Another method of joining two plates together.

Timbuck

Timbuck

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Joining tops and back plates is such a strange join. When I first started doing it I struggled a bit. Now a piece of cake and no dang shooting boards required. A bubble level with sand paper taped it and do it quick in a vise. Perfect seamless joins. Tip: Don't use fine sandpaper. It is counterintuitive, but rougher sandpaper makes the joint disappear because it creates micro-fibers that lock together. Stronger too.
 
I also had good results from holding the two plates together and sanding the edges holding them vertical on the 6 inch 80G belt sander. ...The worst results I got were by hand using a ground surface plate and angle plate with 120G abrasive placed on it, this was strange because logic said that it would be the best way, but I kept getting concave / convex results.🤔
 
Timbuck said:
but I kept getting concave / convex results.🤔
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Been there done that too. The reason you got the concave / convex result was from the "coriolis effect". Basically what it means is that the outer part of your plate was moving faster on the sandpaper than the inner part of your plate. Thus more wood is being taken off at the ends than the middle which creates a convex shape.
 
sequoia said:
Been there done that too. The reason you got the concave / convex result was from the "coriolis effect". Basically what it means is that the outer part of your plate was moving faster on the sandpaper than the inner part of your plate. Thus more wood is being taken off at the ends than the middle which creates a convex shape.
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Most all of us started with some form of anding edges to join wood. Builders avoid planes because they are expensive and take some developed skill to sharpen and use. I think, because of the cost, many people start out with junk planes, which are discouaging to use. I know I started that way. It took me years, and some convincing by other plane users, to finally up my game to good planes.A good plane is well worth the cost, never wears out, is worth about what you paid for it if you give up and sell your tools, and they are a joy to use. Modern glues are so good that an edge off the power jointer, tablesaw, router table,or made by using sandpaper usually is good enough. However a nicely sheared edge from a sharp plane is better than just good enough.
 
Never understood the sanded joint. Takes me 5 minutes from start to glue using an old Bailey #7 mounted on pillars and upturned with a fence made from heavy-duty aluminum angle. I'll try and photograph the set-up tomorrow for you.
 
Pete Howlett said:
Never understood the sanded joint. Takes me 5 minutes from start to glue using an old Bailey #7 mounted on pillars and upturned with a fence made from heavy-duty aluminum angle. I'll try and photograph the set-up tomorrow for you.
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Ok Pete ...I've been out of bed now for 4 1/2 hours ....Where is the photo ? :) no pressure.
 
Pete Howlett said:
Never understood the sanded joint. Takes me 5 minutes from start to glue using an old Bailey #7 mounted on pillars and upturned with a fence made from heavy-duty aluminum angle. I'll try and photograph the set-up tomorrow for you.
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As Bob stated, many have started with sanded joints. My premise for staying with it was along the lines of Sequoia - the joint line gets minimized, especially when AR glue is used.

Switched to my jointer for a while, after I finally learned to set it up.

And like you and Bob, blades are where its at. The best for me, both from a process and results perspective is my old #6 Bailey on a shooting board, with hhg. Best joints I've ever had. Once I learned to sharpen with my slew of ceramic stones.
 
Pete Howlett said:
Never understood the sanded joint. Takes me 5 minutes from start to glue using an old Bailey #7 mounted on pillars and upturned with a fence made from heavy-duty aluminum angle. I'll try and photograph the set-up tomorrow for you.
Click to expand...
Like Pete, sanded joints don't make a lot of sense to me, though I do understand that cost can be a factor unless you are into building for the long haul. I often use the same plane as Pete. Old Bailey #7, though I have switched out the blade to a Hock blade. You can find some of the old Bailey planes on eBay,and the price is reasonable compared to new Lie Nielsen or other quality modern planes. I have a mix of LN and Baileys and use them equally.However, if you can afford LN planes, they are a thing of beauty. I run my Bailey on it's side on a waxed piece of 1/4" ply. Very low tech and fast.
 
Pete Howlett said:
Never understood the sanded joint. Takes me 5 minutes from start to glue using an old Bailey #7 mounted on pillars and upturned with a fence made from heavy-duty aluminum angle. I'll try and photograph the set-up tomorrow for you.
Click to expand...

Pete, this is another example of doing things different ways and getting the same results. I can sand those plates and get perfect, seamless, invisible joins in minutes. It works for me and couldn't be simpler. No planes involved. I do admit that if the plate edges are particularly nasty from the vendor, I run them quick through a table saw.
 
Pegasus Guitars said:
Like Pete, sanded joints don't make a lot of sense to me, though I do understand that cost can be a factor unless you are into building for the long haul. I often use the same plane as Pete. Old Bailey #7, though I have switched out the blade to a Hock blade. You can find some of the old Bailey planes on eBay,and the price is reasonable compared to new Lie Nielsen or other quality modern planes. I have a mix of LN and Baileys and use them equally.However, if you can afford LN planes, they are a thing of beauty. I run my Bailey on it's side on a waxed piece of 1/4" ply. Very low tech and fast.
Click to expand...

In case it helps anyone, it's not really necessary to have a 22" No. 7 plane to joint something the size of a ukulele top. A found-under-every-rock No. 5 should be plenty for this.

I do have a 24" jointer plane and it's really nice to have that or the No. 7 for some things; just not strictly necessary for this.
 
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