Glue for maple to maple?

[George E. Cawthon]

Any reduction in the edge surface area and perfect fit reduces the strength. I imagine that if you get a perfect match all around the insert (full contact), there would be no reduction in strength, but full contact is not likely because each biscuit would require 3 contact surfaces on each board. Nonetheless, everything that I have read indicates that the strength of a perfectly flat contact is equal to or superior to any other surface with splines, dowels, biscuits, etc. That said, the difference in strength will never make any difference for most cabinet or other home type woodwork.

[Max Mahanke]

I guess, but the biscuit is designed to swell by absorbing the water based glue (that's why they don't work well with urethane glues) so I wonder if 'contact' is an really an issue. I've seen them used on MDF where they swelled enough to ghost thru to the surface. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a fan of biscuits except for butt joints when the extra work of a mortise and tenon doesn't seem justified (mother-in-law projects). And because the slot is slightly larger than the biscuit to allow for expansion, in my experience they're not that good for allignment. I'm back to the way I was taught 100 years ago using cauls.

I agree, that same 100 years ago, our first project was to hand edge joint two boards and glue them with white, not yellow glue. The next session the shop teacher would break them over his knee to demonstrate that if they were properly jointed, the glue joint was stronger than the surrounding wood. If they broke on the glue joint it was, start again.

[AAvK]

I just want to THANK everyone that helped here, I will use the TB-II that I have, it's gotta get used anyway. Much apprecited!!!

...Now to work out the dog holes and threaded rod arrangement. For strength I am thinking stainless rod and threaded on the ends.

[CW]

Just like a tennon in a mortise a tennon joint weakens it. :)