Newbie glueing question

[Highland Pairos]

If I recall correctly from reading this group for a while, glueing long grain to long grain creates a very stong glue joint. If I am correct in my recollection, then glueing two 2x4's face to face should create a pretty strong piece. I want to cut half laps in a pair of 2x4's and glue them together making a mortice rather then trying to chop it out of a 4x4. Is my memory correct or am I headed for a disaster?

I plan to tenon the aprons and stretchers to go into the resulting mortices. I want to then use them as legs for a work bench. This will just be a bench to get me going as I get my new shop setup.

Thanks,

SteveP

[Leon]

Almost any surface that you use EXCEPT the end grain will be a good glue surface. But, if you run the grains at a 90 degree direction to each other the bond will eventually fail because with climate changes the wood will expand and contract in different directions. If you are going to half lap these boards using half laps at 90 degrees to each other I would also add screws.

[Rob-J]

This would make a strong joint. Use a good quality glue (possibly gorilla glue). If you use gorilla glue, buy a small bottle since the shelf life is short. Plus, make sure you read and follow the directions. If you use it wrong the glue is worthless, better of using maple syrup.

[Leslie G]

Thats exactly how I made my bench. Strong as a boulder and weighs about as much!

Leslie

[Bridger]

no problem with this plan.

note that glue only has strength when the mating surfaces fit together well. if you have a way to do so, go ahead and flatten the faces of the 2x4s before glueup and use plenty of clamps to keep them tight while the glue dries.

[John McCoy]

"Highland Pairos" wrote in news:fG6Yb.18756$ [e-mail]:

Cutting "half mortices" (really they'd be wide dados) into two planks and glueing them face to face is a common practice, and works well. Plain old yellow glue will be fine (unless you're going to leave this outside, in which case you'll want epoxy). You will need a bunch of clamps, tho - if these are 4' long pieces, you'd need at least 5 clamps and likely more.

John

[John Crea]

Yep, that would be pretty strong joint, and what I did many years ago when I first built a workbench for the garage. Still standing and still solid as a rock. Of course, I also reinforced with carriage bolts

Go for it, it will work

John

[Steven P]

Thanks to everyone for your answers. I was pretty confident that I had it right. I just didn't want to find out otherwise in the middle of a project when the whole thing collapsed on me.

Thanks again, SteveP