Clamping Miters? – Viewer Question
Trent has a question about clamps:
I am working on a set of cabinet doors with mitered corners and I am wondering what you have found to be the best clamps? I am not having much luck with the glue process using a set of cheap corner clamps that I picked up praying that they would work. I am new to wood working and have not put together a collection of good clamps but I have no problem spending the money to get anything that works like they are supposed to. I hope you have time to respond it would be very much appreciated.
P.S. I love your web site and it has been very helpful and entertaining.
And this was my response:
Hey Trent. I have never been a fan of those dedicated corner clamps. I just never get good results. For me, I get the best results doing a two part process. First off, I like to use a biscuit, dowel, or domino at each joint whenever possible. This helps keep the pieces from moving vertically during the glueup and takes a lot of the stress out of the equation. Not to mention it makes the mitered joint stronger. After adding glue, I use a band clamp to pull everything together. This is the one I use is made by Bessey (pictured left).
Once the frame is secure, I put the whole assembly on a set of clamps. I place two in one direction and two in the other direction, keeping them as close to the corners as possible. Using clamping pressure, I can then tweak the fit so that everything is lined up perfectly. Sometimes I use an additional clamp vertically on the joints themselves to make sure the pieces are sitting flush with one another (a nice alternative to using biscuits as I mentioned previously).
If you can, try to use a slower setting glue like Titebond Extend or 30 minute epoxy for this. The joint will be stronger and you’ll have plenty of working time. Most times its the fact that we’re rushing that makes miter glueups so difficult. Hope that helps. Good luck.
A Good Design For Clamp Racks? – Viewer Question
This Viewer Question comes from Peter who writes:
I’m having a hard time finding a good design for mounting my clamps on the wall. I am interested in your design for your clamp racks. Maybe you could post an upclose pic?
And my reply:
My clamp racks are about as simple as they come. For my Jet parallel clamps, I use a 2×4 and a strip of 3/4″ ply. The ply has numerous cutouts on it that allow the clamps to slip in. I used the bandsaw to make those cuts. When its done, it looks like a giant comb. I then attach it to the side of the 2×4 and and drive a couple of screws through the 2×4 into the wall studs. The pictures should make this much clearer.
Now for all my other clamps, I use a simple rack made from various piece of cheap construction lumber. No need for anything fancy here.
On a related note, I covered the topic of clamps way back in Episode 12 – The Big Squeeze. And at around the 10 minute mark, you’ll see a video shot of the clamp rack in the old shop.
http://thewoodwhisperer.com/episode-12-the-big-squeeze/
***If anyone else has images of their clamp rack online, feel free to post your link in the comments.
Using Clamps Vertically or Horizontally? – Question of the Week
This week’s question comes from Doug. “Hi Marc, Just watched the latest pod cast – good stuff as always. As I watched you glue up the doors, it occurred to me that I, we, you seem to turn the clamps with the “thin” side doing the work. Is there any reason we can’t turn the clamps on the side and use the bigger footprint? Inquiring minds want to know.”
And this was my response: “Hey Doug. No reason you can’t do that. I just find that the clamps are much easier to use in the vertical position. If you lay them horizontally, you will have trouble turning the handle. Many times, I will use one or two clamps vertically to secure the piece and keep it raised in the air a few inches. Then I will add a few clamps horizontally to take advantage of the extra surface area. Keep in mind though that when the clamp is on its side, there isn’t much vertical clamping surface. So for thicker boards, this would lead to excessive pressure at the top of the joint. But for thinner material, it should work perfectly.”
Removing Glue from Clamps – Viewer Question
This week’s question comes from Jeff who writes:
Hey Marc, I have the following question, and could really use some advice. Do you know any way to clean the bars on the Jet Parallel clamps? They are supposed to be coated so glue doesn’t stick. Mine, however, stick. In fact, I can no longer open nor close my 24′ ones! Any ideas? Thanks.
And here is my response:
Hey Jeff. Very good question. This is a dilemma that all clamp users face. Although the manufacturer may claim they are resistant to glue, you and I know different! First off, any new clamp that comes into the shop gets waxed immediately with paste wax. That will definitely help repel glue. However, once the damage is done I usually get the heavy stuff off with a putty knife. That usually takes care of the bulk of it and gets the clamp working again. 
For the textured area on the top, you can use a steel brush to knock the glue out of the crevices. If you are in a rush, just pick up one of those wire wheels that chucks into your drill or a Dremel, and carefully knock the glue out of the grooves. Just don’t be too aggressive or you can smooth out the texture and the ridges. And, of course, the best practice with these clamps is prevention. That means covering them with a sheet of newspaper, craft paper, wax paper, brown paper, or even sheets of plastic. Although I need to practice what I preach. Most times, I don’t think about prevention until after the glue is drying, haha. Good luck!
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