My take on the DIY bar clamp.

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Peri

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Needing a few long clamps, and being too much of a skinflint to spend a large amount of cash on something I might only use a couple of times a year, I made some with bits and pieces I had (or found).

I closely followed FinnCrafted's youtube video, so if you're interested the process is laid out here www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAsJ5yS1CD0

Mine are massively over-engineered, with 2mm stainless plates and 4mm stainless through bolts !

I think all the nuts, bolts, washers, springs and allthread cost around £50. The 1" square bar was a 'find', the stainless sheet was scrap, and everything else was made.

06-finished-1.jpg


I took a few pictures (when I remembered), and most of them were too blurry to use..... but here are a few.

Cutting the blocks at the start.
01 starting-blocks.jpg

The handles were square stock, turned round and the slots milled.
02 milling-the-handles.jpg 03-handles.jpg

This is the spring mechanism inside the sliding head.
04-mechanism.jpg

Sanding the edges flat (ish) and square (ish)
05-edge-sanding.jpg

Finished !
07-finished-2.jpg
 
Those look pretty good and built to last. The fluted handles are a nice touch and some brass to set it all off. Got it all covered.
Regards
John
 
Terrific job with the added bonus that there’s always extra pleasure in using tools you’ve made yourself.
 
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