There
is an unwritten law that says, “You never have enough
clamps.” But, if you choose your clamping tools carefully,
you can get a lot of versatility out of relatively few clamps.
Hand Screws -
The woodworker’s most useful clamps are Hand Screws. Their
wooden jaws can be moved in either a parallel or non-parallel
action by tightening both screws in unison or one screw
more than the other. They won’t mar project surfaces while
their double screws and deep throats allow you to grasp
a variety of odd shapes.
Aluminum Bar Clamps
- For gluing-up large projects, we recommend lightweight
Aluminum Bar Clamps. They provide superior strength, but
without the drawbacks heavy, cumbersome, iron pipe clamps.
Plus, unlike iron, aluminum won’t react with certain glues,
leaving unsightly stains on your workpieces.
Double Bar Clamps
- Wide panel glue-ups are made much easier by using Double
Bar Clamps, a unique, two-way clamping system that holds
your workpieces perfectly flat while it squeezes them together.
Cam Clamps are light
in weight, yet can also exert up to 300 pounds of pressure.
The larger sizes offer throat depths that exceed most bar-type
clamps . . . a real advantage when you need the added reach
for certain types of glue-ups.
3-Way Edge Clamps
are ideal for gluing veneer tape or solid hardwood edges
onto plywood shelves, etc. They’re very inexpensive and
will save you a great deal of time when performing this
specialized operation.
Frame Clamp
- When your project calls for clamping four 90-degrees angled
corners at once, with equal pressure to all four corners,
reach for a Frame Clamp. Just insert your components, apply
the glue, and turn one wing nut. It’s not only lightweight
and inexpensive, but it handles large frames and cabinet
doors with ease.
Cabinet
Master Parallel Steel Bar Clamp - Designed for cabinet
assembly work with 30% larger clamping face, 10% longer
screw travel, larger handle and a reversible head for spreader
clamping.
Some tips on clamping:
- To
make sure all joints fit properly, dry-clamp all components
before gluing.
- Mark
all workpieces carefully before clamping and gluing for
accurate assembly.
- Use
a Double Bar Clamp or alternate Aluminum Bar Clamps (one
above and one below) when gluing edge-to-edge to prevent
buckling.
- Use
small pieces of scrapwood as protectors to avoid marring
workpiece surfaces.
- Small
rubber bands, clothespins, and stationary binder clips
make great clamps for many different jobs.
- Always
maintain a liberal coat of linseed oil on hand screws
to prevent glue build-up on the jaw
