clamping.md

Clamping

Cauls

Convenient Cauls for Panel Glue-ups

Machining cambered cauls:

Use relatively straight and knot free construction lumber. Then:

1. Cut to the desired length. Allow extra at the ends for threaded rod for clamping the cauls.
2. Dress both edges.
3. Space the ends of the pair of cauls about 6 mm apart (for 600 mm cauls, so 1:100) with small blocks and screw them together in the middle.
4. Joint or straight line rip the outside edges.
5. Separate the pair.
6. Apply packing tape on the curved edges.

Making bowed clamping cauls

Or:

1. Cut a straight-line taper from the center to each end.
2. Ease the point in the center with a handplane or by sanding.

Other Approaches (not cambered cauls)

Workshop Tip: Angle Bars Tame Big Panel Glue-ups (FWW #268, May/June 2018) - clamp to lengths of angle supported by slotted blocks that run at the edges of the panel perpendicular to the gluelines.