Emphasis on the Perpendicular

Emphasis on the Perpendicular

I am nearly a novice when it comes to woodworking. One of the biggest problems I have is holding two pieces of wood perpendicular to each other. When I go to nail or screw them together the back piece always moves slightly so they are no longer flush on the outside edges. Is there a trick to keeping them in place while I secure the two together? I have not seen a clamp that will do the job.

Michael Dresdner: In fact, there are clamps made to hold two pieces at right angles, but most are fairly expensive. Cheaper, and much more versatile, is Rockler’s clever “Clamp-It” assembly square, which can go either on the inside or outside of the angle, and hold the pieces right where you want them.

Rob Johnstone: As with most woodworking challenges, you are not alone.The Clamp-It is a great way to solve this problem. You can also make alignment blocks to help keep things steady. Pre-drilling your screw holes can sometimes solve this problem. Taping a joint can help as well as a spot of hot glue& be creative, there is no single solution and few wrong answers.

Posted in: