Gluing up butt joints?

[carlsonalex18]

I have to replace our crappy laminate countertop to keep peace. I told loml that wood could be real great and look awesome so we went to HD with some of the butternut that I have and picked out a sink and faucet and drains for around seven hundo and I have a stack of butternut that needs to turn into some counter top the question is not what else could I use, and blah blah blah, I'm in this situation and have to "get er done" I have a keg jeg and biscuit joiner, will those two work perfect for the butts, or should I get more, and what? Thanks fellas!

[Paul K. Murphy]

Edge to edge and you're good. No need for Kreg jig. Biscuits can help align if you want, but not needed.
<edit> Heart side up, bark side down.

[carlsonalex18]

What about length wise?

[Paul K. Murphy]

I'm not sure I understand your question. You're edge gluing boards to make a panel, right?
Or are you framing the sink? Will it be one panel, or will the sink be surrounded long-grain wise?

[carlsonalex18]

Correct. I'm making panel. 1 of the panels is over 12' long and will have a sink in the middle. I will under frame the "panel", but I only have 8' boards and need a 12' panel. So for the butt joints, how would I glue them? Should I get pipe clamps and make them long enough, or will the pocket screws hold the joint while the glue dries and be good enough for the joint, or should I do a blind rabbit or something like that for the length.

[ianab]

carlsonalex18 said:

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What about length wise?

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If you are gluing up a benchtop from random length boards, just butt the end grains together and stagger where the joins are (like brickwork). Then the strong edge glue sections on either side will support the weak butt join. There is no actual stress on that joint, so it wont move.

[Paul K. Murphy]

Okay.
Little tougher question. Simple answer, just go with biscuits.
For your end joints, do this: get a something or other a little longer than the length of the glue up. Fix a stop at both ends, touching the two part "planks." Biscuit, glue, etc. Force the assembly in between the two stops with a shim of some type crammed in one end. They won't want to lie flat. Forcing them into place will apply linear force; voila, you have a new clamp. A small c-clamp, spring clamp, or a brick will provide the needed force. Do this before you create a working edge. You create raw material first, huh?
Bricklay the butt joints in your final assembly.
Disassemble your (now worthless) new clamp.

[Scoony]

I have made a few pieces out of Butternut and would think that it was a bit soft for a counter top.
Just my 2 cents.

[Steve N]

Scoony said:

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I have made a few pieces out of Butternut and would think that it was a bit soft for a counter top.
Just my 2 cents.

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Indeed Butternut is a soft wood with a Janka hardness of 490 compare that to Cherry, or Soft Maple which most folks call too soft for a counter top at 950. There are a lot of better choices out there with Hard Maple being very popular it's a 1450 Janka hardness.

The Janka hardness test measures the lb/in2 required to embed a .444-inch steel ball to half its diameter in wood. It is one of the best measures of the ability of a wood species to withstand denting and wear.

[John Mihich]

End to end - use the biscuit joiner.

How are you laying the boards? If you are using the boards flat then for sure use biscuit. On edge then just stagger the ends - sort of like a work bench is done.

Ok - butternut might be soft - but I like the look of it. Just know it is softer. I have seen tables made out of pine and they hold up well.