Just figured out that spacing out my glue-ups makes a huge difference

I was putting together a cabinet and glued the frame before adding the panels. It stopped everything from moving around so much. What order do you guys usually follow for assembly?

3 comments

3 Comments

barnes.lisa1mo ago

Oh man, spacing out glue ups is the only way to go (seriously, it saves so many headaches). Piper's totally right about warping, because if you glue a panel into a frame that's still wet, the wood can't move as it dries and just fights itself. Giving each part time to fully dry and do its initial shrinking means everything settles before you lock it in place. Rushing that process is pretty much asking for a cracked panel or a pulled apart joint later on.

nguyen.piper1mo ago

Wait you used to glue everything at once? I can't believe your panels didn't warp like crazy doing it that way.

skyler_mitchell26d ago

Ever try it with properly dried wood and the right glue? I've done full glue ups for years and never had a panel warp because I make sure the stock is stable first. The trick is clamping it flat on a known straight surface while it cures.