Display case glue-up

[Gene Davis]

Well, you can never have too many clamps.

This piece, in cherry, is in final assembly, or pretty close to it.  A lot of 5mm x 30mm dominos went into it.

My shop is a mess, and I should clean it up before I do another thing.  Dust city.

The piece has a bottom deck and an up-near-the-top panel in which are mounted puck lights.  I made both of solid stock, the lower deck at 3/4" thickness and the top panel at 7/16".  I should have used cherry plywood, but cheaped out and used solid material I had.  Now I gotta design for wood movement.

So at the front and rear of each panel, I will slice a rebate reveal 1/8 x 1/8, after ripping the panel and deck so they clear the front and rear rails of the case by 1/8".  I am still in a heating season, and in front range Colorado, I figure these are as dry as they will ever be, and the 1/8 either side will be OK.  A section cut is included here to illustrate.

Under the deck and over the panel, support and fix will be by continuous 3/4" thick cleats, and the screws going through cleats and into deck and panel will have elongated slots where needed for movement.  No glue.

And clamps.  I own no K-body style pinchers, and my old collection is from 15 to 30 years ago.  But I get by.

 

[mike_aa]

That's going to look great when you are done!  I like your design.  Please keep the pictures coming!

I've got a bunch of those wooden jaw clamps and some pipe clamps, too.  Some years back I came across a good deal on the Bessey K bodies (the original all red ones) and they are the ones I reach for all the time.  I think they really are a lot faster and easier to use.  That being said, I won't get rid of my other clamps.  Never know when you might need them!  And, you can never have too many clamps, right?

What is the table you are doing the glue-up on?  Looks like it might be something Eurekazone sold.

Mike A.

 

[dltflt]

Can't wait to see the finished product.

 

[tjbnwi]

Look into getting some Bow Clamps. Great for this type of situation.

Craig is a good guy also;

http://www.bowclamp.com

Tom

 

[Gene Davis]

Look at what they go for used.  It's ridiculous.  The rift oak package I will use for my next project cost far less.

I've a dozen 1/2" pipe clamps and a lot of lengths of pipe to get me from 8" to 50".  I've band clamps and corner fittings, a lot of Jorgensen handscrews, a few I made myself from the Jorgensen kit, a whole bucketful of Jorgensen steel bar clamps, and a dozen Jorgensen 6" cast iron c-clamps.  And a couple Irwin heavy duty quick-clamps.  I make my own crowned cauls.  I figure I am almost as set up as Norm Abrams was back when he wore big tinted aviator glasses.

Yeah, that is the Eurekazone table you see under. It got most of its slices when I was building houses, the track saw being the greatest thing ever for making tapered window jamb extensions, trimming stair treads, and of course sheetgoods whacking.

 

[Gene Davis]

And then, the moment you step away from the heavy Bessey-type parallel jaw clamps, and I lump in Bessey, Irwin, and Jorgensen, all of which are competing in this, the moment you step into the used market for old-school gear like mine, you get bargains like this.

Not shown and included are four 50 inch pipe clamps, two 3/4" and two 1/2", hardly used.

I might make a call and take a drive.

 

[tjbnwi]

Bow Clamps (or any cull) speed up the glueing process so much they're well worth the cost. You only have so much time to clamp before the glue sinks. Savings in clamps offset the cost of the Bow Clamps.

Tom

 

[mike_aa]

Here's a nice article on making your own bow clamps.

Also, if you are interested, Shopsmith makes a double bar clamp that has a clamping caul incorporated in it.  They just had a sale on them and I believe they go on sale about twice a year.

Mike A.