Edge joining and resawing for thin panels

[wowbagger9]

Hello,

I'm making an arts/crafts style tool chest, following a plan from Wood magazine. The back of the chest is made with stiles/tenons and panels. The panels are 1/4" thick by 10" wide, made from solid hardwood. I am working with 4/4 stock. My question is, would it be easier to create the panel from the the 4/4 stock and then resaw the panel to 1/4", or should I resaw the 4/4 stock first down to 1/4" and then join these pieces to make the panel? How easy is it to join 1/4" stock?

I'll be resawing with a table saw (making sure not to cut all the way through, finishing with a hand saw). I know I could also use plywood for these panels, but I'd prefer not to. Thanks for your suggestions. dave

[Leon]

Resawing narrow pieces IMHO is always easier than wide pieces. Glue up should not be difficult as all as long as your edges are Straight, Square, and you do not apply too much clamping pressure. You don't want the pieces to bow up or down from clamps that are too tight.

[Swingman]

IME, get to your final stock thickness first, with whatever method works best for you. You should have little problem edge gluing, long grain to long grain, 1/4" thick stock. Be sure to use cauls, or similar methods, to keep your glue-up flat, as that will be your biggest problem during the glue-up stage with thinner stock.

[Nova]

For panels like these I resaw first and cut the stock oversized (about 3/8" after jointing one face). I then glue them up, aligning the jointed face, and run them through the thickness planer to get the panels to final size and flatten the them once the glue dries.

-- Jack Novak Buffalo, NY - USA (Remove "SPAM" from email address to reply)

[wowbagger9]

Thanks for the input everyone. Looks like I'll be resawing first.

dave