Clamping squares aren’t a new idea, but this is my favorite design for them. When I’m assembling a cabinet, I use these simple plywood braces and spring clamps to ensure that each intersection is square and stable as I drive screws or set clamps. To make them, cut out a square piece of 3⁄4-in.-thick plywood on the tablesaw. Check the corners to be sure they are square. Then make the stopped cuts on the bandsaw as shown with the fence set at 21⁄2 in. To make a second, slightly smaller square, flip the waste piece around to its last two good edges from the tablesaw and repeat the process. To get two pairs of matching squares, repeat the process with a new plywood blank. Last, notch the ends to provide ledges for spring clamps.

—TONY O’MALLEY, Emmaus, Pa

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