The STRONGEST and CHEAPEST Way to Clamp Wood Together - with a Wedge Clamp Board! Video 4/6
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 ส.ค. 2018
- In today's video I will be showing you how to create a WEDGE CLAMP BOARD - the strongest and cheapest way to clamp two pieces of wood together.
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I promised to post a link to the quick-grip clamps featured in the video, so here they are:
Irwin Quick-Grip clamps geni.us/g6fp (Amazon)
Irwin Universal saw geni.us/F6p7E (Amazon)
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I discovered this traditional technique for tightly clamping two pieces of wood together a few years ago when I was laying engineered oak floorboards in my bathroom.
Right now, I'm making shelves for the spare room wardrobe/ cupboard I've been refurbishing - out of off cuts from the extension of my kitchen table • How to Extend Your Kit... . I needed to join the off cuts together to make the shelf deep enough, and with my only quick grip clamps already being used on the other shelf, I decided to bring out the Wedge Clamp Board for the other shelf.
They're so simple to make. You simply need a piece of 2"x2" timber, which you can then cut in half diagonally down its length using a typical wood saw. The clamp then needs screwing to a larger piece of timber. And finally, you need a sheet of wood (MDF or ply) that is larger than the two pieces of wood you are clamping together, as this forms the base of the clamp - or the wedge clamp board.
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Good to hear an English accent instead of the usual American
Thank you!
Just been searching the Internet for 5' sash clamps for my latest project, having to join two long flat panels together. So pleased I saw this video first. Wedge clamp it is 👍
You'll love this system Stephen 👍🏻
I appreciate the fact that you are using simple and low-cost tools that everyone has access to. Thank you!
Yea, and you're not his g, Morrocan, ancient ity, Pangea preserved wood that was blessed by Solomon's miners. That costs 100$ a board inch.
Hi Charlie, thanks for sharing this clamp system, its something I had forgotten about but 55 years ago as an apprentice joiner/ carpenter we used this system of wedges to hold window frames in place in the brickwork reveal, We called them folding wedges or a local common name fox wedging.
Hi there. You're welcome. Yes, I could see it working really well in that scenario. Funnily enough I got it out again the other day, to clamp together a skirting I was joining which I couldn't clamp in any other way. Such a strong option!
A damp cloth is a very good thing to use for wiping off excess glue, and you could use a sheet of baking or freezing paper if one ain't got a piece of perspex.
Ingenious! The old methods really are the best. Clamps are so expensive so will definitely be trying this one out! Thanks
lol. I was looking for help with a different problem, accidentally came across this vid, and since I'm a subscriber, stopped to watch. Dang, Charlie, you may have helped me anyway! I'm not gluing sheet material or even planks together. I just want to secure longer pieces of 2x4 stock flat so I can rout grooves and round the edges, using a simple router and edge guide. Haven't been able to avoid having router run into clamps. Was playing around with lengths of thinner material alongside, using clamps trying to exert force lengthways...(wishing at least ONE pair of them would work as spreaders! but no such luck) for three mornings, lol.
A wedge clamp! Sweet! Have never seen such a thing, and from reading the comments, see that it's one of those simple, old-school techniques that we are lucky someone is teaching.
I am going to see if I can come up with something similar made from 1x material ... maybe 1x6 which I hope will be strong enough. Yet another experiment! If life doesn't keep me away from my tiny shop again, I may be able to report in the near future.
Or, maybe you have a better solution ? Cheers!
I've used wax paper under glue joints. Keeps your projects from being glued to your workbench or clamps. Cheap on the roll!
Thank you. I have 2 teak butcher block to glue end to end. This is perfect. Saved me rigging up some half ass system with my ratchets straps. I love the old woodworking tricks!
Thanks Dave. It's awesome isn't it and so strong.
You solved my problem. You're the best. Did a wooden barn floor with thick boards. All of them warped and your solution fixed it.
Really glad to hear that Glenn, thanks for letting me know! Yes it's so such a strong clamp. You wouldn't be able to do what you did with floor clamps - the ones with the straps. 👍
hi Charlie - greetings from Cape Town! This is super , thank you!
Xxxtremely helpful 5 stars..absolutely perfect example of a ideal video
Thanks so much Manjeet. Really pleased you found it useful 👍🏻
Simple but brilliant. Here I was drawing weldable clamps because they are so expensive to buy. This saved my day, thanks!
So glad to hear it worked for you. What did you use it for?
@@CharlieDIYte I will be making a desk with drawers and a bookshelve out of pine. Already have some fiberboard left over that I'll use to make the clamps.
This is a great method and one that Izzy Swan uses. In fact he says that out of the thousands of boards he's glued up over the years he's never used clamps. If I remember right he uses a wedge at either end of a slightly larger clamping board. You can also use cling film. The only advantage of clamps, as I see it, is that you can remove the glue once it's started to set from the underside of the board and not worry about sanding it off the next day. Many thanks for these helpful no nonsense videos.
Simply the best clamp I have ever seen !!! Thanks and greetings from a subscriber from Mexico !!
Very humbled to have a subscriber all the way in Mexico. Can't thank you enough, my friend! Yes this clamp is so strong. 👍🏻💪🏻
Back in my machinist days ...I did some research about tapers. Seems like 2-3º was a keen number with metal and a wee bit more with wood. I made a set a few days ago. Used my plane to make the meeting area perfect. Planed all around to make it purty and bullnosed what I could. On mine, I made the small end thick so it's easy to tappity tap tap out with a hammer. These are great tools for breaking stuff. Don't underestimate the power!
I was just pricing up some Irwin clamps when I saw this video. Excellent idea Charlie. I will build one of these tomorrow thanks for this.
You're welcome Neil. I like the Irwins and have a couple of pairs but this is far stronger.
Genius! Building a desktop and 600mm clamps are extortionate. This will save me a fortune and is so easy, even I can do it Thank you!
You're welcome Greg. Super powerful too!
Thank you for sharing this video. I just started woodworking, and my clamps are not big enough, I will make this work. Helps me out massively, thank you.
You're welcome. Strongest clamp you can use, this 👊
Brilliant idea Charlie, I have some projects coming up that this would be perfect for. Thanks for taking the time to make and share this.
You're very welcome Ivan. Thanks for the comment!
By reversing the wedges you can run the two outer edges together which are nice and smooth and place the sawn sides to the outsides
Yep, fair point!! 🙄
Grease proof baking paper works well if you don't have perspex.
Ancient woodworking technique older than the Romans Charlie, minus the Ryobi impact driver of course.
Nice one and well done.👍
Thanks Norman!
Thanks for the tips with the flooring too, and using simple tools as well! Genius!
Great advice produces flat tight joint . Great channel.
Thanks Nicholas!
Another excellent video. Thanks Charlie.
It's a really handy clamping system for this kind of job. Something you might not have tired but works very well is to use multiple pairs of wedges to clamp up long joints. My wedges ( I cut shims for installing cabinets etc) are about 6" long, I just use as many as needed to clamp up a long joint, the only thing you need is long enough retaining bars on each side.
Love the idea of the wedge clamp on the board. I saw a wedge clamp on two pieces of 2X2 with holes using round pegs.
Charlie brilliant idea and good if you do not have enough clamps, as you have shown.
However, I love my Irwin clamps and I treat myself to a couple every so often. I now have 18 Irwin clamp plus 2 x 1200mm sash clamps which are just amazing and invaluable. I Don't know how I would have coped without those (you can never have enough clamps).
However, after seeing what you have just demonstrated, I will give it a try.
Thank you Charlie, I love your demonstrations, which appeal to the everyday DIY'er.
Keep up the good work. 😎😀🌞
Thanks Deanne. I agree, nothing wrong with the Irwin clamps, and I'll certainly keep using them but I did get a flatter, tighter result with the wedge clamp.
@@CharlieDIYte you might like to try sash clamps, which are designed for that purpose. Mine are 1200mm.
Keep up the good work; it is down to you that I was inspired to build my 2240mm x 2390mm wardrobe; complete with cabinets and drawers. ♥️
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Thank you Charlie. You just saved me at least 250 bucks. I'm going to be gluing up a 2 by 4 benchtop (butcherblock stye) and I was going to go out and buy a bunch of Bessie long clamps for the job. Whew! That was close! I almost pulled the trigger on those clamps. So glad I saw this video. Now, if there was only a similarly simple way to clamp the boards straight from the top so the top of the boards lined up. I've seen videos on how to make those flattening clamps (calls? cauls?) but they are so complicated. Your method is brilliant, simple and more effective than the 90 dollar Bessies. Please think about coming up with a wedge system for flattening the top so there is no cupping or bowing. Cheers mate.
Hi Dwayne, that's great news, and what a cost saving! Not entirely sure what you mean by clamping the boards straight from the top, though. 👍
@@CharlieDIYte Maybe it's mathematically impossible but I was thinking of a simple wedge system similar to yours to essentially press down on the surface to create a caul.
@@CharlieDIYte he’s probably referring to cauls across the face to ensure alignment of the board faces. Many people don’t get good edge joints prior to gluing, and use excessive pressure to bring the joints together…or want to squeeze the life out of it. This often leads to bowing across the panel. A cambered caul strip would do well for that purpose. Also, I’ve seen dowels, split along their lengths, taped to the edge before clamping. It directs the force to the centerline of the edge.
Superb....I've made these before which helped loads when glueing up a table top.
Really good idea 👍
Great contraption! Thanks!
Once Again you have done it Again Charlie! Will make few of these👌👌
Cheers Richy - good to hear from you!
What a fantastic idea/tip! Thanks for another great video Charlie!
Cheers Lee. Really appreciate that!
I made a set of three from mdf and 2x3 and they work a treat. Perfect join even given some imperfections in the edges to be joined. One additional tip is to cut off a piece from the thin end of the slanted fixed piece so the wedge is a bit longer - makes hammering the wedge in much easier.
That's a great tip 👌
Charlie, I love the way you present this stuff.
Your the Jamie Oliver of DIY 😄
Can't thank you enough for that, Howard! Most people compare me with Gordon Ramsay - I think I prefer the Jamie Oliver comparison!
Charlie DIYte So would I mate!
Excellent idea Charlie. Sometimes the old ways are best. I have done far bit of clamping lately and I have same problems of clamps not being long enough, or ran out of clamps.
Super helpful brother! Ive been looking around and this is the best easiest concept I've seen yet . Im using this for sure.
Thanks Jeff 👍🏻
He does it with a handsaw too, nice.
Thanks 👍
i think is fantastic idea cheaper and effective enjoyed the video.
Aaah, you've just saved me so much money dude! I guess I owe you! I hope a subscription will suffice...
Gee! Did this while working underground for years! (South Africa) Fastening "Packs" to secure hangingwall! Never thought of doing this for my woodwork at home - Brilliant!!! Subscribed!
Well done Nuno Portugal Best Regards
Useful idea ❤❤
I will be making one of these this weekend ready to do a glue up on a large chopping board I want to put together. This will save loads on expensive clamps. Thanks.
Thanks I'm building a table and this is going to save me a bit of money on clamps when joining the table top boards together.👍
Great news Steven. Yes it will and is incredibly strong.
That's actually amazing! Well done man, great vid!! Keep up the good work bud, love your vids!!
Cheers mate - massively appreciate that!! Thanks for taking the time to comment!
Good to adapt for laying and clamping tradional floorboards.
Agreed. Floor strap clamps also good.
Another great video charlie.i have seen this before years ago but had forgotten how it was done
Thanks!
using wedges was the way I was taught to clamp concrete forms for window sills and lintels and curb edges
Thanks mate. It's such a wonderful traditional technique, isn't it!
Thank you my friend, you save rupees 😊😊
You're most welcome 😊
Wonderful! Thank you! I'm building my 1st farmhouse style dining room table as a beginning woodworker with limited tools. I certainly can't afford a shit ton of expensive clamps yet. This is the perfect solution! I'll post either a pic or a video of the finished product, giving credit to you for the glue up! Cheers! Chrissy ~ Tutu's Woodshop ~ Orange Park, Florida USA
Thanks Chrissy! It's an awesome system. Good luck, and yes I'd love to see the finished result!
I will definetly use this. Thank You!
Yes, it's a very strong clamp.
Why didn't I think of that?! Great vid and top tip!
Clever idea
Awsome!
Almost medieval but simple.I remember messing around in my dads shed and he had four of those wedges in a box. Wish I'd asked what they were for.
I'm a big fan of the magic, new tape measure bam!!!! Then a second later a new impact driver. With skills like this you should magic up a couple of extra clamps.
Love it you solved my problem. Thank you very much. And I have a question what is the max limit for angle in the wedge. And please make a video for corner clamp using this method.
A little medieval action going on, works with me ;) .
I've been wanting to make big butcher block tables and didn't have the $500 minimum I'd need just for clamps. Well problem solved. Thanks very much.
Also I'm a fan of the Ryobi drill and driver so another thumb up.
Thanks Nathan. Yep, you can't go wrong with these wedges. Great tools, Ryobi, aren't they!👍
I love it. :)
I had the same idea, but i wasn't sure about it, so i searched for a video which contain it to be sure.
Tomorrow i will apply it to clamp together some 1" by 2"-s to cut them then to sand them.
It's time consuming to cut them and sand them one by one. :/
So thanks for the video. ;)
Hi Charlie, when you get time could you show how to use a router to cut biscuit slots (and I'm not talking Ginger Nuts here).
Loctite Fun-Tak Mounting Putty works pretty well to hold small pieces with no clamps for routing etc.
An excellent use of wedges. Just one thought though, placing weights on the top side aids keeping the board flat when clamping even when you have used dominoes of biscuits.
Thanks. Yes that's a good idea. 👌
Great, would one have to increase the length of the wedged dependent on the length of the board presumably?
Yes exactly, or have two wedges, but one would be better as it would keep the pressure constant.
Seems too easy to be true haha going to try it, thanks !
It's a very strong way to wedge something. Go for it!
Great video. If you want to improve the quality of the mating pieces further you should run them over a shooting board. Done properly it can make your joints virtually invisible. Ideally you just need a low angle Jack plane and few scrap pieces of wood to make your shooting board from- would be a good idea for another video for you. Keep up the good work!!
another great video charlie. i'd like to make a ledged and braced door using tongue and groove boards but i didn't want to have to buy the huge sash clamps. do you think this wedge clamp would work as an alternative? many thanks
Excellent! Really the best way, for the home shop. If you wanted to apply a more even pressure all along the side of a much longer panel, not just the middle as shown here, what would you suppose is the best way? Make multiple clamping wedges? Make one wedge very much longer? Maybe put a hefty chunk of timber as a spacer between the shorter wedge and the side of the panel, to spread out the clamping force?
I'm about to lay some floor boards and have this exact issue of applying an even pressure to a longer panel and I'm going to do it by cutting a wedge the full length of the board. The other option is to have two sets of wedges, but obviously that's going to be more labour intensive.
Used metal wedges in a very similar way in welding and fabrication.
charlie a simple but very effective way to join to pieces of wood. I know it is a simple English vs. American semantics but lumber =refers to a solid wood board, timber = refers to a large size piece of lumber, 6"x 6" or larger. PLYWOOD IS A CONSTRUCTED MATERIAL= ALSO KNOW AS PANEL PR0DUCT
I use silicon-based oven baking paper to stop the sheets gluing to the baseboard. It's super cheap, disposable, variable in length off a roll, super thin and can also be cut lengthways to reduce the amount used as most rolls are much wider than needed. The paper is lightly impregnated with silicon and the glue will not stick to it. Be careful though, some oven paper has the silicon only on one side, use the shiny side towards the wood.
Bottom and top glue runs can be avoided with two lengths of painters tape put, one on either side of the joint. The glue will spill out over the top of the tape which can be peeled off after it dries. If you don't think you can lineup the tape up good enough, put the wood in the clamp without glue, clamp and put a single wide piece of tape on over both sides of the joint. Run a stanley blade down the joint. Remove the wood from the clamp, glue and reclamp.
Like you idea..done sub
Thanks, I really appreciate that!
Very2 much broo👍👍
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And if you have a big workbench with a good flat top that you don't care about the surface of, because it's a workbench, you can just screw the blocks right down to the workbench like I do!
I've done that on many occasions with my old Black and Decker workmate 😉
Thanks again Charlie for yet another DIY gem, it looks like you are using Gorilla glue I'd be interested to know what you think of the Gorilla range of products.
Thanks Christopher. I bought it at my local country DIY store because it was the only wood glue they had. Got to say, I was totally underwhelmed by the Gorilla grab adhesive that you might have seen on my recent mock panel door video, but the wood glue is pretty good - if for no other reason than it's got a clever little applicator nozzle that squeezes out a decent, flat line of glue. Also the glue has that slightly orange hue, which you see in a lot of the pro carpentry glues, so I'm pretty happy with it for now.
You put your chopping boards in the dishwasher???
There is another way of clamping up Charlie if you are glueing up bigger sections and havnt got anywhere to fix down to. Make an I shape with 3 bits of wood and screw in from the top and you have another clamp.
Can elaborate on that one, please? I didn't quite get the idea.
I liked it, but why use a drill driver/impact driver in spurts?
No reason. Maybe out of habit - but it does help you to control the rate at which the screw's driven home I guess.
In my experience, if you go for it an impact driver drives so quickly that before you know it the screw head will drive right through the surface for about 10mils before you can stop. 😰
He HAS to be related to Gordon Ramsay
Ha! I've done a Reface on my Instagram account and we do look a bit similar 🤣
Cutting board in the dishwasher?/
Yep!
Did I hear right? Chopping board in the dishwasher?
You did, I'm afraid!
Blimey. Why have I never thought of that?
I’ve been searching for some clamps and trying to find cheap but still good quality ones. Well, problem solved. 👍🏾
I was the same when I discovered it!! And it's far more powerful than a clamp!
You guys in the UK confuse me. You measure in metric and inches. And guage your driving distance in miles . I can't remember tell last time I had seen someone cut wood with a big handsaw. I like your wedge clamp
Yes I'm sorry, we are a bit schizophrenic like that. Is habits die hard. Most things are metric but we still refer to timber in Imperial (eg 2x1). It's crazy.
Was hard to watch you use a hand saw to cut that wedge...lol
Sent you an email mate
A screw is just a wedge rolled up!
I need to think about that 🤣
WOW!!! Are you the one who invented the wheel as well? 🤔😂
Interesting video but the REAL story is you put your chopping board in the dishwasher?!
Fair point. I've recently had to repair it again using biscuit joints so perhaps we should stop doing that...