I have noticed that whenever Norm glues flat stock together to make larger panels, he never uses cauls to keep the cross cut ends even. Are there only special circumstances when cauls are used or have biscuits replaced the need for them? Maybe he just feels that any unevenness can just be sanded out?
FoggyTown
He used biscuits religiously, then got away from them for a while with comments about them swelling or some such, but looks like he's using them again this season, so I don't think the biscuits matter. I think he relies heavily on the Timesaver widebelt.
--Cheers! Duke
It's far easier to worry only about the "flatness" of the glueup and ignore the ends. Later, after the glue dries, he (and I) cut the panels to length. You might wind up with a tiny bit of scrap, but the panel is then uniform in length.
Jim Stuyck
I glue up lots of panels. I used to use cauls and biscuits a bunch of glue, clamp the hell out of them and let them sit 24 hrs in the clamps. Now I typically spend more time/care getting the edges straight, use very little glue, clamp lightly and often pop them out in less than two hours and start working (carefully) with them. Admittadly, I have a wide belt sander to flatten them but I excercise lots of care in keeping them flat just by laying them on the table and using a mallet or my fist to align the edges. Pretty rare that I have any problem.
he relies heavily on clamping square. Pipe clamps won't do that.
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