As soon as a project veers from 90°, the assembly gets a little more complicated. Woodworking clamps do a great job applying pressure in line with a joint. Angles often eliminate a place to add a clamp and provide pressure in the correct place. That’s definitely the case on the serving tray table found in Woodsmith 281. The three stretchers meet at 120°. A clamp placed at the center would pry apart the other stretchers.
Clamping Platform
Shop manager Marc Hopkins is a master at clever solutions. Here’s his answer to the assembly challenge. It’s an MDF platform that has three pairs of guides arranged to match the angle of the stretchers. The guides are spaced to hold a stetcher in a snug grip. An open area in the middle allows clearance for the parts to come together and give you good visibility.
Opposite each set of guides is a clamping block that’s screwed to the platform. This block serves as an anchor point for the head of a clamp. F-style bar clamps are the best choice as they can reach across the other bars. I applied a generous coat of wax to the area where the stretchers meet. The last thing you want to do here is glue your assembly to the platform.
Slow-Set Glue
Marc has been using epoxy a lot recently. My preference is to use liquid hide glue to have the open time to get the glue spread, the splines installed, and the parts aligned. Then add one clamp at a time. Apply just enough pressure to hold the piece in place. You can gradually work your way around increasing pressure until the joints are closed — and the parts flat on the platform. Then walk away until your glue of choice is cured. That’s overnight for me.
Table Base Assembly
To join the stretchers to the legs a similar challenge presents itself. Marc’s solution here is to the setup shown here. He made wide triangles that nestle between the stretchers. Another clamp pad wraps around the leg in order to give the clamp a flat surface to grip. You’ll need to assemble all the legs and stretchers at once for this stage. Deep breath. You can do this.
