Clamping delima

[Ron Hitchcock]

I'm building 4 doors for a desk. The fluted part is at 45 deg. from the front of the door. I entend on using a spline, but the question is how do I clamp it. Your thoughts please. See attached pictures.

[Joe A Faulkner]

Here's one idea. Use C clamps or F clamps to clamp on a 3" wide piece of scrap to the front of the desk. This piece should be as long as the panel. Clamp it close to the edge you are going to join on the outside face of the desk. Rip the far edge of the "scab" at a 45 degree angle. This will give you an edge that is parallel to the far edge of the fluted piece that you can use to clamp the fluted side to the desk. Hope this make sense.

[Ron Hitchcock]

Here's one idea. Use C clamps or F clamps to clamp on a 3" wide piece of scrap to the front of the desk. This piece should be as long as the panel. Clamp it close to the edge you are going to join on the outside face of the desk. Rip the far edge of the "scab" at a 45 degree angle. This will give you an edge that is parallel to the far edge of the fluted piece that you can use to clamp the fluted side to the desk. Hope this make sense.

It does - thanks

[Bruce Wrenn]

Perfect job for pocket screws. Unfortunately it's too late in the game to do. Usually we run a 45 on one panel, butt it up to the 90 on next panel, and pocket screw it together. After glue has set up, trim off piece of the 45 bevel that extends past the 90 side. Then the seam isn't on the outside of the 45. Somewhere, Kreg has a video showing how to do this. It's also in paperwork for Kreg jigs.

[Bradley Gray]

If you skip the spline you could put a generous number of strips of masking tape on the face then swing the joint open (using the tape as a hinge), apply glue and swing closed. a few more strips of tape on the back side will hold while the glue cures.

[Steve Demuth]

If you skip the spline you could put a generous number of strips of masking tape on the face then swing the joint open (using the tape as a hinge), apply glue and swing closed. a few more strips of tape on the back side will hold while the glue cures.

This.

Skip the spline. You don't need it.

Butt the wing to the center panel with both lying flat, face up on the bench. Gently clamp them, or raise the outer edge of the wing 3/4" or so, then apply 2" blue tape the length of the joint. Rub on firmly, and overlay ever 4-6" with strips perpendicular to the first extending several inches onto the face of the panels. Stand up on end, apply glue, and close. Use tape or very gentle clamping across the hypotenuse to immobilize.

Fast, simple, and if your joint is straight, works like a charm

[andy bessette]

Keep the splines for strengthening the joints. Makeup temporary plywood frames which hold everything square and capture the extreme edges of the assembly, then apply clamping pressure to the fluted corner piece, pulling it down towards the temporary frames.

[Sam Murdoch]

I like the tape hinge idea - no spline. I use this a lot and very successfully for making box columns or mitering face frames to finished end panels and the like.

In this case, if it were me - I think - I would use 1 layer of heavy duty clear packing tape directly over the joint with 2 more layers- one applied to each side of the middle strip with each side piece overlaying at the center. Plan on using strapping tape - the kind with the strips of fiber for reinforcement - as your clamps. These can be pulled tightly from the outside edge of the column to some inside edge of the panel.

Would also consider clamping at least 2, but better 3, top bottom and center, blocks at the front of the panel just barely overlaying the joint AFTER you fold the tape "hinge" but BEFORE you pull on the strapping tape "clamps". These blocks will allow you to inspect your joint and keep the column edge aligned with the panel edge as you strap the joint closed. The clear packing tape will hold the joint remarkably well but the clamp blocks will ensure no forward slipping as you tighten the "clamps".

My reason for the added "I think" in my 1st paragraph is that this would be a prime candidate for a trial clamp up. Don't do this wet 1st time. Do a mock up to save yourself from surprises. Perhaps after the glue up you could add a few permanent glue blocks to the back of the joint for security. Good luck.

[Jamie Buxton]

Clamp hooks. They let you apply clamping force at right angles to the glue surface when the workpieces don't have surfaces which help.
Clamp hooks are cut out of any scrap you have hanging around. I usually use plywood to lessen concerns about splitting.
In the diagram below, notice that when you imagine a straight line connecting the two clamping points, the line runs through the glue surface, and runs through it at right angles to the surface.

clamphooks.jpg

[Jim Andrew]

I used the same style to build chests of drawers for my granddaughters. I just hooked my clamp on the first flute. Used biscuits to help align the joint, as well as add strength. First glued the angled pieces to the side, then glued the carcass together the same way.