How to Glue Up Boards for a Sturdy Step Stool?
Asked by CraftyCactus87
I'm working on making a couple of step stools from some Asian Merbau hardwood that I snagged for a great deal. Since I need to glue the boards together to achieve the necessary width, I'm a bit unsure about the best approach, especially since these stools will need to support both kids and adults. I usually prefer purchasing wider boards and cutting them down, so this glue-up is somewhat new to me. My main concern is whether the glue joints will hold up under the weight and wear and tear over time. Should I be worried about the strength of the glue and have any specific techniques in mind for gluing up this type of wood? Or am I just overthinking it?
Answers
Just make sure to clamp the boards tightly and evenly to keep them flat while the glue dries. Supporting the edges as you glue can also help.
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Using a biscuit joiner could work well for this project. Alternatively, dowels are a solid option too. Mark one board and place a small ball-bearing on the mark, then put the other board on top and give it a tap with a mallet. This way, you'll get perfectly aligned marks for drilling your holes. Just make sure everything is oriented correctly when you glue it all together after a test fit.
CraftyCactus87: That ball-bearing trick sounds genius! I appreciate the detailed tips.
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You could consider adding a sliding dovetail across the grain as extra support. That could beef things up!
CraftyCactus87: That's a cool idea! I hadn't thought of that, so thanks for the suggestion.
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Merbau is known to be an oily hardwood, which can make gluing it tricky. Regular water-based glues might not stick well, so you might want to check this link for some strategies on how to effectively glue oily tropical hardwoods: [https://www.wood-database.com/gluing-oily-tropical-hardwoods/](https://www.wood-database.com/gluing-oily-tropical-hardwoods/)
CraftyCactus87: Thanks for sharing the link! That's really helpful.
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CraftyCactus87: Great, thanks for these tips! I'll definitely keep that in mind.