# Face and edge glue up



## SMG (Jun 8, 2021)

Working on my first end grain cutting board. To minimize waste I’m thinking of gluing end of Maple with the face of walnut. 

Do you guys see any issues with this?


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## SMG (Jun 8, 2021)

Anybody ? 😄


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## Rebelwork (Jan 15, 2012)

I'm trying to undrstand what your doing.

Are you picture framing a cutting board?

Minimizing waste is throwing me off..

I think we are all waiting for someone to answer to be more clear...


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## SMG (Jun 8, 2021)

Rebelwork - sorry for the confusion. I'm making an end grain cutting board from scratch using walnut and maple. My question is a general one. using the below pic as a reference. If I strips of wood from two different species - and glue the edge maple to the face grain of walnut - does it present any issues like a weak bond, or different expansion/contraction rates etc. I expect the edge grain to be more porous than the face grain. I'm very new to wood working and might be over thinking it, but just wondering if I expect any problems down the road like a weak joint etc. Hope this makes sense


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## Elden Cozort (Oct 30, 2018)

If I were making an end grain cutting board, I would start by gluing alternating strips of the maple and walnut together at the edges of each (say 5 to 10 strips). When dry cut into smaller sections and glue again on the edge.

You want the end grain exposed on the top and bottom of the cutting board so I don't think there would be a time you would need to glue end grain to face grain. But if you did I think it would create a weaker bond


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

There are several You Tubes on the strength of gluing end grain to face grain and the results were very unexpected! Those joints ended up being quite strong. As to movement, as long as you maintain all the grain in the same orientation, you should be fine. Do not cross the grains!


https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=end+grain+glue+strength


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## Rebelwork (Jan 15, 2012)

SMG said:


> Rebelwork - sorry for the confusion. I'm making an end grain cutting board from scratch using walnut and maple. My question is a general one. using the below pic as a reference. If I strips of wood from two different species - and glue the edge maple to the face grain of walnut - does it present any issues like a weak bond, or different expansion/contraction rates etc. I expect the edge grain to be more porous than the face grain. I'm very new to wood working and might be over thinking it, but just wondering if I expect any problems down the road like a weak joint etc. Hope this makes sense
> View attachment 432560


You shouldnt Have any problems.


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## SMG (Jun 8, 2021)

Woodnthings - thanks for the info. Yikes - I might be trouble as I probably mixed up the grain directions. The structure was not clearly visible (at least to me) in the first place, on top of that I didn't keep track of the pieces when cutting. would mixing grains create a weaker bond? 

Here is my glue-up from earlier today btw. fingers crossed .


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## sanchez (Feb 18, 2010)

Face grain and edge grain are really no different for expansion and contraction, or the strength of the glue bond. Those two terms are pretty much only referring to the milled board. Face grain is (mostly) perpendicular to the growth rings and edge grain is (mostly) parallel. I won't get into the differences between rift-sawn and quarter-sawn.

Your cutting board will be fine!


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