# Assembly & Gluing a Complex Panel . . .



## dawziecat (Dec 8, 2009)

I have to assemble and glue a unit consisting of 4 raised panels.
How do I best do this? Even just dry fitting them seems a pain with much wiggling and sliding. I fear I will have the glue just about everyplace other than where it is actually applied and needed when I am finished with subsequent staining and finishing problems.

Picture of panel, dry clamped is attached.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi 

I use a frame jig.

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dawziecat said:


> I have to assemble and glue a unit consisting of 4 raised panels.
> How do I best do this? Even just dry fitting them seems a pain with much wiggling and sliding. I fear I will have the glue just about everyplace other than where it is actually applied and needed when I am finished with subsequent staining and finishing problems.
> 
> Picture of panel, dry clamped is attached.


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## jerrymayfield (Sep 25, 2004)

I like bobj3's way. Another way might be to glue one rail to all the stiles,with spacers inserted to locate the stiles. In a few hours(or longer) insert the panels then glue the other rail to the stiles. The bigger the glue job is the more it becomes necessary to break it into smaller sections for gluing. Gluing is supposed to make you nervous,so try not to let it bother you to much On a big job I always do a few dry runs.

Regards
Jerry


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## Packard (Jan 23, 2010)

bobj3 said:


> Hi
> 
> I use a frame jig.
> 
> =====


I have just two cleats set up to make one right angle at the lower left. I use bar clamps to grab the rest.

Glue, especially Woodworkers III have pretty good open time. So use a brush and brush on the glue for each rail/stile juncture (the panels don't get glued), and press in place. You should be good to get this done in plenty of time for the glue.

I always stain and apply my sanding sealer to the panel before assembly. That way expansion and contraction will not show any bare spots.


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## jlord (Nov 16, 2009)

To me the picture shows the long sides (near & far side of picture) to be the stiles & the short pieces to be the rails. Be sure to install all your panel spacers or spaceballs in your rails & stiles before you start applying glue. Mark your spacing so you know all your parts are where they should be while assembling. I also say no glue where the panels sit only where the rail & stiles join. I would start on one end inserting a rail with glue applied then a panel no glue applied then the next rail with glue applied lined up with your marks till you reach the other end. Then cap it off with the other long stile then adjust for square then tighten clamps. Don't take any phone calls or stop to eat dinner until clamped up. Sometimes the wife has a hard time understanding why you can't do these things when glue is involved.


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## dawziecat (Dec 8, 2009)

Ok. Thanks. I think I've got it.
The plan:

1/ Stain panels (done, they're drying as I write).
2/ Apply polyurethane to panels. ( I figure I will be able to wipe up any glue that gets on them accidentally without harm then.)
3/ Place cleats at opposing corners on my workbench at 90 degrees to assure panel will be square.
4/ Assemble panel dry to mark center lines of muntins, not forgetting screen spline material in lieu of spaceballs.
5/ Apply glue to one end of the 2 rails and 3 muntins and place them into the top stile, center lines aligned with the marks in the previous step.
6/ Slide the panels in. (Here's where I start the wriggling of the muntins, cursing at the screen spline as the panels push it around and it falls out.)
7/ Apply glue to the free end of the rails.
8/ Place the bottom stile.
9/ Clamp. Unfortunately, the assembly is just a little too long for the band on my Merle clamp so I'm back to bar clamps.


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## rwyoung (Aug 3, 2008)

Frame jig + liquid hide glue (long open time, little finish interference) + pre-finishing the panels.

The long open time of the liquid hide glue is a double edged sword. While you get plenty of time to wiggle things into place, you must also use plenty of clamps on your panel jig and leave it in clamps for 4+ hours. The 30 minutes under clamp trick you can sometimes get away with using PVA glue won't work.


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