Holding walls together for fastening...

[Jon Wilson]

OK, I'm making some bird houses for friends and
family to hang this spring. I really like making them but I do wish I had a
second pair of hands.

Is there a simple jig or trick for holding the
walls in place while I fasten them together. I'm not doing anything fancy, just
making a box with a roof and a floor. I don't have a nailer so everything is
done the old fashioned way (for now).

I hope this all makes sense, and
I'd be willing to bet a dollar to a donut that the answer is so simple I'm going
to feel silly.

As usual, Thanks!

[Cary Falk]

Jon,
Are you looking for something like this? I'n jut sure how you are puttting thenm together when you say old fashioned.
http://www.woodpeck.com/boxclampm2.html

[Jon Wilson]

Old Fashioned may have been a bad choice of words. Using glue and screws or nails depending on what I have available at the time.

Those clamps look like they would be perfect, except for the $40 a pair price tag.

[Lornie McCullough]

Hi Jon
Pick up a pair of 'parallel wood clamps' ...... HF quality is just fine..... and use to hold the sides of the house upright while you do the nailing.

You will use them ever after....

Lornie

[Dave Richards]

One thing that will go a long way to helping you assemble these is to start the screws or nails so they are just sticking out of the back. When you press that piece in place on the mating piece, the points will help keep things together. If you still need help holding pieces vertically, a simple wooden hand screw will do nicely. Or use whatever clamp you have on hand to clamp the side to a scrap of 4x4 or something.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8390/8484453775_3332f3b9e2_n.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/8294157@N08/8484453775/)

[Bill Huber]

What type of a joint are you using, if you are using miter joints the easy way is to lay the parts flat on the bench. Then just use some painters tape and tape them together. then stand them up and fold it together and tape the last corner.

I like Dave's idea with the clamps, fast and easy.

[Pat Barry]

I use packaging tape because I can stretch it a bit but even masking tape will do the job nicely. Do the corners, then go back around and pull it tight. You can nail right thru the tape if you wish

[Lee Schierer]

One thing that will go a long way to helping you assemble these is to start the screws or nails so they are just sticking out of the back. When you press that piece in place on the mating piece, the points will help keep things together. If you still need help holding pieces vertically, a simple wooden hand screw will do nicely. Or use whatever clamp you have on hand to clamp the side to a scrap of 4x4 or something.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8390/8484453775_3332f3b9e2_n.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/8294157@N08/8484453775/)

My thoughts exactly. If you drill pilot holes in the mating piece it will be even easier.

[Carl Beckett]

I have a couple of these and find them handy:

http://www.industrialabrasives.com/7-pcs-corner-clamp-kit-00415-p-453.html?zenid=l727miuuk25tstqpseu709emt2

[Jim Finn]

I make hundreds of small boxes and the way I hold them together while the glue dries is: one small piece of masking tape on each corner to keep it together so I can do the next step . Then I stretch some rubber bands all around the box sides until the glue dries. The masking tape can be removed as soon as the rubber bands are in place or remove them later when you remove the rubber bands. I buy rubber bands by the pound at an office supply store.