Replies

1. 
   knuts | Dec 08, 2008 11:12pm | #1

   Cedar is both fragile and weak so I wouldn't make the fingers smaller than 1/4". As to glue, I always make my fingers a little proud so I can sand them flush. Takes off glue on the outside. I always blue tape the inside corners because glue will be harder to remove there. I used to work with cedar until I became allergic, but when I did work with aromatic cedar, I never finished it with anything.

1. 
   brucet9 | Dec 08, 2008 11:58pm | #2

   Thanks for the tip about fragility of cedar.So sanding after the glue dries removes all trace? Somehow I expected it to sort of sink in.What technique do you use to apply glue to finger joints - brush, spatula, ice cream stick...?BruceT

1. 
   knuts | Dec 09, 2008 12:24am | #3

   Well this will probably cause a firestorm, but for hardwoods I use super glue with the joints closed. Just let it ooze in from outside.

   With softwoods, I have the joints met, but not drawn and brush titebond in from the outside corners. You don't have much open time and have to move fast. On really big boxes, I'll often glue two corners with the other ends dry just for squaring the clamps. After an hour or two, I can glue the dry ends and reclamp. I use the metal handle acid brushes. Of course, the blue tape is around  the joint because this is pretty sloppy work; at least the way I do it. I will mention that I make my joints very tight, like dovetails, they don't wiggle and it takes K clamps on large pieces to draw them. But not so tight they have to be hammered.

   As with any new technique though, I always test myself on scrap. I've found it's quicker to be comfortable with something, than re-doing real work.

   All in all, it's pretty easy; everybody does it!

    

   Edited 12/8/2008 4:26 pm ET by knuts

1. 
   WillGeorge | Dec 26, 2008 06:42pm | #10

   Well this will probably cause a firestorm, but for hardwoods I use super glue with the joints closed. Just let it ooze in from outside.

   I tend to agree but way to expensive glue for my blood.. It will work though.

2. 
   SARGEgrinder47 | Dec 25, 2008 08:37pm | #7

   I use an accordian shaped squeeze bottle with a metal needle tip to apply... then a 1/4" acid brush to spread on box joints.. DT's.. etc.... I use a Freud Box Joint Cutter set as it has flat teeth which leave an extremely clean bottom but... as warned..... use a hardwood backer when cutting cedar box joints as it will blow out the back side without rear support.

   Sarge..

1. 
   brucet9 | Dec 25, 2008 11:18pm | #8

   I clamped a piece of cedar onto my jig and still got some blowout. I guess I should have used poplar or something?BruceT

1. 
   SARGEgrinder47 | Dec 26, 2008 04:38am | #9

   I would use nothing softer than poplar... and make sure whatever type blade you are using is sharp. Bad enough with cedar cutting it without getting any blow-out splinters... punching out the slot with a dull blade teeth is going to gaurantee it. :>)

   Sarge..

   Edited 12/25/2008 8:40 pm ET by SARGEgrinder47

2. 
   WillGeorge | Dec 26, 2008 06:50pm | #11

   I would use nothing softer than poplar...

   I use Poplar for many things..  I like that wood for many things. But not that easy to work with a router in my opinion.. Even with a spiral bit.

   I can go throught many hardwoods in half the time without burning.. Polplar will almost always burn at least a bit.. I still love the wood.

2. 
   KeithNewton | Dec 09, 2008 12:35am | #4

   Bruce, I am in the process of finishing up a little octagonal piece which has eleven tiers with eight drawers in each level, so all of the drawers are triangles like a flag box. So I needed to make 88 of them. They are about 11" on the sides ~ 9" on the front, and 3" deep, with 3/8" thick sides.

   I used QS sycamore for the sides, and 3/8" fingers which seemed about right for this project to me, so I think the 1/4" would be fine, and 1/8 is too small for my liking.

   For glue, I used the thin cyanoacrylate, which I flowed into the joints after assembly. I made a fixture to help assemble these hard to clamp boxes. I could wiggle the bottom fingers together, then drive the front on with a mallet. Once together, I was could glue a drawer together in just a few seconds, without having it flow out on the inside.

   I did make a sample joint, using just two sides, which I could not get to break. So I am not too worried about the strength after adding the fronts making a triangle.

3. 
   DustyGeorge | Dec 25, 2008 06:18am | #5

   Bruce,

   Check out Doug Stowe's article "A Better Way to Build Boxes" on page 50 of the Nov/Dec 2008 FWW magizine.  He miters the corners of the boxes then inserts exposed splines into the corners.  I think something like 1/8" maple splines in the corners of a cedar box would look great and be quite strong.  Trying to cut and fit finger joints directly into cedar would be a major PITA.  As a previous poster pointed out it is very soft and weak.

   Good Luck, George

   You don't stop laughing because you grow old.  You grow old because you stop laughing. - Michael Pritchard
4. 
   BruceS | Dec 25, 2008 05:51pm | #6

   Glue,  I would use liquid hide glue.  Plenty of open working time and it also acts like a lubricant.

   Work Safe,  Count to 10 when your done for the day !!

   Bruce S.