Finger Joints

[martin manning]

What the heck happened? Either the fingers swelled after the glue hit them or the glue needed some room for itself? When the guy cut the joints was he supposed to leave something like a 1/16" for room for glue and swelling???

Real curious and a warning to others trying for the first time - nothing's never easy.

Yes if these are fitted closely dry there will be a problem with glue applied. Just a little swelling on each surface, but there are four wetted surfaces in each slot/pin all adding together across the width. In the typical set up you can reduce the distance between the index pin and the dado set (making the pins slightly narrower) to add some clearance for gluing up.

[Cygnus X1]

I've found that everything must be glued immediately.
Let it sit overnight and you're done for.
Cut and fit quickly and I've not had problems.

I use Titebond II.

[ER]

I use a homemade jig and dado on the table saw, cut the first notch and then clamp the 2 boards together offset the width of the notch so the fingers on each corner match exactly. Goes pretty fast and accurate cutting two boards at a time.

[sepulchre]

I do mine on a router table but it's a pain to get it setup perfectly. I have wasted a lot of scrap pieces trying to set it. Clamping the boards together sounds like the perfect idea!

[cbass]

Never really had any problems with swelling .If you need a mallet to dry fit it.Then its to tight

[amplifiednation]

I haven't had problems with swelling either, but I have had problems with spacing and having joints fit too tight. I'll usually cut a few 4x4 or so pieces of test wood and really work to get it perfect.

When I first started doing this it was a challenge to get the fingers to fit right...it's all about the test cuts.

If you don't have time to do test cuts then you definitely don't have time to redo your project!!

I think the router would probably be a good method but I haven't figured out a way to control dust from the router like I can with the table saw.

[rp]

I was never sure if it was swelling or just the glue need it's own space, I worked very fast, dry fitted it, knocked one side open, glued and knocked it back together, did the 4 sides then knocked it around for square. But it was a miracle I got it together.

I think the guy I found on eBay was an amateur to guitar cabs, finger joints, and to carpentry in general. One cab had the finger spacing off too, I had to take quite a bit of wood off w/ plane to the edges to get it right. Obviously he never dry fitted it to check before spending $25 to ship - pretty dumb, but I got a free cab out of it. He didn't last long on eBay.

If I ever do my own, I'm now a step ahead.

[vibratoking]

My finger joints are stiff and swollen in the morning. Especially after a long night of playing. Do any of you have any tricks for this?

[cbass]

My finger joints are stiff and swollen in the morning. Especially after a long night of playing. Do any of you have any tricks for this?

Use your fingers to roll a joint then smoke.Repeat as nesceary.

[vibratoking]

I'm doing that, but it's not working.

[cbass]

DOn't have any better advice my right hand is so trashed I can barley hold a pick with it

[tsutt]

I concur with cbass on this. i have severe carpal tunnel in both hands was grinding steel for last 2 days. however i use some stuff called mule skinner salve get it on line. it smells like ben gay but it penetrates deep and truly does help. I can the hear comments already haha.

[Cantplay]

Beestings.

Yes really.

John

[cbass]

I get stung by bees pretty often.Never noticed helping my fingers.Of course they like stingin me on my head and face my dark wooly hair and beard pisses them off.

[rp]

I get stung by bees pretty often.Never noticed helping my fingers.Of course they like stingin me on my head and face my dark wooly hair and beard pisses them off.

My friend keeps bees, they hated his big fat lumbering black lab. He said it's their bear instinct. Do you look like a bear?