I'm trying to glue two small pieces of pear wood together (each about 5x15x1 cm), but the edges aren't perfectly aligned after sanding, resulting in some gaps. I'm wondering if steaming the wood would help me achieve a better fit before I glue them. I don't have machines to plane the edges, and my sanding efforts haven't worked out as planned. Would steaming and then pressing them together make a difference?
3 Answers
Giving it a shot with a test piece sounds like a smart move. Steaming could help a bit, but just be cautious—if your edges are rounded, it might not work as well as you hope. Try steaming, clamping, and allowing it to dry before adding glue. Then clamp again to secure everything in place. Let us know how your test piece turns out!
If the sanding didn’t do the trick, maybe try attaching sandpaper to a flat surface and running your pieces along that. It should help get those edges flat. It can be tedious, but it’s a solid method to ensure proper alignment before gluing. Good luck!
Honestly, steaming might not fix those rounded edges all that well. If you're facing gaps, consider clamping the pieces together and running a handsaw or a circular saw down the joint. Just don't attempt this with a table saw on clamped wood; it could get dangerous. You might want to invest in a small hand plane for more accuracy in the future—it's a great tool for woodworking!