FRANCIS L. BAIN

There is, perhaps, no one thing in amateur carpentry and joining which causes so much faulty work as the lack of a proper knowledge of how to make and when to use the various joints which are common to this class of work. It is, therefore, intended that the series of articles to be published under the above heading shall, if possible, render some assistance to those who may have had difficulty in securing satisfactory results when engaged in any work involving the making of joints, also to those who may not be familiar with the different joints used by carpenters, cabinet-makers, pattern makers, etc.

Only those joints that are in every way most practical will be considered, and these will be classified under two sub-headings: edge joints (for attaching edges of boards or planks together) and joints for attaching ends together.

It is necessary that, when planing stock, any appearance of a " twist " or "wind" be removed and the surface carefully "trued up". It may also be as well to mark each surface as soon as it is finished flat and true, in the order in which it is completed, as 1, 2, 3, etc., 1 referring to the broad surface ; 2, to either one of the adjoining edges, which should be placed exactly square with 1; 3 to the remaining edge after the width has been obtained from 3, and 4 to the remaining broad surface after the thickness has been obtained from 1. These suggestions simplify directions very much if they are correctly carried out.

The first joint which will be considered is the plain "glue joint", also called by some the " butt joint". It is the simplest and the easiest to make. Assuming that in all cases the stock has been prepared according to the rules given above, the pieces to be glued together should be warmed a little, either in a lumber kiln or near steam pipes if possible ; then the edges should be carefully and quickly covered with hot glue. (Cold glue will answer if it is not convenient to get the hot.) Place one of the pieces in a vise, glued edge up, and putting the other piece on top of the first so the glued edges meet, rub the upper piece slowly and steadily back and forth lengthwise over the under one until any surplus glue is forced from the joint. All that now remains is to apply either hand-screws or cabinet-makers' clamps, then allow the stock to stand until the glue is thoroughly dried or " set ". Quoting as authority one who has been engaged in different branches of cabinet making, stair-building, etc., for nearly thirty years, an ample time allowance when using hot glue is 1/2 to 3/4 of an hour for drying for every 1/2 in. of thickness in the stock being glued together.

The above joint can be used to good advantage in any position except where there is excessive exposure to the action of moisture of any kind. In the latter case the union of various pieces of stock would be accomplished by the use of the "splined" or "groove and tongue" joints, which will be described in subsequent chapters