I'm trying to glue up a tabletop but I don't have a workbench to use. Can I rest the boards directly on pipe clamps that are sitting on the ground? Is that a suitable setup?
2 Answers
Yeah, you can do that as long as your floor is totally flat and your pipe clamps are all at the same height. If the boards aren’t glued flat, they might not end up flat once the glue dries. I’d recommend shimming some straight boards under the clamps to make sure everything’s level while you tighten them up. Just keep an eye on it so nothing shifts and causes a warp!
I actually glue on a 3/4 inch MDF sheet supported by sawhorses. I use an aluminum straight edge across the MDF to make sure everything is flat. Plus, I cover the MDF with plastic to catch any glue squeeze-out and keep it clean. The clamps sit on the plastic, and I use more plastic on the clamps to avoid glue sticking to them!
What's the deal with the aluminum straight edge? Are you using it to level things out?
Great tip about shimming the boards, that’ll help a lot!