I'm just wondering if there is some trick as to not damage the live edge when clamping. Pinch dogs underneath could help I guess. Rubber clamping pads of some sort? I'm making a 12' long 3" thick book matched walnut or monkey pod (designer hasn't specified yet) table top 42" wide.
From contributor JR
You could glue on blocks to each face - front and back - and use the clamps on them. Knock them off after the glue sets.
From contributor Ad
I would use dry biscuits for alignment(no glue).
Clamp a 2x4x12'to each edge top and bottom with regular bar clamps(like a sandwich or Oreo cookie). Throw a couple of loose 2x under the slab on top of the case clamps or pipe clamps an inch or two back from the joint.
This will allow you to use plenty of pressure with no damage and keep it all straight and flat. You may want to flatten the 2x4 on the jointer. They can be pretty squirely.
From contributor Ch
That's a bit confusing. You mean clamp 2xs top and bottom and pipe clamp the joint? Same concept as the glue blocks?
Thanks
From contributor Ad
They are all the same concepts. You need a flat surface to pull against. I would be cautious about gluing blocks to the table. Its alot of work to glue them(on a 12' table its a lot of blocks) and then you have the risk of ripping the grain of the table off. Then you have the task of chiseling and sanding them off later. I think that poster was thinking about how we make solid surface countertops and hot glue the block on and knock them off.
You have a long, wide, thick table top. It needs to be clamped from both sides. Imagine if it was a couple of typical boards. Throw down the clamps and the wood and then clamp the top. I am suggesting that you sandwich the edges of boards between (2) 2 x 4's. One on each side. Then glue it up like normal. You'll have to have (6) 12' 2x4's. (4) on the bottom, (2) on top of the whole table. The two extra on the bottom just sit on the clamps away from the joint to hold the planks at the right height off of the clamps.
I've done this a few times with expensive 3/4" material. In that case you just clamp the 2x4 to one side because its thin.
No pictures...sorry
