how do you clamp 1x vertical material to two ends of a triangular shelf?

[footprintsinconc]

the question is pretty simple, and i am sure the answer is a simple one as well:

i was building some corner shelf units for my patio (patio is recessed into our house - partially enclosed). all of the shelves are triangular. there are two 1x3 that carry the shelves on two ends. the shelves are not sitting on top or below the 1x3, instead they are butt into the 1x3 material. my question is: how do you clamp 1x (or whatever size) vertical material to two ends of a triangular shelf? below i have attached a pdf showing the what the shelf looks like.

i just ended up putting two screws on each end to draw the shelf and the 1x3 material as close as possible (to apply some pulling pressure) and brad nailed the rest. what do i do if i didn't want to use screws?

as always, thank you for your help!

[LarryG]

Make a triangular caul the same size and shape as the shelf and butt it against the shelf (i.e., hypotenuse to hypotenuse) and then clamp. IOW, you take the triangular clamping problem and make it square again.

If you need shelves in multiples of two, instead of a caul you can use another shelf and its set of edge strips and clamp them all together at once. This gives you double-duty out of your clamps.

[JR]

How about installing temorary clamping blocks to the bottom of the shelf? Just tack them in place, glue and clamp the edging. Remove the blocks when the glue dries.


Ooor... make a notched caul. It hooks around one corner and presents clamping surfaces along one side. You could glue up both sides at once.

JR

[crokett]

What larry said. Either glue the edging on before you cut the triangle or create a triangular caul. I've also seen somebody create a jig that lets one end of the clamp sit on the angled edge but this decreases your pulling power a bit. Instead of glue blocks I've also put a clamp on the shelf face and used it to clamp the edging on.

[footprintsinconc]

larry, i didnt even think of the two triangles! that was simple

thanks guys!

[jking]

Both Larry & JR gave good ideas. Use whichever you think will work best for you.

[LCHIEN]

i would simply butt join the two end pieces at 90 degrees. Glue and nail.

Then I would place the triangle on a flat surface work bench with the hypotenuse against something solid that won't be moving. Then put glue on the mating edges- two short sides of the triangle and on the bottom edge of the side 1x3 assy.
Push the 1x assembly up to the triangle and use a brad nailer. Begin nailing closest to the apex, alternating sides and then move down to the acute corners. this will prevent any gap from appearing unexpectedly!
Pushing the 1x assembly to the trapped triangle will provide the initial force of clamping and the brad nails will hold it once its there.