Some home made furniture clamps

[Ed Morgano]

This was my first project since closing our company. I intended to build some tables and needed a way to glue up slabs for the tops. I made some furniture clamps about 10 years ago but they had some defects and I wanted to make some improvements.157974

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[Bruce Page]

Very impressive work, Ed.

[Ed Morgano]

Here are a few more pictures of the clamps. The first and second pictures show the head assembly. The third picture is an old clamp that I found at an antique store. This is what I used to model my clamps.

[John Thompson]

A lot or work and a nice job...

[Allan Froehlich]

What you really have there is a low-cost, lightweight, easy to adjust clamp that wont pinck the palm of your hand when you adjust it!

I like it!

[Justin Bukoski]

Ed, those are really cool. If you have any drawings that you used for those that you're willing to share I'd love to get a peak at them.

[Ed Morgano]

Ed, those are really cool. If you have any drawings that you used for those that you're willing to share I'd love to get a peak at them.

Justin, I don't have any drawings but I'd be happy to share what I do have. I'll take a picture and mark it up with some dimensions as soon as a get back up to the shop. I'll try to post it tomorrow.

[Tony Joyce]

My father used to have some clamps like in the third picture. I'll have to ask him what happened to them.

Nice design and excellent execution!

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=127641&d=1252624454

[Justin Bukoski]

Justin, I don't have any drawings but I'd be happy to share what I do have. I'll take a picture and mark it up with some dimensions as soon as a get back up to the shop. I'll try to post it tomorrow.

Thanks Ed!

[Tony Shea]

That is a great setup you've made for yourself. Like was stated that seems to be a whole lotta work you've got there and nicely done.

[Bret Duffin]

Nice. How strong are they? What I mean is can you crank them down like an I-beam clamp? I usually tighten my clamps as hard as I can.

Bret

[Ed Morgano]

Nice. How strong are they? What I mean is can you crank them down like an I-beam clamp? I usually tighten my clamps as hard as I can.

Bret

These clamps are not as strong as regular 3/4" pipe clamps or I-beam clamps. I've done a little testing and they compare favorably to the lighter Pony clamps. They work great for gluing up well fitted slabs but not strong enough for really heavy duty "pulling up" jobs.

[Ed Morgano]

Ed, those are really cool. If you have any drawings that you used for those that you're willing to share I'd love to get a peak at them.


Justin,
The beam is laminated out of 3 strips of oak. After planing, they turned out slightly thicker than 3/4". The picture should have most of the important dimensions on it. Some or all of them will change as your sizes will vary from what I made.

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[Trevor Walsh]

Ed, How did you cut the "teeth" in the bottom side of the clamps?

Thanks,

[Ed Morgano]

Ed, How did you cut the "teeth" in the bottom side of the clamps?

Thanks,

Trevor,
I cut the teeth with a home made CNC router.

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This is a picture of it cutting the corners of my Lighted Chess Table top.