Glue two pieces of plywood together

[BillinIN]

Doing a cabinet/bookcase project and client wants it in knotty pine. i need some 1/2 plywood for a side panel but can only find knotty pine in 1/4 or 3/4 at local vendors. Thinking about gluing two pieces of 1/4 together to make the 1/2" pieces. Anyone have experience with this? Best glue, other suggestions? Thanks much!

[jteneyck]

Plain old yellow glue applied with a roller will work fine. If you don't have a vacuum bag just put it on a flat bench top, put a thick piece of plywood, etc. on top of your glue up, and lay some bags of cement or sand on top. An hour later it will be good to go.

John

[Splinter Puller]

5 gallon buckets filled with water make easily found weights for this purpose also.

[handi]

Splinter Puller said:

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5 gallon buckets filled with water make easily found weights for this purpose also.

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^^ this ^^ At about 8 lbs per gallon, a 5 gallon bucket adds 40 pounds.

Ralph

[museumguy]

I have done it numerous times. Depends on the size of the panel, sometimes clamps, sometimes cauls, sometimes buckets of water, depends on the panel size.

Regular wood glue works great, yellow most of time, white glue for longer open time.

[ed kerns]

If this is typical frame and panel construction where the panel is encased in the frame, there is really no need to glue the panels together. Just turn the two 1/4" panels appearance side out and fit into the (undersized) 1/2 dado in the frame.

[ruffcutt]

Not sure what side a panel is. If it's the case side.

What wrong with 3/4? That's what I use for cabinets and bookcases.

How big is this side panel?

Good information get better answers.

[Steve N]

I don't see glue being your problem. virtually any modern wood glue will work. Usually gluing up thicker ply panels you are seeing 3/4" which on the non show side the best clamp is a bunch of 1 1/4"drywall screws shot though one side, but not out the other, across the entire panel. I am wondering if 3/8 long screws will have enough bite, or will they also chew up the show side. Trying to clamp 2 pieces together is a sometime difficult task if not using screws. If you don't get good clamping force, you are likely to have a panel with gaps in the middle. Big time ugly

I've had mixed results with the laying on of weight, more often than not plenty of gaps, and air pockets. John's suggestion of a vacuum bag press is spot on. but do you have one, and if not is it worth a one time buy?