Question of type and # of clamps

[John Batts]

All

I'm new here & have been reading & learning for a few weeks now and happy to have found this site.
I've built a few book cases, cabinets & desk over the years but always with Oak or Burch plywood, edge banding and trim.
I'd like to build a TV cabinet using cherry and glue up the top, sides, & drawer fronts. Top will be 72" X 23". So among other tools I'll need to add in my garage/shop, what kind of clamps and whats a general rule for how many I'll need. One every 2 ft or ??

John

[Mark Smith, too]

All

whats a general rule for how many I'll need. One every 2 ft or ??

John

I don't suppose there's a general rule, but the following three types of clamps are the most common to use for panel glue-ups:
Pipe clamps
Bar clamps (not F clamps, though you can use those)
Parallel jaw clamps

The choice is up to you. You can use all of these for other types of clamping work beside making panels. I prefer parallel jaw clamps (I have Besseys but others like Jets and Jorgys). You can buy pipe clamps a lot cheaper than the other two, so that could influence your choice. If I had some need for clamps longer than the parallel jaw ones I have I'd probably go with pipe clamps because adding length to them doesn't cost all that much. The bar clamps are sometimes criticized for having a bit more flex than the other two, so you probably don't want to use them beyond about three feet.

As to how many? Spacing clamps about every 12 inches, alternating them under and on top of the panel (one every two feet on bottom and top) usually is sufficient. So for a 72 inch glue-up figure about 7 clamps. Its nice to have a couple of extra so if you notice the joint isn't coming together uniformly you can add a clamp. I've used 7 clamps on a much shorter glue up than 72 inches.

[Mike Heidrick]

So I have read about the cone of clamping pressure is 45 degrees from point of contact so it will depend on your work piece that you are clamping and its size - not sure if it is true but it convinced me to think that way. Overlapping 45s are just fine. Folks like to clamp above and below as well.

Do a youtube search on Larry's clamp and watch how he glues up panels, ignore his flatner but watch his method. Keep the 45 degree number in mind. He uses pipe clamps.

Have you ever tried a bow clamp or clamping cauls? They could significantly reduce the amount of clamps you need.

I subscribe to "buy clamps when the deals happen" policy. I like parallel clamps and the universal bar clamps for carcase assembly. I have a panel rack/flatner for panel glue ups but those are not normal.

[Bill Arnold]

Mark summed it up about as well as it can be.

I started with 1/2" pipe clamps and an assortment of pipe lengths and couplers so I could set up for everything from panel glue-ups to holding trim on wide panels. Thanks to catching some good sale pricing along the way, I got some K-Body clamps and really like them. For narrow panels, I've used bar clamps also. The bottom line is that a there are a lot of options, most of which depend on your budget.