Underbench Cabinet: Gluing up
I
face gluing up with mixed feelings. On the positive side, it is great
to have reached a milestone. But then the fears creep in .. will it
come together like the dry fit ... what if I get something upside
down ... yeah, you know I have done this!
I get everything ready ... glue (Titemark Liquid Hide Glue) and painter’s spatula ... clamps ... mallet ... wet rag …
The bench is wiped down and covered in old newspapers …
Both pin boards receive a generous amount of glue at the same time (all surfaces) …
No glue is added to the tail board, with the exception of the mitres.
The two pin boards are inserted into the mutual tail board, and then the exposed pins receive their glue …
Lastly, the remaining tail board is attached, and all corners are hammered down …
Any glue spills and runs are immediately removed with a wet rag. I have not had a problem with finish doing it this way. I am more concerned that dry glue will act as a barrier to stain or finish, and that removing it will damage the surface.
The case is now clamped. Happily, all is square and no adjustments are needed.
Once dry, the case is checked for square once again. It is necessary to hold one's breath at this point.
All is square …
... and in all directions …
Continue breathing.
Why use squares and not measure the case diagonals? There is a reason why measuring with a square is more important for me. Quite simply, the case does not need to be square, but the lower corners must be so. The upper corners can be out-of-square.
It is easier to fit drawers when the sides they run along are square - hence the lower corners must be square. What lies above the drawer is irrelevant in this context - hence the upper corners may be out-of-square. Of course, one would like the upper corners to be square as well, however that is for aesthetic purposes.
Time to flatten the outside of the case. The choice of smoother is an HNT Gordon with a 60 degree cutting angle. This low plane will make it easier to plane with the case high on the bench, and it can be pulled for extra leverage ..
Perhaps sacrilegiously for some, the case is now sanded (80/120/240 grits) as the plan is to stain the wood to match the Jarrah drawer fronts.
And then we are done …
.
.. and ready for the drawer blades.
Regards from Perth
Derek
December 2020