How Many Clamps?
It’s not uncommon to look at a big edge-to-edge glue-up and wonder “Do I have enough clamps on that thing?” Too few, and you may not consistently close the joint. But once you know how the clamps exert pressure, it’s easy to visualize what’s happening and determine if you’ve got enough clamps.
The lines added to the photo represent the 45-degree cones of pressure that clamps typically provide. Your goal is to position your clamps so that each cone overlaps, at least slightly, the adjacent cone.
If it helps, sketch a few lines on your material as you position the clamps. Once you know the angles, it’ll be easy to put the squeeze on your glue-ups.
