most common size clamp you use?

[jim hedgpeth]

Right now I only have a coupe pipe clamps, and a few misc. odd clamps. I am planning to buy some parallel clamps to try this weekend, but am unsure what size to try. I have been marking my pipe clamps, and noticed I use mainly between 14-17" and 26"-29" roughly. I would say that covers 80% or so of my marks. Most of my drawers are glued up with quick clamps (ISD type) so that don't take them in to account, but I can get smaller clamps local.

What I was wondering is am I just strange, or is this typical for someone that is building furniture ? I'm thinking 2 ea of the 24" and 31", or maybe the 40" and skip the 31"s. The extra few in. wouldn't hurt, but it would sure suck to come up short all the time.

What do you guys think?

Jim

[Darius Ferlas]

I have 2 x 24" and 4 x 40" (Bessey) and that cost me $220 on sale.

I plan to buy more to have 6 of each.
Since they are heavy it's not a bad a idea to use the shortest possible for a given job.

[John Thompson]

Jim.. I have clamps accumulated from 12" to 72" and use them all... but the most common lenght I use is 30" which I have 10 of but... the 40" would be a good comprimise also. The 30"s get the call up to 29" but often go to 48" and 60". I have six of the 48".. 4 of 60" and 4 of 72" which all get used as I build 5 days a week.

But.. back to your question and again... the answer for me is 30".

Good luck as you will need all you can get in the long haul but you have to start somewhere. I would personally skip the 24" which you can't stretch to 30". But a 30" covers the same ground a 24" does with room to spare. You could say the same thing about 40" really.

[William Nimmo]

Minimum of any size you buy should be four. 2 are never enough. The Size I use most often is the 24. But I also use every other size I have. 12, 31, 40 and 60 and quite often and sometimes all are in use. I only own about 30 and that is not enough. It is quite annoying using a size larger than you need cause all that extra bar hanging gets in the way. I would say the 31's would be the most versatile if you were going to start with one size, since you can glue up base cabinets that are too big for the 24's.

[Bill Huber]

I think it has a lot to do with what you are mainly building. Most of the things I build are smaller items.

I do have some 60" but they do not get use that much.

For me I use my 30" the most as the large clamps go but the clamps I use the most are my Quick Grip clamps and 24" F type.

[glenn bradley]

Like William, the size I normally use the most is a 24" parallel clamp. I finally got enough to where I am not turning to the rack for one and finding it empty. I say normally because I am busy making a lot of small stuff for the oh so soon to be Christmas holidays. In this mode, 12" and 18" Uniklamps are a favorite supplemented with f-style clamps once things are clamped up square.

What's next on my goto list? 4" and 6" f-styles and QuickGrips. I be lost without them.

[Mike Henderson]

The ones I use the most are the 12" and 24". I rarely use the longer ones, but when I need them, I need them.

Mike

[Karl Brogger]

Minimum of any size you buy should be four. 2 are never enough.


4 is never enough. I've got 16, 30" (opening) pipe clamps, and another 20 or so ranging from 40" to 97". I'd like to double the amount.

[Eric Larsen]

90% of the time, I reach for a 1 or 2-foot clamp. But I have everything up to 7 foot. Because when you need it, you need it. And there's nobody out there in the clamp-renting business.

(Most of my clamps are made by Bessey. I really like their clamps.)

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi, I have 8 each of the following K body clamps

- 12 inch

- 24 inch

- 31 inch

- 50 inch

and I never seem to have enough clamps.

I started out with the 31 inch size since that had enough capacity for the 30 inch wide bookshelves I was making at the time.

Then I added the 50 inch size by purchasing a couple at a time, and of course received them for Christmas, birthdays, Father's day etc. My kids were sick of buying me clamps at Lee Valley, however it's what I wanted.

Then Lee Valley had that special where you could purchase a pack of 2 X12" and 2 X 24' plus four clamp blocks, so I bought 4 of those packs.

Now I'm purchasing the longer ones (71"??) one at a time.

Hello, my name is Rod, and I have a clamp addiction......:eek:

[Cody Colston]

My most used clamps are the 12" Quick-Grips. I seem to use them for everything when I need an extra hand.

For strictly glue-ups, the 31" Bessey's are the ones I seem to use the most.

[Prashun Patel]

I can't have too many 12" clamps.

I think the 6 'el cheapo' 12" bar clamps I got on ebay for $30 was about the best I've ever spent (next to the Kreg jig). I use them for everything but panel glue-ups. If yr gonna go cheap, then do it on yr shorter clamps. Flexing and force isn't as much of an issue as it is with large glue ups.

Plus, on large glue ups like cases, panels, or stretchers can make you sweat with all the running around and aligning. There, you need a reliable 48" or 59" clamp that pulls smooth and true and won't fail (DAMHIKT).

12" clamps are also great for jig handles and stops on mitersaw fences.

[Nate Carey]

...during my 45 years building boats I've accumulated quite a number of clamps (all sizes and shapes) but the Spanish windlass is always available and damn useful...
http://www.duck-trap.com/s-windlass.GIF

...photo courtesy Duck Trap Press

[Paul Ryan]

I have 12 24" bessy's along with a bunch of other sizes and pipe clamps and some aluminum bar calmps. I use the 24" bessy's far more than any of the other clamps. They almost always seem to be long enough and are much lighter and easy to work with than the longer ones. I hardley ever use my pipe clamps anymore unless I am low on clamps due to the scale of the project. I like my aluminum bar clamps I bought 8 40" clamps for $40 shipped a few years back. They arn't the strongest things in the world but you don't need to clamp anything that tight. I wish I would have bought 800 of them when I had the chance.

[Steve Kohn]

Not counting various pipe clamps, I have 6 each of 12, 18, 24, 31, 40, and 50 inch parallel jaw clamps. All but the 18 inch are Bessey K-bodies. Gross Stabile was the supplier of the 18 inchers.

The clamps with the most glue on them are the 31's. That and the 40's seem to be the most reached for size when I ma building casework.

However, building boxes or step stools or other small objects, the 12's and 18's get the call.

It all depends on the size of what you want to build.

[george wilson]

As ugly as they are,I use the Irwin type 6" black plastic sliding head clamps most.The ones with the yellow pads.

Of course,I mostly am clamping guitars together,and can have over 24 going all around a body,clamping the top or back on.

I used to use wooden cam clamps that I made a couple dozen of. They have about 8" deep jaws.They make a dreadnought size guitar in its mold very heavy,and very wide,so you have to hole the assembly at arms length to turn it over. That is just too hard on my back anymore,and the smaller clamps are better.

I have so many clamps that my wife says I'm a clamp freak!!

[Steve Clardy]

I've got all kinds.

Most used are...

F-stlye clamps and pipe clamps

[Chris Tsutsui]

I have 3 foot, 4 foot, and 1 foot clamps.

By far I use the 18" clamps the most. Then I use the 3 footers next.

I use the 4 foot the least. (I don't make a lot of large furniture and cabinets...)

If I ever have to clamp something larger I will connect the 4 foot pipe clamps together with a coupler.

You may think that a bigger clamp is better but they really become a hassle when you are using a big clamp on a small work piece.

Your box starts to look like a sea urchin...

[Dave Avery]

24" 75% of the time followed by 31" and 12"