Woodwork Joints | Page 2

hardwoods like teak and rosewood. The glue used for jointing should
be neither too thick nor too thin; the consistency of cream will be found
suitable for most purposes. It should be nice and hot, and be rapidly
spread over the surface of the wood.
[Illustration: Fig. 2.--How the Wood is held whilst Glueing.]
If light-coloured woods, such as pine, satinwood, sycamore, etc., have
to be jointed, a little flake white should be procured and mixed into the
liquid glue. This will prevent the glue showing a thin black line on the
joint.
Broad surfaces of close-grained hardwood having a shiny surface are
usually carefully roughened with a fine toothing plane blade previous
to glueing.

SUPPORTING THE JOINT.--The jointed boards should not be reared
up against a "bench leg" or wall without having any support in the
centre, as dotted line at Fig. 5, because in all probability they will
fracture before the glue has time to set; and, when we go to take them
up to renew working operations, we shall be annoyed to find that they
have assumed a position similar to that at Fig. 5 (shown exaggerated),
and this will, of course, necessitate re-jointing.
[Illustration: Fig. 3.--Correct Jointing.]
[Illustration: Fig. 4.--Faulty Jointing.]
[Illustration: Fig. 5.--Boards unsupported.]
[Illustration: Fig. 6.--Boards supported.]
[Illustration: Fig. 7.--(A) Glued Slip, (B) Glued Moulding.]
[Illustration: Fig. 8.--Grain alternating.]
A correct method to adopt is seen at Fig. 6. Here we have supported the
joint by rearing up against the wall a couple of pieces of batten, one at
each end of the board, thus supporting it throughout its entire width
until the glue is thoroughly set. The two or more pieces of timber in a
butt joint adhere by crystallisation of the glue and atmospheric pressure.
A well-fitted joint made with good quality glue is so strong that, when
boards of 3 feet and upwards are jointed together by this method, the
timber in most cases will break with the grain sooner than part at the
joint.
Butt joints may be cramped up, if desired, and it is customary to warm
them as previously stated. In the absence of the usual iron cramp, the
amateur may make an excellent wooden arrangement out of any odd
pieces of timber that happen to be handy. Two blocks of hardwood are
screwed on the base board at a suitable distance for the work in hand;
the boards to be jointed are glued and placed in position between the
blocks; and the two hardwood wedges are inserted and hammered in
opposite directions to each other, thus exerting the desired pressure. An

example of this method of cramping is shown in Fig. 25, which also
indicates the use of iron "dogs."
When jointing, care should be taken to first plane up the boards true on
one side--i.e., take them out of winding. The method of testing for this
is shown at Fig. 9, and it may with advantage be used when jointing the
edges of the boards. Two laths or strips of wood are planed up to
exactly the same width, having their edges straight and parallel. One
edge of each lath may, if desired, be bevelled a little. The method of
using these "twist sticks" or "winding laths" is to put them on the board
as indicated, and sight along their top edges. The winding laths, being
much longer than the width of the board, show up the irregularity
greatly pronounced.
THE TOOLS generally used for making the butt joints are:--
The jack plane, for roughing the edges, etc.
The wooden trying plane (or iron jointing plane) for trueing up the
work.
The try square for testing purposes.
The winding laths and straight edge.
THE METHOD OF WORK is as follows: Each board is in turn put in
the vice and planed straight lengthwise; it is then tested with winding
laths and a try square (the latter method is shown at Fig. 22).
[Illustration: Fig. 9.--Testing Surface with Winding Laths.]
The boards are then put on the top of one another as at Fig. 1 and tested
with a straight edge; they should appear true as shown at Fig. 3; if they
show faulty as at Fig. 4 the joints must be again fitted until the required
degree of accuracy is obtained. Difficulties may be avoided by care in
selecting timber suitable for jointing, and it must be remembered that
timber shrinks circumferentially (the heart side becoming curved) as
dotted lines in Fig. 10. If the timber be jointed with all the heart side

one way as at Fig. 10, the tendency will be for it to cast as shown by
the dotted line. If the timber be alternated as at Fig. 11, the tendency
will be to cast wavy, whereas if quartered timber can be obtained it will
stand