Wood working clamps

[tstex]

Thanks scotty, 4750 and 3t's...re the pipes and pipe clamps, is there a particular OD of pipe you recommend, or are the ID's of the clamps a std 3/4" or 1" and that is it? I totally agree to just procure more pipe in diff lengths than to use a 6 ft pipe for a 2 ft application.

I have plenty of ratchet straps, but none that are 20 ft...so I guess I will be procuring longer straps too.

Finally, I would really appreciate all of your input on the coffee table design. Should I start a new thread for that? If shop shelves I made, they were all screwed together; for this project, I'm going to obviously have to make dado/rabbeting cuts and I rather be corrected on paper now than have to redo the table.

Thanks a million and pls advise.

 

[tstex]

Either pipe clamps or bar clamps are infinitely adjustable. A 5 foot long one will go all the way down to nothing. It’s kinda aggregating to use a long clamp for short clamp work though.

I hear you on a 5-6ft pipe/clamps for a 2 ft need is cumbersome. What do you think about the concept of buying X amt of 2ft and 3ft 3/4" black threaded pipes, then a dozen 3/4" female couplers where it would take 1 min to join 2 diff size pipes giving you options on 4ft, 5ft or 6ft, and of course the orig 2ft & 3ft pipes as well ? of course you could go up to 7-10ft as well.

As far as pipe clamps, would you say the Pony Jorgersens are the best? Thanks again

 

[Egon]

If the OP is new to woodwork he should go to the internet. Lots of descriptions on glueing jigs and building your own clamps. Building your own is quite easy and you can make them stiffer than a pipe Clamp. Also much cheaper and can be sized to fit.

Keep in mind cauls for flat board glue ups. Saran Wrap use can aid in cleanup.

 

[lorandroehl]

What are you trying to hold? That looks like a gimmick IMO.View attachment 735910

I love this picture.

It does beg the question “Can one have too many clamps”?

Of course the answer to that question is “NO”

 

[meackerman]

what kind of clamps work best depends on what you're making. I make a lot of cabinetry type projects so I have a bunch of Bessey Kbody clamps, they work well every time, but aren't cheap (I purchased most of mine at various clearances over the years). good quality f-style clamps are also useful. Jorgensen at Lowes, Bessey at HD are good. Corner clamps I often use the Bessey corner clamps. but if you just need to hold something square, there are lots of jigs on youtube on how to make your own along with a couple of clamps....something like this

(there are bunches of variations on this)

 

[ljjhouser]

I use only bar clamps for edge gluing panels and Wooden Handscrew clamps for surface gluing. Always worth the investment.

 

[meackerman]

I love this picture.

It does beg the question “Can one have too many clamps”?

Of course the answer to that question is “NO”

only when I'm tripping over them because I don't have room to store them all...

 

[tstex]

If the OP is new to woodwork he should go to the internet. Lots of descriptions on glueing jigs and building your own clamps. Building your own is quite easy and you can make them stiffer than a pipe Clamp. Also much cheaper and can be sized to fit.

Keep in mind cauls for flat board glue ups. Saran Wrap use can aid in cleanup.

Egon - thanks.

I have reviewed prob about 40-50 videos and read 20-30 articles. Many of them are pretty insightful.

I like the wood wedge clamps, but if I were using a softer already finished wood, would these type of clamps possibly damage/mar the wood?

To conclude, I have received a lot of great advice on here and really appreciate it. But from owning a ranch for almost 30 yrs, home in houston w 4 daughters, fulltime job(s), bandwidth is kind of squeezed. W that thought, there's nothing more valuable than the experience of you guys that have done this for decades, thus learning from mistakes and valuable time spent figuring out really good techniques.

Thanks again, tstex

 

[ljjhouser]

I also use Titebond glue for most wood furniture projects. It sets in 2 hrs so clamps can be removed. Cures in 24 hrs. Water soluble for cleanup with wet paper towel. Can use a scraper to remove any cured glue missed in cleanup before surfacing.

 

[tstex]

what kind of clamps work best depends on what you're making. I make a lot of cabinetry type projects so I have a bunch of Bessey Kbody clamps, they work well every time, but aren't cheap (I purchased most of mine at various clearances over the years). good quality f-style clamps are also useful. Jorgensen at Lowes, Bessey at HD are good. Corner clamps I often use the Bessey corner clamps. but if you just need to hold something square, there are lots of jigs on youtube on how to make your own along with a couple of clamps....something like this

(there are bunches of variations on this)

What's your shipping costs for this Rt Angle ? Although it is very simple to make, he used 2-3 jigs and a plunge router [which I have only learned of this tools name in the last 2 weeks] along w various other start-stop measures...nice !

 

[meackerman]

What's your shipping costs for this Rt Angle ? Although it is very simple to make, he used 2-3 jigs and a plunge router [which I have only learned of this tools name in the last 2 weeks] along w various other start-stop measures...nice !

that's not my jig. the corner clamps I made for myself is just a triangle of plywood with some 1x2 attached to the 90 degree sides. no fancy holes to cut. The the one corner perfectly square, glue/screw on some 1x2 wood. leave a notch in the corner for glue squeeze out so it does get stuck to whatever you're making.

not nearly as pretty but works great.

 

[4570Man]

I hear you on a 5-6ft pipe/clamps for a 2 ft need is cumbersome. What do you think about the concept of buying X amt of 2ft and 3ft 3/4" black threaded pipes, then a dozen 3/4" female couplers where it would take 1 min to join 2 diff size pipes giving you options on 4ft, 5ft or 6ft, and of course the orig 2ft & 3ft pipes as well ? of course you could go up to 7-10ft as well.

As far as pipe clamps, would you say the Pony Jorgersens are the best? Thanks again

I don’t like a coupling in the pipe. It makes it hard to keep your boards level. But in theory it would work. I bought Bessey pipe clamps because they have feet on them to keep them upright. But they’re also wider so it might be better to have some of both.

 

[jaxs]

I also use Titebond glue for most wood furniture projects. It sets in 2 hrs so clamps can be removed. Cures in 24 hrs. Water soluble for cleanup with wet paper towel. Can use a scraper to remove any cured glue missed in cleanup before surfacing.

Ahh yes,clamps aren't much use without a dab of glue. My contribution to the subject is don't use your fingers to spread polyurethane glue. I once worked with a guy that knew everything about anything and was always eager to one up or top what other people said. To his credit,he was an accomplished woodworker. We were building desks and cabinets in an office when he showed me a bottle of glue that had just came on the market. I told him I had already tried some and liked it for some applications but I thought Titebond better suited for the project at hand. Not at all suprisinly he insisted we use his new discovery. When it was time for glue I produced "special" glue spreading gloves only available from some obscure outlet in Italy. He got a good laugh and told me i had wasted money then showed me how much better he could spread glue with his bare hands. The next day he had what looked like greenish-grey bruises all over his face,arms and hands.

 

[Budweiser John]

Either pipe clamps or bar clamps are infinitely adjustable. A 5 foot long one will go all the way down to nothing. It’s kinda aggregating to use a long clamp for short clamp work though.

Pipe clamps work well but only buy the clamps intended for 3/4” pipe.
lenth cab be zero to infinity depending on the length of the pipe.
I have a stash of threaded pipe from 12” to 60” and a handful of couplings so if necessary can couple assorted lengths together to obtain a length suitable for the task at hand.
As a third hand when assembling large panels as in cabinet construction, I keep an inventory of 3 X 3” X 1/8 angle iron about 3” long and with spring clamps things stay in position for fastening.
B. John

 

[tstex]

Thanks Bud J.

I don’t like a coupling in the pipe. It makes it hard to keep your boards level. But in theory it would work. I bought Bessey pipe clamps because they have feet on them to keep them upright. But they’re also wider so it might be better to have some of both.

4570, thanks again. Last question before I start to go out and buy the supplies.

You mentioned a coupling btw 2 pipes makes it hard to keep your boards level. Isn't there enough play in the ends of the clamps to offset the add'l OD of the coupling beyond the pipe? I have never used any type of pipe clamps before so I am only going on pics I have seen and videos.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Pipe clamps work well but only buy the clamps intended for 3/4” pipe.

B. John

Agreed, I have a pile of them, they are easily my most used clamps.

SR

 

[Egon]

Use cauls. They work!

 

[4570Man]

Thanks Bud J.




4570, thanks again. Last question before I start to go out and buy the supplies.

You mentioned a coupling btw 2 pipes makes it hard to keep your boards level. Isn't there enough play in the ends of the clamps to offset the add'l OD of the coupling beyond the pipe? I have never used any type of pipe clamp before so I am only going on pics I have seen and videos.

Yes there is but then you’ll have to use a set of cauls to keep the glue up fist where I usually just use the clamp bar.

 

[rScotty]

And get some innertubes to slice into long elastic strip clamps. Elastic clamping has one advantage that few other clamps have - they keep the glue joint tight as the wood expands and contracts. Most of the time that doesn't matter in woodworking. But with highly stressed and flexible joints - boats and archery - it's critical.
You can't have two many clamps.
rScotty

 

[4570Man]

And get some innertubes to slice into long elastic strip clamps. Elastic clamping has one advantage that few other clamps have - they keep the glue joint tight as the wood expands and contracts. Most of the time that doesn't matter in woodworking. But with highly stressed and flexible joints - boats and archery - it's critical.
You can't have two many clamps.
rScotty

There’s also tape. It works pretty good for light duty mitered cuts.