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I need to find a way to keep two oak boards (20 cm wide, 5 cm thick) at the same level as one is a little is a little bit bended/twisted (~ 3-4 mm).

Just by pressing on it is enough to put it position so I guess ~ 80 Kg force was enough.

Usually I would use a corner metal piece under the table and screw it but this is under middle of the desk and I would hurt myself on the metal piece. I am afraid that if I put a plain plate of 3 mm it would flex and not do the job.

Somehow I am looking for a reinforced plain (non angled) version of this but I don't know what it would be its correct term to search for.

metal bracket wood fixing angled

I am located in UK, so I would prefer to order it from here.

Based on my measurements its length needs to be between around 30cm by anything between 25 cm - 50 cm would do, as long it would not have and "injury inducing elements" ;-)

Photo of the problematic area where the middle support is not long enough to reach the last board. The other supports are long enough, only the middle one is shorter and I need a way to prevent the board from flexing.

oak boards on metal support

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I'm not certain of the UK terminology, but in the USA, a flat plate used to join boards can be called a wood-to-wood mending plate. They are common in the big-box hardware stores as well as the smaller shops.

mending plate

The image above comes from amazon, although the search returned hundreds of options. Various sizes are available. If you have the tools and skills, you could create a mortise in the wood to place the mending plate at surface level, reducing the chance of a snag.

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    @Sorin, this is exactly the type of mending plate you're looking for but if you're trying to adjust one warped board by attaching it to another board there's a decent chance the first board will cause the second board to move, or tear the screws out if you use ones as short as those pictured (never underestimate the strength inside wood if it is warping, particularly something like oak in this thickness). IF you must use a warped piece it would be much better to take the warp out by firmly fixing it to the underframing of the table, not by attaching it to next board as you propose.
    – Graphus
    Commented Aug 2, 2018 at 13:35
  • The problem is that most, if not all, mendling platest I found are short. I did find one of 30cm or more, only up to 10-12 cm which does not give me confidence they will do a good job. I found this U profile which should I think will hold, but I still need to think about a way to soften or protect those edges from hurting my legs. screwfix.com/p/…
    – sorin
    Commented Aug 2, 2018 at 15:05
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Look where you buy construction wood. I don't know what it is called in UK but "bygghandel" in Swedish and a "spikplåt" is sturdy enough. It is a flat piece of steel, with holes in it, to mount wood to wood in floors, walls and roofs. Strong but ugly as hell but who looks under a table?

enter image description here

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