# Guest book: thin wood Joining



## jwkwildland (Jan 3, 2012)

prep. for a long read: (hopefully pics are attached)

I am making a guestbook for my wedding out of Black Walnut. 

size: not final (as this is the planning stage) but, 12"x 9 1/4"x 3/8"

Problem: I have to find a way to join 3 pieces of 3/8" walnut without losing aesthetics. I am a beginner woodworker, with very few tools (I hope this project will help me get some :thumbsup. 

the main idea for this project is to make sure it lasts, hopefully beyond my lifetime. so it must be hardy joinery (and look good).

after rolling it around, I think I have decided an initial half lap joints between the three main boards (all of which are dark heartwood), then inlay 3 well spaced pieces of the walnut sapwood (for contrasting color) perpendicular to the heartwood grain on the inside of each cover.

_here are some pics of my plans and the wood:
_
http://hardwoodhank.blogspot.com/2012/01/blog-post.html

tell me if you think this will work/last? if not, please suggest. and do you think i should forget the sap wood, and use the same color heartwood for inlays?


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## 3fingers (Dec 7, 2011)

If you are just putting three boards together there is no need for a joint. Just glue them edge to edge. Will last forever as long as ur joints are tight


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

3fingers said:


> If you are just putting three boards together there is no need for a joint. Just glue them edge to edge. Will last forever as long as ur joints are tight


 
+1

The inlay that was mentioned for inside the cover would be nice looking. Not necessary for strength.

George


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## jwkwildland (Jan 3, 2012)

*thanks guys*

Cool. so i can just forget the half lap (thank god, that was going to be tricky around the inlay). but i do think i ultimately like the inlay too. now i can make sure it the right kind of wood for the inlay.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

jwkwildland said:


> Cool. so i can just forget the half lap (thank god, that was going to be tricky around the inlay). but i do think i ultimately like the inlay too. now i can make sure it the right kind of wood for the inlay.


I agree with just edge gluing. I would alternate the grain on the center section. Inlaying a strip may release stresses in the glued pieces for the inlay enabling cupping.










 







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## davesplane (Apr 26, 2010)

looking at your drawing this does not look that hard.
if you do the half lap just run it thru a table saw with a dado and the inlay with a router.
do you have the tools?


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## jwkwildland (Jan 3, 2012)

Thanks everyone, after your consultations, I have decided to just glue them edge to edge, and inlay my lady's and my initials on the inside front cover. I dont know which kind of wood yet, but ill get some new drawings up and post the pictures properly on this thread. Davesplane, I have a few tools, just not all that I need. Im thinking I will see if the college I'm going to will let me use theirs. I have the router, and a radial arm saw (that I'm repairing). so mostly I just gotta find a planer and jointer. possibly a band saw. we'll see after i plane my wood down.


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