Scoop Glue Squeeze-Out From Inside Corners With a Drinking Straw

The Problem

Glue squeeze-out along an inside corner — where a shelf meets a side, where a box bottom meets its walls — can't be wiped like squeeze-out on a flat face. A fingertip or a damp rag pushes glue into the corner and smears it up both surfaces, where it seals the wood and shows up later as a blotch under the finish.

The Technique

1. When the squeeze-out appears after clamping, take an ordinary drinking straw and press its open end into the corner. The round end contacts both faces at once.
2. Slide the straw along the joint. The bead of glue peels off both surfaces and packs up inside the straw.
3. Snip off the loaded section of straw and keep going with the fresh end until the corner is clean.
4. Follow with a barely damp cloth on whatever film remains, if any.