Parallelogram Screw Strips

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Like many woodworkers, I often use “screw strips” to support panels and other project parts when finishing them. With flathead screws driven through them, these screw strips essentially hold the inverted screws upright so “wet” work can rest on the tips without damage, allowing you to finish to both faces of a piece in immediate succession.

The problem I’ve found with most screw strips is that they’re prone to tipping. To solve the problem, I took inspiration from the concept of parallel rulers.
I simply connected a pair of screw strips using two 1⁄4"-thick strips of hardboard and a couple 3⁄4" panhead screws with washers, as shown. When spread apart, the parallelogram unit has firm footing for supporting workpieces. When not in use, a unit can be folded shut and safely stacked together against another unit with the screws facing inward toward each other.

—Mark Dean, Dade City, Florida