Gaps when gluing pieces together

[northie66]

Today, I attempted to make a business card holder.  I made my own pattern (which is below) and cut out 5 of them from 3/4" wood.  No matter how much I sanded them, they didn't fit flat against each other... there was always gaps between the wood pieces.  Why is that?

This is what always stops me from doing anything that requires gluing... because it never turns out for me.

[dgman]

Hey Janet. When I need a flat surface for gluing, I don't cut it on the scroll saw. I will make a clean straight edge on the board with the table saw, Then I use a sharp exacto knife and a straight edge and cut the pattern along the the straight line. Mount the pattern so the straight edge is up against the straight edge of the board. Hope this makes sense!

[Russ C]

From what I am reading you are going to glue the five pieces together side to side making the card holder about 3 3/4" long. So you are sanding the sides and making them uneven. You are over sanding the sides. If you are laying the pattern on basic flat milled wood and cutting it out. There is no reason why they won't fit flat to each other. They only need a light sanding on the sides. What are you sanding them with?

[jimbo]

That sounds like it Russ, you could dry clamp them first to see if you can squeeze the wood together, or if the gaps are small fill them with fller
Jimbo

[lwsjc]

Instead of glueing them together, us two with a thin back or bottom.
Check Steve's patterns for a carsd holder.

Larry

[Marcellarius]

how do you sand them? on a belt sander, with the risk of tilting the piece a bit?
I learned years ago that for computer fiber optic the used the circular 8 movement to make a flat surface.

gluing some sides together I put a sheet of sanding paper on a flat surface and the start moving the piece around in the pattern of an 8.

don't only do this for wood.
use it also to make a tight fit for engine parts (gasket) of my old timer moped.