Corner clamps for box?

[Frank Carnevale]

Hi Guys, thought his would be the best forum to ask this in but what clamps do you all recommend for building boxes and squaring/clamping up the corners? This would be for smaller work. Humidors, larger jewelry boxes etc. Thanks in advance!

[Jim Koepke]

Being frugal (or cheap if you prefer) it is against my nature to buy something that I can rig up.

For something like this it would depend on the type of joinery being used on the boxes.

With dovetails, just standard clamps.

Ropes also come in to play with boxes I have made. It is easy to make some cauls from scrap wood. Cut guides for the rope. Tie a clove hitch around the cauls and anchor one end of the rope and cinch the other end to pull things tight.

Do this with a dry set up first.

This is how I "clamped" and octagon box. I didn't use cauls since it was pretty much self aligning.

196951

I am sure there are many other ways, this is one that is quick and cheap.

jtk

[Chris Fournier]

http://www.collinstool.com/base.php?page=collins_miter_clamps.htm

I have used these a lot lately on current project and they're terrific. You can use double sided tape to put cauls on the work piece and then clamp away without marring your work.

I make my own shop built corner squares which I spring clamp into the corners to keep the assembly square.

[Johnny Kleso]

I have four Bessy Clamps and four cheapo Craftsman..

If you buy enough small cheap clamps (Harbor Frieght) you can make your own corner blocks..

HF has 3" corner clamps like my Craftsman clamps for $2.99 but you might need eight...
They have other corner clamps @ $9.99 close to the Bessy Clamps


They also have 6" quick grip $3.49 each.. I like these a lot, like when I am not using my HD full size Bessy K Clamps
I have several of these, in three lenghts 6", 12" and 24" for small jobs..

196954

HF Clamp Page
http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result/?&CatPath=All+Products%2F%2F%2F%2FUserSearch%3Dclamp s&ResultsPerPage=27&q=clamps&mode=grid&category=&currentpage=1

PS I just noticed they have 4" clamps that are 1/2 the scale of the 6" clamps..
Bepending what your making these may be a better choice..

PSS:
I just noticed that this store has Bessy Corner Clamps for $15.99
Thats $6 more than the HF version and 2/3 of what most others stores are asking for them..
http://www.csnstores.com/asp/show_detail.asp?sku=ADT1238

http://common1.csnimages.com/lf/3/hash/7062/3479034/1/90%B0+Angle+Clamp++WS-3.jpg

[george wilson]

I use surgical latex tubing for clamping odd shaped things. You can get it at any medical supply store. The smaller size (about 1/4"or 5/16") dia. tubing is better for most applications. Larger gets too cumbersome.

Might be hard to clamp an octagonal box with,though. Woodcraft used(may still) sell stretchable tape. We used it at the shop where I used to work. It can be handy for putting some pressure on joints,or holding things together while you get more powerful clamping arrangements to bear.

[Johnny Kleso]

OH I also have one of these Srap Clamps some place in the shop..
They are about $20 but like George and Jim said you can use tubing or rope..
Maybe even masking tape

196956

[Bill Rogers]

Depending on the size of the box you can also use rubber bands. It might sound crazy but they work well on small boxes or trays.

Bill

[glenn bradley]

Just my experience and hardly final or even definitive . . .

I have the Bessey corner clamps shown by Johnny K. Great for larger things, not so for the boxes you describe.
I have strap clamps, Bessy and others; haven't found that thing they work great on yet.
I have the "self squaring" picture frame clamps that are like a big X with the tensioner in the middle; haven't found anything they're good for yet.
I get the best and most flexible results out of small parallel jaw clamps like the Bessy Uni-Klamp. they took me awhile to accumulate as I can't see paying the MSRP (ouch!) but, Amazon, Rockler and others will have them on sale for $18 - $20 each now and again. I have 4 of the 12" and 6 of the 18" and that seems about right for me. The pic with the clamps is a finger-jointed box but I use a similar technique on mitered boxes.

[Jim Belair]

In my other life I'm a cyclist so I use old bicycle inner tube cut in half inch wide strips. These are also handy on larger projects in holding things in place while the real clamps are lined up. Same idea as the surgical tubing but more frugal - I mean environmentally conscious.

Jim B

[James Scheffler]

I really like this picture frame clamp set from Lee Valley: http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=31162&cat=1,43293

While it is billed as being for picture frames, it could also work for small boxes. You could buy two sets, or use it for the first step of clamping and then add a few conventional clamps to the assembly. It pulls mitered picture frames into square alignment. I haven't tried with mortise & tenon or other types of joinery.

It's even reasonably priced IMO - $30 for the basic set.

Jim S.

[David Keller NC]

Hi Guys, thought his would be the best forum to ask this in but what clamps do you all recommend for building boxes and squaring/clamping up the corners? This would be for smaller work. Humidors, larger jewelry boxes etc. Thanks in advance!

That would depend on how the corners are put together. If they're dovetailed, and the bottom/top are properly sized to allow for expansion/contraction, they don't need any clamps.

If the corners are mitered, my experience has suggested that the bessey strap clamp performs better than tape, rubber bands, etc...; at least on boxes that are a minimum of 6" on a side.

Finally, if you're making rather small boxes, I've had the best success by taking the off-cuts from the beveling operation, and gluing them back onto the box sides at each end with a reversible glue like hide glue. One can then simply use any parallel clamp to close the joint, and remove the cauls after the glue dries. This method was discussed on one of Tommy Mac's Roughcut episodes.

[Johnny Kleso]

Glenn,
Your right they are much to large to fit a small boxs..
I'm guessing the box would have to be 18"x18" and thanks for correcting me...
I know how angry I would be to buy four clamps and to find they are way to big..

[Zahid Naqvi]

This is what I use (http://www.woodworkingtips.com/etips/etip030516ws.html) and I must say they are very convenient and a breeze to setup. You can make these from scrap 3/4" ply wood or any hardwood cutoffs you have lying around the shop.

[Pam Niedermayer]

I like these small clamps, have 12" and 5" versions.

Pam

[Frank Carnevale]

And thats why I asked here. Thanks to all!

[Harlan Barnhart]

Another plan that helps keep things square and level is to construct a clamping form with a flat floor and two square fences that make a 90* corner. Then you can use just basic clamps to hold the box against the fences.