How to join 2 boards

[Steve Bullman]

As title, what’s the easiest way for a complete novice with minimal tools to join 2 boards together for a simple coffee table please 

[gary112]

11 minutes ago, Steve Bullman said:

As title, what’s the easiest way for a complete novice with minimal tools to join 2 boards together for a simple coffee table please 

Just drill them and pop a few dowels in and some wood glue

presume you got a drill Steve?

Edited December 27, 2021 by gary112

[Steve Bullman]

1 minute ago, gary112 said:

Just drill them and pop a few dowels in and some wood glue

presume you got a drill Steve?

I have a drill and a circular saw I just purchase today. The dowel option was what I was hoping would be strong enough. I can just about manage that. Recommendations on glue?

[gary112]

1 minute ago, Steve Bullman said:

I have a drill and a circular saw I just purchase today. The dowel option was what I was hoping would be strong enough. I can just about manage that. Recommendations on glue?

I always use Gorilla wood glue,good stuff

[Ian Leach]

Titebond or gorilla glue I would use, dowels or biscuits for a simple join

[Doug Tait]

Is it simple enough to drill accurate holes for the dowels freehand, or is it better using the little jig templates? 

[Steve Bullman]

4 minutes ago, Doug Tait said:

Is it simple enough to drill accurate holes for the dowels freehand, or is it better using the little jig templates? 

Last time I had to make Simona a 2 level cake stand I stick the dowels into one piece, stuck a few dabs of paint on the other end of the dowel that placed it onto the other piece of wood to mark where I needed to drill the holes.

 

very crude, but worked for me and meant I didn’t have to get a measuring tape out 😀

[woody paul]

Glue as mentioned above, I have used steel pins made from threaded rod or long bolts with heads cut off. 

[Woodworks]

If you are going to joining board often get a biscuit jointer. Brilliant piece of kit and you dont need to be so precise about positioning as you do with dowels. You can also get cutter to use in a router to do biscuit joints. For a good join you do need the faces of the two boards to meet up near perfectly.

 

PVA glues dont gap fill but are cheap and easy to use

PU (Gorrila) glues do gap fill but will not be strong if there are gaps. 

Epoxy will gap fill with strength but are costly 

 

If you have a circular saw set up a straightedge clamped down the length of the boards. Make sure the blade is set perfectly square to base of the saw and blade is sharp. Do a couple of practice passes with blade retracted so you know you can run the saw down the length of the board without rocking ie keeping the saw base perfectly flush with the board throughout the cut. With a bit of luck this should give you a pretty clean square edge. In the ideal world you would run a plane down it to clean off the saw marks for a near invisible joint. Be warned though a blunt plane not set up right might  make more of a mess than the sawn edges. 

Edited December 27, 2021 by Woodworks

[manco]

a nail?