Final Sanding And Gluing Up

Give all your pieces a light sand with 240 grit sandpaper before assembly. This is mainly to remove any surface marks and to give the surfaces a bit of tooth. You can also take a few, light shavings if you feel it’s necessary, but be very careful not to alter the tightness of the joints.

Starting with the end pieces, apply some PVA glue in the recesses making a zigzag pattern and then insert the base piece. Make sure you check the position and orientation of each piece before you assemble the parts.

Once the joint goes in, ensure there is no debris on the bench top and then tap your joints together using the rubber face of the chisel hammer to help seat them. Use clamps to ensure the joints fully seat and to hold the pieces in place while the glue dries. Leave the clamps in place for at least a couple of hours, but preferably overnight.