End Grain Butcher Block – Long Grain Glueup

I’ve got the first of two long grain glueups in the clamps.  To get to this stage, I’ve gone through the following process:

• Cut to Length: Using my SCMS I cut each section of roughsawn wood to about 3′ in length. The lumber yard actually did a lot of this for me.
• Joint: I used the jointer to flatten one face and an edge.  The boards are just under 8″ wide, the width of my jointer. Again, the lumber yard ripped them to that width prior to me bringing them home
• Cut Sticks: I need over 50 sticks of various height / width to make up the long grain glueup.  I used the tablesaw to rip the width/height for each stick from the larger board.
• Glue Sub Assemblies: I would cut a couple of sticks and glue them together as a sub-assembly.  Gluing as I went saved time since I only have so many clamps on hand.
• Sand: As sub assemblies were glued, I would run them through the drum sander to clean up the joint.  I needed smooth/parallel edges in order to glue up the next piece to the assembly.  The drum sander excels at this task.
• Joint Sub Assemblies: Finally all the sub assemblies are complete and I’m ready to do the full long grain glueup.  I jointed a face + edge of each assembly and then made parallel the opposite edge.  Then I ran all the sub assemblies through the drum sander at the same height so that they all match (2.5″ high).  This helps with the long grain glueup.

So – now that all the sub assemblies are complete – they are various widths, but all 2.5″ high.  They are placed onto straight cauls resting on my flat assembly table.  I spread epoxy, for its long open time, on one edge of each assembly.  I first clamped across the top (downwards pressure) using bowclamps straight above the cauls.  I crank those down to keep everything flat to each other – and then clamp across the glue lines – pulling the long grain assembly tight.

One down, one to go.  Then I get to slice it open!