Wood strips stretch your clamp dollars

I don't have many long clamps yet, but I want to tackle a bookcase for my next project. Is there a cheaper solution than dropping a lot of dough on long clamps I won't use often?
—Robert Templeman, Tampa, Fla.

Here's a slick trick for stretching your smaller clamps so they do the work of the big boys, Robert. Cut scrap strips of plywood just shorter than the case side that you're clamping. Drill holes at the ends using a bit or holesaw large enough to accommodate the jaws of your smaller clamps. Then, use this as a clamp stretcher as shown above.