Top 10 Assembly Tips
With all the hard work that goes into breakout and joinery, you certainly don't want things to go wrong during the assembly stage. Here are a few tips to ensure a smooth transition to finishing.
1. Joints Can Help With Location
Joints and fasteners that allow no movement between mating parts (dowels, Dominos, tenons, etc.) can locate workpieces very accurately and ease the assembly process. Biscuits work well in one direction but allow a bit of play side-to-side. This can be a good or bad thing. While they can be very strong, simple edge joints are very poor when it comes to locating the two parts together precisely. Consider what you will need during assembly and incorporate it into the piece.
2. Sand Before Assembly When Needed
Getting at certain surfaces once the parts have been assembled can be nearly impossible. Sanding before assembly can make life easier in the long run.
3. Prefinish Some Parts
Small parts in an intricate assembly can be very hard to finish. Taping exposed joinery surfaces and applying a finish before assembly can be a great approach, resulting in a nicer finished product.
4. Subassemblies
There are times when it’s absolutely impossible to apply glue and assemble all the joints in one project before the glue sets up. Making subassemblies is a great way to get around this. I’ve used upwards of eight subassemblies to bring together certain pieces of furniture before. It might take longer, but there’s a much lower chance of ruining the entire piece.
5. Don’t Wait Too Long
Wood expands, contracts and warps with time. Though it’s rare, perfect joinery one day can be impossible joinery a month down the road. Assemble your project as soon as possible after machining joinery.
6. Be Prepared
Clamps, glue, brushes, cauls, workpieces, etc., all need to be accounted for and located nearby. I even go the extra step of adjusting clamp heads so they’re at approximately the right length before applying any glue. Taping cauls to a workpiece is another way to make the assembly process run smoother.
7. Practice
Be sure you know in what order you’re going to bring the parts together, and whether or not your approach will actually work. A complete run-through will point out any major problems in your approach.
8. Time The Run-Through
Glue can be left open for only so long, then it starts to dry and creates joints that are not as strong as they otherwise could be. Time your dry assembly, then add some time for applying glue to see if you are going to be quick enough.
9. Consider a Different Adhesive
If your run-through took too long, consider using another adhesive. Epoxy is very good for open time but can be harder to work with.
10. Get Some Help
Another set of hands can save the day. Just be patient with your helper, teach them exactly what needs to be done, and have them do a run-through if it’s at all complicated. Just remember, what might be second nature to you may be foreign to them, so don’t assume they’ll know enough to help you out properly.
Rob is a studio furniture maker and the editor at Canadian Woodworking & Home Improvement. Instagram at @RobBrownTeaches
What other corner joints have you used?
Share your thoughts in the comments section of this article.
Great guide, always missed a tip here that could’ve helped me in the past
I’m still an amateur but my favorite joint is a mortise and tenon. I have never had that joint fail on me. I notice that most everyone use a chisel to square the corners in the mortise but I round off the corners on the tenon with a rasp