Clamped a drawer box overnight and woke up to a cracked front panel

I snugged the clamps just a hair too tight on a cherry dovetail drawer, and the wood split right along a knot I thought was solid. Now I'm wondering how tight do you guys go on hardwood without risking a fracture like that?

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2 Comments

noah_walker165mo ago

Sounds like you snugged it down pretty good." Had a buddy who did the same thing on a walnut jewelry box. He clamped the box up, went to bed, woke up to a cracked mitre joint on the front. The wood was thick too, like 3/4 inch. He said he used the "just a little more" method instead of feeling for the clamp to stop. Took him a whole weekend to fix it. Now he keeps a torque wrench on his clamps. Just a light touch is all it needs. Wood moves when you sleep.

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fiona7375mo ago

@noah_walker16 nailed it. Light touch only, wood doesn't stop moving just cause you're asleep.

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