Replies

1. 
   Kell | Aug 09, 2004 03:54am | #1

   Hi John,

   Just joint the pieces straight and join them up that way.  The panel will be plenty strong enough and the odd looking zig zag will disappear.

   Raised panel doors are easy to make, after you learn the first time anyway, and everyone is always impressed with the results.  Good luck!

   Kell

   BTW my last name is Keller as well.  Where are you located?

1. 
   chiseler2 | Aug 09, 2004 04:03am | #2

   I am in Central Michigan but I origanally came from Upstate N.Y.

     Why do they put a glue joint cutter in the kitchen set?

   Is there any use for it?

   John

1. 
   Kell | Aug 09, 2004 03:25pm | #3

   John,

   I have no idea unless they expect that the cabinet doors will be painted in which case the zig zag joint makes no difference.

   Kell

2. 
   notDusty | Aug 10, 2004 12:16am | #8

              I would agree with the other posters as to glue up panels without the glue joint is fine. The glue joint showing through the raised panel cut often times in stained work will show the glue , and not accept the stain. As far as why would they put a glue joint cutter in a kitchen set ? Most likely to glue up table tops or panels that may not get beveled. For table tops and thicker glue ups it is a excellent way to go . Generally you I get it set as close as possible but plan on running the glue up through a wide belt or some kind of surfacer , as some clean up will be needed.

                                 dusty

2. 
   UncleDunc | Aug 09, 2004 06:34pm | #4

   The glue joint cutter has to be exactly centered in the thickness of the stock, and yes, that will take some fiddling to get right.

3. 
   robkelly | Aug 09, 2004 09:16pm | #5

   A glue joint cutter might have some utility in lining up long boards for clamping, but is not really needed for strength. In general, it is the answer to a question that no one ever asked.

4. 
   JerryPacMan | Aug 09, 2004 11:11pm | #6

   Check out the bottom picture in the link below.  It will show how to set up a glue joint cutter.

   http://www.cmtusa.com/store/index1.ihtml?x_page=store.ihtml&id=CID1838748357&step=2&parentid=&menuinclude=leftnav_products.ihtml

    

   Life is what happens to you when you're making other plans .

5. 
   mlbfreestyle | Aug 09, 2004 11:20pm | #7

   I bought a glue joint bit several years ago, thinking I really needed it.  I tried it once and had many of the same problems.  I feel stupid for having bought it.  I now use the top portion as a rabeting bit in conjuntion with my router table fence.

6. 
   sawdustmaker | Aug 10, 2004 08:16pm | #9

   I have used the glue joint bit, and I like it. It takes a bit of trial and error to set it up, but so do the stile and rail bits. It does give quite a bit more glue surface, and I think that is what it is designed for. I agree with others that it may be overkill for raised panel doors, but if you need strength, such as a table top, it works well.

   Where in Central Mich. do you live? I'm in Petoskey, but grew up east of Ludington and Manistee.

7. 
   RickL | Aug 11, 2004 12:38am | #10

   There's no need for a glue joint cutter. I've only seen a few table tops in second hand stores with this joint. No shop I know of would use one. With glues better than ever a good jointed edge is strong enough. I noticed an upsurge in glue joint cutters the last few years aimed at aspiring woodworkers who think they need all kinds of stuff to make furniture.

1. 
   notDusty | Aug 11, 2004 01:51am | #11

                  Hi Rick ,

        While it is true , you don't need a glue joint cutter to make furniture, let's put this in prospective. Take a close look at Stickley or other high quality solid furniture , and you will more times than not see a form of glue joint used . Certainly not all pieces call for this type of joint . It is purely aesthetic , not because it is stronger , kind of like dovetails, it looks great . I'm sure you have tried them, and if not just for the heck give them a whirl .Much of the furniture has simple lines so often the jointery can help to balance detail .

                                            dusty

2. 
   Jellyrug | Aug 11, 2004 03:32am | #13

   Rick,

   I won't use a glue joint bit for raised panel doors, for the reasons mentioned here in the forum. Raised panels are easy to glue up and align, because of their size.

   In my opinion, a joint bit is however the best way for perfect alignment when gluing up panels, plus you have extra strength in the joint. This becomes important when you start working with lumber such as Goncalo Alves, which does not glue as well, due to not absorbing the glue.

   A joint bit is very easy to dial in for perfect alignment. If you use a joint bit, the tool which will have no use in the kitchen set, is either a biscuit joiner, or dowels used for alignment.

   Willie

1. 
   chiseler2 | Aug 12, 2004 05:20am | #14

   Hello to all,

           I was able to get the glue joint cutter to work just fine. It helped having a picture of how to set it up. I did not use it for the raised

   panel door that I made. I did not want the zig zag to show. I ended

   up jointing the boards together with a hand plane. Two at the same time works fantstic because the plane stays nice and square without

   tipping. The glue line is nearly invisible and that was the goal.

   Thanks to everyone, and I will save the glue joint cutter for a big table with breadboard ends to hide the zig zag.

   John Keller

8. 
   OrchidGuy | Aug 11, 2004 02:11am | #12

   Hi CHISELER 2,

    Whenever I've done paneled doors, I've just jointed the edges straight and used biscuits to join the boards! On really long boards such as a table top I've used splines running the length of the boards. I just use a dado head cutter in a table saw and make my grooves for the splines.

   Those daring young men in their flying machines!