GLUING

PANELS

D

A dry run is essential when clamping up panels. Put the wood in the clamps and check for bows using a straightedge. It could be your wood isn't flat or your clamps are contorting your panels.

Perfectly flat panels that look like they were grown to be joined together are possible by following just a few simple rules.

For several years I was fortunate to live down the road from a logger. When he would come across a tree he thought might interest me, he'd give me a call. I'd excitedly put on my boots and gloves and prepare for hiking through rough terrain. The brush would snap and crack under our feet, and the thorns would

snag our clothing as we would trek through woods and across muddy fields. The results were well worth the hike through the mud; I now have stacks and stacks of richly colored walnut and cherry boards stashed in the barn. Some boards are as wide as two feet and the "narrow" boards are wide enough for many show surfaces such as

by Lonnie Bird

Lonnie Bird is the author of"The Complete Illustrated Guide to Shaping Wood" (The Taunton Press) and teaches woodworking. You can learn more about his woodworking classes at lonniebird.com.

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