Need Wide Boards? How to make panels by edge joining lumber | STEP IT UP Woodworking

Want to build something wide with solid lumber instead of plywood? You can't buy really wide boards, but you can make your own. Step up your woodworking game by learning how to edge glue boards to make wide panels.

[KpxUrz]

I like this guy's manner of explanation. One of the least pretentious people I've seen posting on youtube. Good and straightforward.

[Admiral.Snakbar]

It makes a huge difference reversing the direction of your boards at 4:20 in the video. It reduces your chance of warping and cupping as the board ages.

[SpecificLove]

Thank you so much for having some of these basic shows for those of us who just don't know.

[herminigildojakosalem]

This is how all instructional videos should be made. Clear, rich in material, very good production ( proper lighting, clear audio, nice camera angles, etc) and the pace is just right. As a total newbie to woodworking I am soaking up on it here on youtube and this is one video that I like very much. Thank you, Mr. Steve Ramsay. Keep it up. More power to you.

[umdangt]

Steve I wished you had taught my woodshop class in high school. That 9 minute video was more informative then my entire semester course.

[MarkLindsayCNC]

Nice video, Steve! You kind of waded into a couple of controversial topics, but handled them skillfully as usual.

One thing I've discovered over the years, is when you start tightening the pipe clamps, start with the center clamp first. The individual pieces of wood you're gluing up tend to slip back and forth against one another a lot less that way. I start in the center, then move to one end, then the other, then the center again, and so on. The boards don't move around nearly as much, if at all.

[kev]

I love this guy. I spend hours watching his videos. His mix of knowledge, humility, and humor are perfect. I’ve learned so much from his videos, truly a credit to YouTube.

[Ramza]

Long time contractor and general handyman here. Been watching your channel for about 6 months now, love every minute of it. I have been working for the same family for a little over 3 years, on 5 properties on their "compound" as we call it. Charlie, the oldest of the 2 brothers, has been building homes for the last 40+ years. He was taught by his father, whom had been building homes for 50+ years before he passed away in the 80's. We built solid oak cabinets for the younger of the 2 brothers' home this past winter, before I discovered your channel. All the panels we made for the cabinets started with rough 1" thick oak. After rough planing the boards down to around 7/8", we used the exact same techniques to make all the panels (20+ feet of kitchen wall cabinets) as you used in your video. Your methods are tried and true, and have been used by master woodworkers for generations. Nice video, and keep up the good work!

[colaoliver]

To increase the chances of getting a flat panel:
1) layout the wood for the best look FIRST, alternating the growth ring pattern, circle face up then circle face down.
2) Mark the panel with a triangle to locate the boards in the panel.
3) NOW mark one side of a glue joint with IN and the other with OUT.
4) If you have a jointer, joint each edge, with the Face marked IN against the fence, the face marked out away from the fence. By doing this even if the jointer fence or your Table Saw (on the jig do face up & face down) is not perfectly square, the joint will be flat. Sketch it out on paper and you will see it. 
5) When you are about to glue. LIGHTLY clamp one end of the panel and see if there is gappage in any of the joints at the loose end. This is a test for the straigtness of the joint. NOTE: if there is a gap and you glue any way you introduce stress in the panel and the chance of a crack developing hopefully after the check clears. Check your Jointer set up. NOTE: I never use dowel or biscuits. Also check for flatness across the joints.
6) DO NOT put the fear of God into the clamp pressure. If the joint is good just enough pressure to hold it all in place.
7) Remove the excess glue off the joints. NOW LET THE GLUE LINE DRY! BEFORE you sand the panel. Remember you have introduced moisture into the joint and it will swell. If you sand too soon, the joints will seem flat but then the wood will shrink as the joint dries completely and there will be a valley along the joint.
I've been a professional woodworker, fine furniture and architectural wood work for 40 years.

[FrederickDunn]

DANG! I've had a biscuit joiner for 20 years and always "thought" it was making stronger panels, BUT, you just saved me from ordering more biscuits for it... so for that, I thank YOU!!! Excellent presentation as always!

[HyperionBadger]

Still the top instructional woodworking channel on YouTube.

[iamaioshi]

I love these informative videos. Most people on youtube just don't understand simple things like what a jointer does, or the difference between that a joining wood with biscuits. I sure didn't! Thanks Steve I absolutely love your videos.

[johnthompson]

I love your project videos, but having these "step it up" tutorials to go over the basic methods is really helpful and encouraging.  Thanks, Steve.

[ryanmarshall]

I'd like to clarify something you touched on around 4:10 when matching up pieces based on ring curve when viewing endgrain. This does actually matter a great deal, depending on climate. Unless you plan to do raised panels, the panels you're putting together will inherently warp IF the curvature of endgrain are identical with all pieces. One of the best ways to combat warping is to alternate the pieces. Again, this varies based on climate and wood species but general rule of thumb is to alternate the pieces. Just throwing that out there after making raised panels for a quilt chest and considering various options of construction, you definitely want to alternate the pieces if you want your project to outlive you.

[rowalte]

I'm a beginner woodworker and this video was really, really helpful. Thank you.

[reidsimonson]

I built your edge jointing jig, thanks for the tip works really well! Only difference I did though was use MDF board from Menards. It was like $3 for a shelf of something like a 2'x4', and I could make 2 jigs out of it. Harbor freight toggle clamps were 5 dollars each, cheaper at Amazon. Pretty good build, easy and cheap and works pretty slick!

[Polish]

My woodworking skills, which sometimes I question even exists.. always have me looking for an Elite level Woodworker with a teaching ability to connect with someone at my, our, level and even do projects more more in a way a weekend guy would do so as hobbyists. Appreciate it, some of you explanations really help a woodworker at my level.

[ninjamincho]

"I used that panel to create the bottom of last week's serving tray." Wow, I'm looking forward to Time Travel for Mere Mortals!

[rocheuro]

huge thanks from Poland, I am addicted to your workshops and videos! so much help to start my own little woodworking projects at my backyard.

[helloraie]

Synchronised Microjig is also my favourite Olympic event.