Woodpeckers Panel Clamps Review: Easier Panel Glueups
If you build medium- to large-size woodworking projects, chances are you spend a fair amount of time gluing up panels. The process itself isn’t particularly difficult, but juggling multiple clamps while keeping the boards flat and aligned can make a panel glueup tedious.
Woodpeckers Panel Clamps are designed to make that process easier by handling two clamping jobs at once. As the clamp screws are tightened, the feet apply pressure along the edges of the boards, much like traditional bar clamps. At the same time, the rails press against the faces of the boards to keep them flat and aligned — a job that might otherwise require F-style clamps and cauls.
The clamp screws apply pressure to the edges of the panel, while the rails sandwich the boards along their faces to help keep everything flat and aligned.
Setting Up the Panel Clamps
There is a little more setup involved with these clamps than simply reaching for a bar clamp. The boards need to slide between the rails and feet, and the clamp arms need to be positioned along the rails so the screws are close enough to tighten.
Once everything is positioned, however, the glue-up process is straightforward. Glue can be applied to the mating edges of the boards, and tightening the screws provides the pressure needed to close the joints while simultaneously keeping the faces aligned.
That combination is the real advantage of this style of panel clamp. Instead of using one set of clamps to pull the joints together and another set of clamps or cauls to keep the panel flat, the Woodpeckers Panel Clamps handle both tasks.
Are Woodpeckers Panel Clamps Worth It?
Woodpeckers Panel Clamps are available individually or in sets of four, with three lengths to choose from. They aren't inexpensive, so they may be harder to justify if you only occasionally glue up a large panel.
But if building tabletops, cabinet panels, workbench tops, or other large woodworking projects is a regular part of your time in the shop, these clamps can simplify the process. Being able to apply edge pressure while keeping the boards flat and aligned makes panel glueups easier to manage — and that makes Woodpeckers Panel Clamps worth considering for a busy woodworking shop.
