Opinions on my tabletop glue up method

[Jay Pugsley]

I am making a kitchen table made up of two glued up sections running across the tabletop, with a breadboard separating the sections and one at each end. I do not have clamps long enough to reach across the glued up sections.

My idea is to drill hole through one piece, then glue it up with another piece, edge to edge, and use screws through the holes, acting like clamps. Then remove the screws when the glue has dried, and repeat until the final width has been reached..

any opinions, comments, or suggestions?

[Kevin McCluney]

You could build a clamping jig similar to the drawing below. Use a length of 2x4 attached to a sheet of plywood or MDF, then use short sections of 2x4 to make cam clamps (two are shown, but more can be added) that press the pieces being glued between the cams and the 2x4 along the back. Dowels can be used as the pivot points for the cams (the dowels are anchored into the plywood). The cams may require some small clamps to hold them in position once pressure is applied to the pieces being glued together.
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[Andrew Hughes]

Very cleaver Kevin I like it.!

[John Lanciani]

any opinions, comments, or suggestions?

My main comment is to fill in your location; someone (like me, I have +/- 100 K body clamps right now) might be close enough and willing to lend you the clamps to make your project quick and easy.

[Jerry Miner]

Or make some clamps with boards, bolts, and wedges. (These allow better glue drying and can serve as cauls, too, if made with a crown)

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[Jay Pugsley]

Thanks! I am not used to anyone offering help like that. I will complete my profile.

[Jay Pugsley]

This looks like a good candidate. Easy to put together, easy to set up, and looks like it would provide plenty of clamping pressure. The cauls that are built in also keeps the final scraping and sanding to a reasonable level also.

[Keith Westfall]

Be sure to put some plastic, (sheet or tape), to prevent it gluing down to the clamp board!

[Jay Pugsley]

I was thinking about waxing the cauls to keep them from sticking. Don't think they would look good attached to the tabletop!

[Frederick Skelly]

Thanks! I am not used to anyone offering help like that. I will complete my profile.

A belated welcome to the Creek Jay! Glad to have you with us! You'll find a ton of helpful, knowledgable people here to help when you need it.

Fred

[Dave Arnett]

I'm in Tipton.

You're welcome to use my shop and clamps.

PM sent

[Marty Tippin]

Maybe I'm missing something, but doesn't this job just scream out for pipe clamps? You can make them as wide as you want just by adding more pipe...

[George Bokros]

There was a post in a thread a while back regarding making some long clamps using 2X4 with some blocks to hook over one side of the glue up and using an F clamp on the other end to apply the clamping pressure. I searched but cannot seem to find it.

[Don Jarvie]

It may be wise to invest in a few large clamps and some pipe clamps. They will always come in handy in the future.

[Jay Pugsley]

What a generous offer. Thank you!

[Jay Pugsley]

No Marty, you are right. This job does call for pipe clamps. I just don't have any. I usually do not work in such a wide surface in solid wood. One time I did make two kitchen countertops out of maple strips. For those, I drilled holes through all the pieces, and counter sunk larger on both end pieces. I then used threaded rod, large diameter washers, and nuts as clamps. I then glued an outside strip on to hide the hardware, but for the life of me, I can't remember how I attached that strip without clamps! Lol

[Jay Pugsley]

I hope I can offer others help too. I am very happy to have found this forum.

[Marty Tippin]

No Marty, you are right. This job does call for pipe clamps. I just don't have any. I usually do not work in such a wide surface in solid wood. One time I did make two kitchen countertops out of maple strips. For those, I drilled holes through all the pieces, and counter sunk larger on both end pieces. I then used threaded rod, large diameter washers, and nuts as clamps. I then glued an outside strip on to hide the hardware, but for the life of me, I can't remember how I attached that strip without clamps! Lol

Man, that's a lot of work! Pipe clamps are one of the most affordable accessories you can add to your shop. And being able to expand them when needed for a wider job like this is incredibly handy. You might want to pick up a few sets to start with and then add more as budget allows.

[Gene Davis]

Buy some cheap pipe clamps at Harbor Freight. Get the pipe at a plumbing supply house.

Or find a local woodworker and borrow his clamps.

Screws are no substitute.

[Brett Luna]

I was thinking about waxing the cauls to keep them from sticking. Don't think they would look good attached to the tabletop!

I can't trust that I've waxed something good enough to keep even a little glue get through and hold on. I use clear packing tape on my cauls.