Homemade clamps?

[BearTricks]

Has anyone on here made their own wood clamps? If so, did you follow a guide or come up with your own design?

I need some big clamps for when I glue up my dining table, and in the interest of being cost effective I was wondering if I could do it myself (Not that that hasn't got me in trouble in the past).

If not, are there any good clamps that wont bankrupt me? I made the mistake of buying cheap chinese plastic crap for my last couple and one essentially snapped in half when I tried to fix a chopping board.

 

[sunnybob]

If you just want to hold stuff together tightly, you can beat the webbing ratchet straps. Big clamps might be needed if you want to straighten frames, but straps are easy to store and cheap to buy.

 

[Shultzy]

Google clamp/cramp heads and attach to wooden beam. I've made 6ft and 3ft lengths with 4 cramp head pairs.

 

[undergroundhunter]

If you want cheap custome clamps then a piece of 2x4 with two pieces screwed on @ 90 degrees then make a pair of sliding wedges. See the better explanation and plans here https://goo.gl/BHurMl


Matt

 

[Cheshirechappie]

If you want cheap custome clamps then a piece of 2x4 with two pieces screwed on @ 90 degrees then make a pair of sliding wedges. See the better explanation and plans here https://goo.gl/BHurMl


Matt

I've done something similar years ago before I had any sash cramps, using 3" x 1" with two 1" holes drilled through for bits of broom-handle. Some suitable load-spreading packers and a pair of folding wedges completed the rig, which worked a treat, but needed about four hands to hold it all in place before the wedge pressure came on.

Finding a copy of Robert Wearing's "The Resourceful Woodworker" is highly recommended. There are all sorts of simple solutions and lash-ups for clamping, and many other things besides. One that might appeal in the present circumstance involves a couple of lengths of threaded rod, washers and nuts, and two spreader beams of whatever scrap wood is to hand. One threaded rod either side of the job through holes in the spreader beams, with washers and nuts holding all together and applying cramping pressure. You can buy threaded rod in three-foot lengths (together with washers and nuts) in B&Q - or from any half-decent engineer's merchants.

 

[Monkey Mark]

If you want cheap custome clamps then a piece of 2x4 with two pieces screwed on @ 90 degrees then make a pair of sliding wedges. See the better explanation and plans here https://goo.gl/BHurMl


Matt

I've done something similar years ago before I had any sash cramps, using 3" x 1" with two 1" holes drilled through for bits of broom-handle. Some suitable load-spreading packers and a pair of folding wedges completed the rig, which worked a treat, but needed about four hands to hold it all in place before the wedge pressure came on.

Finding a copy of Robert Wearing's "The Resourceful Woodworker" is highly recommended. There are all sorts of simple solutions and lash-ups for clamping, and many other things besides. One that might appeal in the present circumstance involves a couple of lengths of threaded rod, washers and nuts, and two spreader beams of whatever scrap wood is to hand. One threaded rod either side of the job through holes in the spreader beams, with washers and nuts holding all together and applying cramping pressure. You can buy threaded rod in three-foot lengths (together with washers and nuts) in B&Q - or from any half-decent engineer's merchants.

I did this with threaded rod a few years back. I was making some benches about 15ft long. The timber for the frame was fine but for the top it was all warped and they just wanted them done.
The rod allows you to exert massive force, worked a treat.

 

[shed9]

I did this with threaded rod a few years back. I was making some benches about 15ft long. The timber for the frame was fine but for the top it was all warped and they just wanted them done.
The rod allows you to exert massive force, worked a treat.

Same here for a similar situation, if you go this route use big penny washers else you will drive the bolt into the wood as MM says they have massive force.

 

[Bm101]

post1013189.html#p1013189 Dunno if this is any use? On 5 foot odd clamps they didn't shift at all. At some point they will give I suppose. Me and the word 'tolerances' don't see eye to eye. Be warned, by the time you've bought the steel, paid postage, spent time (searching) and money on the older heads, drilled the steel, you're looking at a few quid. Rock solid but still. Worth bearing in mind. The rutlands heads are rougher than the old record paramo/recordsv (by a long shot) but tbh, they work, just need a little more fiddlin. For the price you have adaptable powerful clamps that you're not paying full price for. But there's definitely cheaper ways to do the odd project.

cheers
Chris

 

[Flynnwood]

Three years ago I knocked these up over a weekend for less than £5

large-home-made-clamps-v1-t71115.html