End grain gluing. We all know how weak that is, don't we....

[Claud1]

I have never had a failure with end grain gluing and have done it for the last 25 years plus and in my early days I could not believe how hot glue joints held so strong

 

[AJB Temple]

Not sure where this end grain gluing being useless came from. In musical instrument making it is not unusual to have some end grain components being quite critical. When I used to make acoustic guitars, the top was obviously end grain for part of the joint to the body. It is reinforced by kerfed blocks on the inside and I always used animal glue as it was reversible. I experimented with extremely thin joint reinforcement in efforts to get maximum vibration from the top and it is surprising how much strength can be developed. That said a soundbox structure is inherently strong.

That said - Mike, you need a metal holdfast mate. If you lean over a bit you will find that your arm will reach deep enough into your wallet pocket. 8)

 

[AJB Temple]

PS: in several pictures now you have had those bolt cutters on display. They look well used. Are you a closet burglar? A

 

[transatlantic]

I've seen a lot of videos where you see the presenter not apply glue to the end grain as they say 'there is no point'. I 've always found that a bit odd. Even if it only added a small amount of additional strength, why not do it for the few extra seconds it would take?

 

[MikeG.]

PS: in several pictures now you have had those bolt cutters on display. They look well used. Are you a closet burglar? A

........- Mike, you need a metal holdfast mate. If you lean over a bit you will find that your arm will reach deep enough into your wallet pocket. 8)

I borrowed the bolt cutters from a friend to remove some fencing wire, and they're out on the bench to remind me to return them.

I haven't seen any steel holdfasts suitable for a square dog hole.

 

[MikeG.]

I've seen a lot of videos where you see the presenter not apply glue to the end grain as they say 'there is no point'. I 've always found that a bit odd. Even if it only added a small amount of additional strength, why not do it for the few extra seconds it would take?

Even if they add no strength at all it is still worth doing. Filling minor gaps, even without any bond at all, would still help protect the joint by reducing the scope for movement. This has been a "thing" of mine for donkeys years, and I have always glued shoulders etc because of it.

 

[xy mosian]

Except it's not clamped to stick end grain, it's clamped to avoid a gap between the rail and the leg.

If there is glue between the tenon shoulder and the mortice face, then clamping to bring the two together will surely apply pressure across this junction. This pressure will drive some adhesive into the end grain as well as the long grain face.
xy

 

[Max Power]

Those Veritas hold downs are very good Richard, Ive had two of them for years.

 

[Sgian Dubh]

I've heard others say they're good, Max P, but they're not the type I have, which are the Record version, also good and served me well for perhaps thirty or more years. Slainte.