Basic Woodworking

WOODWORKING

Chapter 20

Clamping and Gluing

Introduction:

Clamping and gluing wood is the process used for joining stock together with the force and adhesion

necessary to assure strong wood joints. This is accomplished by using clamps and wood glue. Surprisingly, when

wood is glued together, it forms a stronger-than-wood bond. That is to say, the wood will break before the glued

joint will break. This fact alone makes gluing a valid option to consider when adhering wood. Other methods may

be employed to aid in the process, such as biscuits, dowels, nails, and screws, but a properly glued butt joint is not

to be underestimated.

The Gluing Process:

Before you begin gluing, make certain you have all the

necessary tools and equipment on the table with you.

First, decide what type of clamp you will use. A clamp is a

device used for pressing two pieces of stock together. There are

many different types of clamps, and all vary in the amount of

pressure they may exert on the stock. Below is a list of the most

popular wood clamps in use today.

Types of clamps

 Bar clamp

 Wood clamp or Hand screw clamp

 C-clamp

 Spring clamp

 Screw clamp

 Strap or band

 Screw clamp

 Toggle clamp

 Pipe clamp

 One handed bar clamp

 Miter clamp

The type of clamp you choose is determine by the size and amount of pressure you need. Pipe clamps, for

instance, are long and have the greatest cranking power. Adversly, spring clamps are small and have less

compression strength.

Once you have chosen the clamp(s) most suitable for your project, acquire the clamping tools you will need. A

clamping tool is any device useful for the gluing process. Below are a few.

Clamping tools

 Cauls: Rigid wooden planks that are clamped to panel glue-

ups, one on top and another directly below it, to keep the

individual boards aligned to each other (right).

 Cellophane Tape: Attached to cauls to prevent from sticking

to excess project glue

 Wax paper: Prevents projects from bonding to the table

 Riser blocks: Lifts project off the table for ease of clamping

 Squares: Allows you to check if stock is square (90°)

 Wet paper towel: Excess glue is the enemy of stain!

Remove it before it sets. When glue sets, it seals the wood

and prevents stain from soaking into the fibers. The result is

one big ugly yellow mark. To avoid excess glue, don’t apply more glue than what the joint can allow. If

glue does squeeze out onto your project, wipe it immediately with the wet paper towel.

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