Q. Some trim carpenters use a dab of hot-melt glue in the center of a joint bonded with yellow carpenter’s glue, so that the hot-melt glue holds the trim pieces together without clamping. Will such a joint be as strong as a clamped joint?

A.No. A clamped joint will always be stronger than one held together with a dab of hot-melt. For the best possible bond, the pieces being glued need to be held in intimate contact while under pressure. Any other method will result in a bond of less strength. This is due to the thickness of the resulting bond. As a rule, a thick glue line is a weak glue line. This said, chances are that the carpenters who use the hot-melt method probably achieve a strong enough joint for their intended purpose.

— J.P.