Best way to glue wood without clamps?

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Cal Weldon said:
As till said, your option is to use screws. You also have the option of removing the screws after the glue dries and filling the holes. If you don't like that idea, use heavy weights.

Cal

I have to admit I kinda dislike the idea of having screws in my speakers, but if it is the only option... And above all, I'm afraid I won't be able to make the holes for the screws right and I'll ruin all that's been done till now. I guess I'll have to experiment a bit.
 
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I haven't found a place to buy them from....?

Why not make some?
Cut a few right-angled triangles from offcuts of your MDF, glue them up to make two strong prisms, fix one securely to a stout batten, and make the other adjustable using bolts, etc. Alternatively, you could use opposed wedges for adjustment and tightening
 
These could do the trick:
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How to glue wood if clamps are out of question? More precisely, how to ensure that the angles are and stay right? And how do you do it, do you glue the sides to the top and bottom first and then the baffle and the back or all at once?
I've used weights in the past when clamps are unavailable or too small: http://www.vikash.info/audio/mtm_floorstander/build_day04.asp

I think the method used to attach the pieces together is quite important. I attach one panel at a time and in a very particular order so that only the ends of each panel can overhang. These are then trimmed off with a router and flush trim bit for perfect finish every time. For this method I use 4 precisely cut panels and two slightly larger-than-required panels.

As each panel is attached the enclosure will gradually sqaure up.
 
Vikash said:

I've used weights in the past when clamps are unavailable or too small: http://www.vikash.info/audio/mtm_floorstander/build_day04.asp

I think the method used to attach the pieces together is quite important. I attach one panel at a time and in a very particular order so that only the ends of each panel can overhang. These are then trimmed off with a router and flush trim bit for perfect finish every time. For this method I use 4 precisely cut panels and two slightly larger-than-required panels.

As each panel is attached the enclosure will gradually sqaure up.

You build them in exactly the same way that I do, it works well and is easy to do. I use clamps though, you can never have enough clamps

:D
 
I never glue anything, even if i have clamps (which i do) without using dowels or screws. I rarely use screws. Even with good clamps there is always a chance that due to the slick nature of the glue, the wood will slide around a little bit. Having a couple of dowels holding the pieces in place prevents this and also adds to the strength of the structure. Try placing them at non perpendicular angles to the piece of wood to better hold the wood in place.
 
Panel Thickness

If you use cleanly cut 3/4" plywood panels they will set up on edge pretty well. If you use good plywood (baltic/russian birch) you can use the thicker, stronger clear packaging tape to join the panels. You can pull it tight.

MDF, unless industrial grade, sucks. Bad dust problem, poor screw retention, surface and several layers tear off even glued well. It's like pressed paper, about as strong, and will still resonate. Heavy as hell. Better to build a laminate panel of 2 lesser thicknesses, half mdf and half or more of plywood.

Insure that both bottom and top are identical and square, then just set the sides up around the bottom first, of course, and tape as you go.
Once secured to the bottom tightly, fit the top in carefully and tape well. Check for square and shift as needed. Bungi (elastic) cords work also, once formed up.

Tim
 
I once used someting like this for a prototype case. It was quick and convenient. One prerequisite for its usage is that at least one of the two surfaces to be joined is porous, which is the case for MDF and fibreboard but not for plywood.


http://www.pattex.de/pattex/produkte/montage/kraft_kleber_sup.htm


Edit: Forgot to mention that it has a creamy consistency with quite some adhesion while it is still wet.

Regards

Charles
 
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