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Best method for joining boards edge-to-edge?

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MaximRecoil:
I want to join eight 2.25" wide by .75" thick by 18" long boards (alternating boards of walnut and maple) to form a single 18" by 18" panel. I'm thinking that wood glue alone would be strong enough for that, because it would all be glued on edge grain.

However, after making the 18" by 18" panel, I need to cut it into 8 boards again (making the cuts perpendicular to the grain) and then join those together to reform the 18" by 18" panel (ending up with a panel that is made from sixty-four 2.25" squares, i.e., a checkerboard). The problem is, I'd be dealing with joining end grain to end grain at that point, and I've heard that glue isn't as effective on end grain as it is on edge grain. Would I need some form of mechanical joints (like biscuit joints maybe?) in addition to wood glue?

Here is a short video that shows what I want to do, in case my description was confusing:

drventure:
Using a biscuit joiner on something like that would definitely help. I'm no expert on the "end grain vs edge grain" glue issue, but I've used a biscuit joiner to join flat boards for a keyboard tray for my desk, among other things and it's a dirty simple process

Donkbaca:
Why don't you get a thin piece of mdf and then glue the squares to the bottom board?

MaximRecoil:

--- Quote from: Donkbaca on January 02, 2011, 04:27:28 pm ---Why don't you get a thin piece of mdf and then glue the squares to the bottom board?

--- End quote ---

That's an option, but I like the idea of it just being solid hardwood and nothing else. By gluing it down to a substrate, it would then need some sort of edging/trim/molding to hide the edge of the substrate, which never looks as nice as if the edges were just solid hardwood through-and-through in the first place.

I know that the solid blocks of wood thing can be done effectively, because the Drueke company has made checkerboards like that for ~60 years, and they have always been highly regarded. I've heard that Drueke uses tongue and groove, but I don't know if that is true or not.

upprc04:
I built one of these back in high school.  I used a biscuit joiner for most of the joints.  I then added a edge piece to hide the edges.  It is currently on display at my parents house otherwise I'd take a closer look and a picture because it has been a little while.

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