a spline is the most accurate and strongest.

6/6/18       #7: Edge gluing plywood ...
Larry

I'd probably go for the MDF or MDF faced plywood for better consistency. If you are backing it with 1x4s the quickest and easiest is the biscuits. If you have a good saw & blade the joint will be fine for glue-up. LTL works if you pack it in a 1/2" steel plate box with 4" of foam!

6/6/18       #8: Edge gluing plywood ...
MarkB Member

We are groove and spline as well. Its simple, fast, and super accurate. We recently shipped an entire commercial interior of wainscoting that was ply with applied face moldings and the contractor worried a lot about what the joints were going to look like.

We straight lined all the panels on the slider, then as David wisely recommends, we ran all the panels on the shaper face down, made snug fitting splines, glued them into one edge of each panel, and then for added insurance we pre-stained the raw edges of the ply (faces were fully pre-finished prior to machining) and splines in the events there were any gaps.

The contractor was over the moon and the pre-staining was a waste. We shipped the panels wrapped with edge protectors and when they went together the oversight contractor on the job had to search to find a seam.

6/6/18       #9: Edge gluing plywood ...
Bruce Henriksen

I think you are making it too complicated. The TV is going to cover most or all of the joint so cut a small chamfer on each side of the joint and use biscuits or a spline. Simple, fast and effective.

6/7/18       #10: Edge gluing plywood ...
Paul Miller

Website: http://MCCWOODWORKING.COM

I do things like this often. I use what are called "Tite joint dog bone fasteners." I have a CNC router so it is easy for me to route into the back of the plywood. But, you can make a jig and use a router with a template guide. On TV cabinets like this, I do not put the joint in the center. They will probably need to cut holes in the center for cables.

6/7/18       #11: Edge gluing plywood ...
David Waldmann Member

Website: vermonthardwoods.com

Thanks for the many great ideas.

After giving the customer a quote for the full plywood back they decided that a 5" wide strip around the edge made of solid wood would be fine...

It's what I would have recommended in the first place, as not only does it save that huge plywood panel, but now we can ship it knocked down by UPS and save them about $500 in crating/freight costs. But of course they wanted what they wanted. Until they found out how much it was going to cost.


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