Butt joints unite the end grain of a piece of wood to the long grain of another piece, forming a corner. They're easy to assemble but require additional strengthening with glue, metal plates and fasteners, special hardware or dowels. Here's a rundown of the methods used to create a butt joint. Two angle blocks may be used to hold a butt joint in place (figure A). The blocks are simply right triangles that fit on either side of the joint. Before you screw the blocks into place, glue the two work pieces together. Clamp the work pieces together, and allow the glue to dry. Then screw the angle blocks into place. A small block of wood will work in the same manner as angle blocks. The wood block must be the same width as the work pieces. Drill two pilot holes through one long side of the block. Glue the wood block into place, horizontally aligned with one side of the joint. Secure the block with wood screws (figure B). An angle iron may be placed along the outside of a butt joint to hold the two work pieces in place (figure C). The angle iron must be flush with the surface of the work piece, so the area it rests on must be chiseled out before the iron is screwed into place (figure D). Corner braces are good for hiding joints on tabletops (figure E). Before installing a corner brace, glue and clamp the work pieces in place. Use small wood screws to secure the brace.
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