Reversible Glue Joint Bit

Big panels can be a pain. Keeping all the pieces of a tabletop flush during a glueup can take almost every clamp in the shop. And if that surface doesn’t end up entirely smooth, a planer won’t solve the problem. The only option then is to break out the hand planes and get ready for a workout.

There’s a simple solution I’ve found for these big panels: a reversible glue joint bit. The joint it leaves ensures the panels lock in place and remain flush.There are a couple types of glue joint bits, but the one we’re looking at here is a reversible glue joint bit. The name comes from how the joints go together: simply flip a piece and the edge fits right into its mating joint.

The glue joint bit pictured at left creates a tongue and groove on each edge. This allows it to register with the piece beside it, making it far easier to keep everything straight while gluing and clamping a panel. While I wouldn’t use this bit for