Woodworking Tip: Crown Joints with Crown Clamps

I was at the jobsite one day when I noticed some small clamps holding the joints of some crown together. I asked the carpenters what they were and they said they can glue the joints without nailing them, creating stronger joints and removing the risk of a blow-out.

I looked up the crown clamps online and noticed they weren't very common. I bought the Maestro M1201 Clamp-All Clamp Set and have been very happy with them. The crown clamps allow you to glue the joints without nailing them. It allows you to adjust the crown to the perfect angle. I notice that with a nail gun, there is risk that the joint isn't perfectly lined up when you nail it and you can't make changes to it.



 I also like to glue the crown molding and allow it to dry before I attach the crown to the furniture. Once it is dry, it is much easier to mold the crown to fit the furniture because you can apply pressure to get it to fit best. I like to hold the crown in place and nail a couple of nails in varying locations to get it in place before I secure it with multiple nails.