How to glue two boards together for carving?

[Ezzylearner]

The jelutong that I buy only comes in 1" thick board either 1" x 8" x 12" or 16" (with flat surfaces). I am thinking of gluing two boards together to form 2" thick board and then cut them up into blocks to carve the "Whittling Little Folks" by Harley Refsal.

Step by step tips and techniques and types of glue to use or pointers to websites, blogs, You Tube videos (have made search but unsuccessful), showing the "how to" will be greatly appreciated. I have searched the postings on the forum but so far came up with one posted in April 2011 (I think) but insufficient data for me to proceed.

[STAR]

Ezzy.

Others will chime in with their take but here is what I do. I am presently making a near life size Nutcraker Toy Soldier. The hat to the waist is Jelutong. The arms and legs probably will be pine.

It will be part turned part carved. The hat and head has been turned on a wood lathe. The Jelutong I have is 2'' thick so I had to glue four pieces together to get the thickness I required for the diameter of the hat and head. The soldier will be done in a few parts. hat and head. Shoulders and waist. two arms and then two legs. The head will have a carved nose and eyebrows attached by gluing. The shoulders and waist will be from four 2 inch boards and instead of turning I will carve the shape as i p[refer a carved shape rather than a round figure.

I joined the four 2'' pieces in two stages mainly because it was easier to do it that way for me. I glued two pieces together first . I used yellow glue on both sides and brushed it on both sides and placed the two pieces together and while wet moved the wood around so I got a good tight join then I clamped the four corners.

The next day glued one side of the two pieces and then did the same to join and now I had the four 2" pieces joined I then used larger bar clamps. A week later I was able to put the finished glue job on a lathe and shape them to the shape I required.

I suppose the finished piece on the lathe was about 8" thick by 16 inches long. I had no problems nor did I expect any. So, in your case just glue the two 1 inch pieces together, For the carvings you are doing, seeing you are in Malaysia even white glue will be ok as their will be no stresses.

Just make sure you have plenty of clamps on and they do not have to be too tight otherwise you will squeeze the glue out from the sides. Jelutong glues easilly and providing you have two flat surfaces you will not even see the join when painted with acrylics.

Pete

[William]

Titebond III is a waterproof glue I started using on my decoy's but I use it on everything now but I think any good wood glue will work fine.

The directions say to "apply a heavy spread of glue" but I don't do it that way, I make sure that both boards are wet with glue when they are put together and then slide them around until they begin to stick and then clamp them very tight, some people do not clamp them after they stick but I like to use clamps to reduce the thickness of the glue line.

To prevent dents in your wood from the clamps you can use scrap wood between your jelutong and the clamp and make it very tight.

I've never worked with jelutong but when using pine I mark each board with arrows from bottom to top before cutting the boards and when gluing them make sure the arrows are all in the same direction so that I don't carve with the grain on one board and against the grain on the other board, it can get really tricky at the glue line if I don't do that.

I have one carving that is 24" tall and 27 boards wide using this technique and it worked fine.

Hope this may help

HappY Trails
Bill
^v^

[blanchard65]

does glueing effect the edge on your tools when you carve?

[TreeWizard]

The glue will not effect the carvability of the wood. One tip I have found over the years when I've been in places where I needed a thicker board and I had no clamps was to screw the pieces together with dry wall screws in each corner.

With most of the things I carve the corners are just wood that is remover anyway.

[Ezzylearner]

Pete, Bill, Paul, for the tips, guidance, and sharing your experience on this subject matter. Thanks, also, Blanchar65 for asking the question cause I have little experience in sharpening carving knives although I have done a couple of kitchen knives and scissors. The four carving knives that I'd bought online from the US five months ago are still keeping their edge by stropping. I'll be facing another challenge when the time comes to sharpen them.

I am more confident embarking on this gluing project.now. I have a total of nine clamps, guess that should be sufficient. I have already identified the wood grain of the two boards I intend to glue - they should point towards the same direction.

Should I sand the face of each board that is intended to be glued before applying the glue?

Pete: I am awed by your project. Don't think I'll be able to do anything like your project in this lifetime of mine.

Bill: Gee whiz, gluing so many boards together - mind boggling for me. I don't think you'll be carving that with a knife?

Thanks, again, for your help guys.

Happy and safe carving to you.

Ezzy (or call me Lawrence, if you like)

[Buffalo Bif]

nothing to do with glueing- isn't jelutong an endangered species?

[STAR]

Originally Posted by Buffalo Bif

nothing to do with glueing- isn't jelutong an endangered species?

--------------------

First time I have heard of that. I will have to check. In Australia it is very popular with archetucural designers that do a model of large building concepts. It is also the wood of choice by Pattern makers.

I use it because the only carver I knew at the time makes carousel type Rocking Horses and he said it is his favourite wood to carve. So that is why I purchased a length 30 inches wide 2 inch thick and 12 foot long to make my mini life size Nutcracker Toy Soldier. The offcuts are what I use for my small carvings.

If it is endangered I suspect their is going to be a lot of dissapointed businesses around.

Maybe Ezzy will be able to inform us as he has it growing in near his back yard.

Pete

[Ezzylearner]

As far as I know jelutong is available on the market and jelutong trees are found in most South East Asian countries. If endangered international pressure would've banned logging and sale of this specie of lumber/wood. Pete, I think the supply of jelutong will not dry up in our life time. <wink>

Ezzy

[Caril Chasens]

Edges to be glued should be VERY flat. I use hand planes. You might know somebody who has a woodworking shop, who could plane the edges.