When Clamps Fall Short
Standard clamps are blunt instruments. For precise glue-ups, they need help.
Synopsis: Woodworkers know that a successful glue-up depends on having a variety of clamps, and plenty of them. But it’s just as important to use them effectively. For some projects, such as curved work, clamps alone are not enough. You can have dozens of specialized clamps and your glue-ups still might result in crooked projects and weak joints. Contributing editor Steve Latta has the solution. In this article, he offers techniques for using clamp pads and support blocks, ways to achieve even pressure on odd shapes, tips for curved work, and even ways to clamp without clamps. When you’re armed with his techniques, your arsenal of clamps will be even more effective.
From Fine Woodworking #204
One of woodworking’s most shared—and truest—pieces of advice is that you can never have too many clamps. What’s also true (but said less often) is that for many glue-ups, clamps alone aren’t enough.…
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