Before applying glue, how should you check the fit of the joint?

• A. apply glue first and then clamp
• B. clamp together with glue
• C. do not clamp until glue dries
• D. clamp together without glue to check the fit

Answer: (D)

Before applying glue, you want to dry-fit the joint by clamping the pieces together without any adhesive. This lets you see if the surfaces sit flush, the edges align, and there are no gaps or twist that would throw the joint out of square. If the fit isn’t right, you can make adjustments—planing, trimming, or tweaking the parts—so the joint will come together cleanly when you do glue it.

Once the dry fit looks good, apply the glue and clamp again to secure the joint. Gluing first would lock in any misfit, making it hard to adjust, and clamping with glue in place can create squeeze-out and misalignment. Dry-fitting first gives you a true, repeatable position before the bond is made.