Watching Norm

[samson]

Let me first say that I am a Son of Norm (SON), but I have a couple of questions about his project today (an old rerun, actually), where he built a dry sink with recycled pine.

1) He used biscuits to attach the face frame. I know this makes the project sturdier, but is this really necessary? Doesn't gluing a faceframe pretty much make it permanent (if done right)?

2) Norm toe-nailed brads to secure a panel (shelf) into a dado. I know there's a lot of back and forth about Norm's use of the brad nailer, but again, isn't a good gluing job pretty much permanent without the brads?

Thanks,

S.

[David G. Nagel]

Samson

I know the program well. I think that Norm used the biscuits simply to insure the frame doesn't move while drying. He also uses a lot of brads for the same reason.

The sink would work just as well without the help but goes together quicker this way.

Dave N

[randyswoodshoop]

Hi, I think Norm uses the brads and biscults to align and hold things in position for the TV show. That way he doesnt have to clamp and worry about mis alignment. I think you are correct, done properly the glue works fine, no need for brads. I do use biscults myself but mostly to help with alignment.

Randy

[Limp Arbor]

If Norm does it, it is necessary.

Unless Norm does it differently.

Again, unless Norm does it differently.

You call yourself a Son of Norm (SON) then you question him. You were either given or took the name samson, a more fitting name for you might be Cronus, Kronos or even Oedipus.

you are truly a SON then you will never question 'the plaid one' again.

Now go glue your tv channel to PBS and hit it with a few brads until the glue dries.

[John Grossbohlin]

For solid wood construction the glue should be enough for the face frame... assuming it stays in the correct position and tight while drying.

Re the shelves, all the glue joints would basically be end grain to long grain which is not a situation known for strength and longevity. Nails alone, toe nailed from both the "top" and "bottom" would give a greater probability of permanence. Seems to me Chris Schwarz (Popular Woodworking/Woodworking) did an article on nails within the past couple years.

John

[Edwin Pawlowski]

You are correct about the glue. Furniture makes had no such tools and still built items that lasted a few hundred years. OTOH, if they had biscuits and brads, they may have built faster. Biscuits are good for alignment, brads are good for holding wood in place until you get a clamp in place and the glue dries.

[Phisherman]

Sure, but if you ever tried this you would want alignment help and biscuits are perfect for this application.

Brads lock the joint in place. I don't use brads nearly as often as Norm. Instead, I'll leave the assembly in the clamps for a day or two.