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How to Make Clamping Wedges

A clamping wedge is used to glue boards together to make table and desk tops or cabinets. It is a simple device that consists of four pieces of wood. The clamping action is created by a wedge that is tapped in between the objects being glued and a wooden arm that pivots. The arm must pivot to allow the wedge in to create the pressure needed to glue the wood together. Build your own clamping wedges for your wood projects in less than an hour.

Things You'll Need

Tape measure
Oak board, 1-by-2-by-36 inches
2 oak boards, 1-by-2-by-8 inches
Oak board, 1-by-4-by-8 inches
Oak dowel, 1/4-by-2 inches
Drill
Drill bit, 1/4-inch
Wood glue
Miter saw
Screw gun
2 wood screws, 1 ¾-inch
Rubber mallet

Instructions

- 1
  Drill 18 1/4-inch holes through the 36-inch board spaced 2 inches apart so they're centered, 1 inch away from the 36-inch edges.
- 2
  Drill a 1/4-inch hole through one of the 1-by-2-by-8-inch boards so it is centered, 4 inches away from each end and an inch away from each edge. Glue the1/4-inch dowel in the hole so its end is flush with one side of the board. Let the glue dry according to the instructions on the bottle. This is the arm that will pivot when the wedge is tapped in.
- 3
  Cut the 1-by-4-by-8-inch board in half diagonally using your miter saw. You have two equal size triangular pieces of wood, and they will function as your wedges.
- 4
  Position the 1-by-2-by-8-inch board without the hole on top of the 36-inch board at a right angle so it is flush with the end of the 36-inch board. Center the 8-inch board so its ends are 3 ½ inches away from the edges of the 36-inch board. Screw the 8-inch board to the 36-inch board in this position using two 1 3/4-inch screws.
- 5
  Insert the dowel in the 8-inch board into a hole on the 36-inch board. Tap one of your triangular wedges between the board with the dowel and the object that is being clamped with your rubber mallet. Lift the wedge up to release the clamp.

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