While assembling some doors for my new shop cabinets, I found myself working faster than the slow-setting glue and my humble collection of clamps would allow. Not ready to call it quits for the day, I came up with this no-clamp setup that enabled me to finish the job in less time, and for less money, than it would have taken to buy more clamps. This tip can be applied to any ¾"-thick piece of scrap plywood, hardwood, or Melamine, but I liked it so much that I outfitted my assembly table with a similar set of clamping guides.
Starting with a panel surface several inches larger than the door, use a framing square to position two perpendicular guide strips. Next, cut a pair of 15° wedges (the actual angle isn’t terribly critical). Place a door into the assembly corner and position the wedges along the door’s outside corners. Now screw two blocks near the corners of the door so that when the wedges are tapped, the pressure is directed against the joint.
As an extra benefit, the table keeps the doors square and flat, and the wedge clamps are less likely to dent the wood. Just make sure to wax the table and the guides to prevent the assembly from sticking to your clamping table.
