# Glueing and Clamping two pieces in Mitre Joint



## arvanlaar (Dec 29, 2014)

Hey All,

Quick question for you guys.

I am planning on making a pair of books for a present and wanted to use a mitre joint for the two perpendicular pieces making the 'L'. Can you glue up and clamp just two pieces of wood that have a mitre joint or should I be using another joint? I was thinking of trying my hand with a dovetail or box joints but I most likely will be using pine so I didn't think it would look great doing it that way. 

Thanks for any suggestions


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## BernieL (Oct 28, 2011)

The problem with glueing a miter is that glue does not bind end grain so a miter cut is a weak joint. You could strengthen it with a spline. But I would encourage you to try the dove tail. It sounds like a great project to start learning the dovetail and I think it will look good (even with pine).


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## arvanlaar (Dec 29, 2014)

That is a good point Bernie... I forgot that end grain doesn't glue well. That is why you would need 4 sides to make its strong, like a frame, right?


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

Even a frame with miter joints is pretty week, the joints just arent under any stress. Im assuming that youre making a book end, and not just a book, so a miter joint probably wouldnt be the best choice in joints. Id recommend a box joint. Easy to cut, stronger than most anything else


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## Oneal-Woodworking (Apr 14, 2013)

arvanlaar said:


> That is a good point Bernie... I forgot that end grain doesn't glue well. That is why you would need 4 sides to make its strong, like a frame, right?


I have done more than a few mitered doors (and other stuffs) and just don't buy into that idea at all. 

Depends on the wood used and the way you stick the pieces together. (a properly glued Oak / end-grain mitre joint is going to stick like glue and be perfectly stable for YEARS and YEARS where if you try to do the same thing with pine you will end up with a mess rather quickly.


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## arvanlaar (Dec 29, 2014)

OnealWoodworking said:


> I have done more than a few mitered doors (and other stuffs) and just don't buy into that idea at all.
> 
> Depends on the wood used and the way you stick the pieces together. (a properly glued Oak / end-grain mitre joint is going to stick like glue and be perfectly stable for YEARS and YEARS where if you try to do the same thing with pine you will end up with a mess rather quickly.


OK so because I am using pine, I should probably stay away from the mitre joint. I'll try my hand at box or dovetail joints and see what happens


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## mengtian (Nov 8, 2012)

You can always try a lock miter bit for your router....Here is a thread on the bit. Many cons and a few plusses
http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f2/lock-miter-bit-advice-80905/


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## was2ndlast (Apr 11, 2014)

Depending if you have a biscuit joiner and the piece is wide enough you can use biscuits to strengthen the glue. Also when gluing endgrain, use some watered down glue on the ends before gluing to 'precondition'. Let it get tacky and then apply glue and clamp. The watered down glue gets sucked into the end grain first and reduces future suckage. The technique is called something...I just forget what right now....


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## arvanlaar (Dec 29, 2014)

was2ndlast said:


> Depending if you have a biscuit joiner and the piece is wide enough you can use biscuits to strengthen the glue. Also when gluing endgrain, use some watered down glue on the ends before gluing to 'precondition'. Let it get tacky and then apply glue and clamp. The watered down glue gets sucked into the end grain first and reduces future suckage. The technique is called something...I just forget what right now....


Thanks thats a great tip!


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## SeniorSitizen (May 2, 2012)

was2ndlast said:


> The watered down glue gets sucked into the end grain first and reduces future suckage. The technique is called something...I just forget what right now....


I've always heard of the technique as " sizing ".


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

There will be a lot of pressure on the upright, I would try a sliding dovetail which will give you the support you need.


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