Pipe clamps. Size and material?

[Rick Johnston]

I'm going to make some more up. Currently I use 1/2" and with less than 3 feet deflection is tolerable. I also have black and galvanized.
Due to the staining and deflection - 3/4" galvanized is the best?

[Dennis Ford]

I prefer 3/4" black pipe, staining is an issue but the clamps seemed to slip more on galvanized.

[glenn bradley]

I've used 3/4" galvanized for years and have never experienced the slip some folks report. I am using Jorgensen heads but, any name brand head should grip well enough. It could also be the quality of the galvanized pipe but, I picked mine up at the BORG twelve years ago or so.

[Robert Engel]

3/4
Galvanized just because its cheaper and more readily available.
Yes, it will slip the more you use them, but its not that big an issue.
Stick some plastic under a panel and you won't get staining.

[Lee Schierer]

I have lots of pipe clamps and some have galvanized pipe. I've never had a problem with slipping. All my clamps have cam jaw type grips. The grippers that are several flat plates might be more prone to slipping. I use 3/4" pipe exclusively. I place 1/4" scrap blocks under the pipes to prevent staining on light colored wood.

[Kent A Bathurst]

Glue stains from black pipe...........

I use 1" long pieces of 1" dia PVC pipe, with about 40% cut away on the BS, for "spacers", if you will, to keep the pipe off the wood - and the glue line - by ~ 1/8".

I also have the same things screwed to the wall, so my pipe clamps snap in place for storage.

This first photo shows what the sections of PVC look like. In this particular application, they are mounted to scrap to give me "stands" to hold the pipe clamps, which are under the pieces being glued/clamped, at the correct height.

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Second photo - you can see a pipe clamp snapped in place on a stand.

You can also see a section of PVC snapped onto the pipe itself. All of my pipes have 2 pcs of this "standoff" PVC snapped to them. When I lay the clamps down on the work pieces, these offsets keep the pipe out of the glue. Easy to relocate anywhere on the pipe, as needed. Not needed for the clamps that are under the workpiece - but they live on that pipe. Essential for the alternating clamps that rest on top of the workpiece.

Absolutely, positively zero stain/smear issues since the day I did this - 15 years ago +/-.

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I will be honest with you - For the life of me, for anyone using pipe clamps, it beats the absolute heck out of me why you would not do this. I did not invent it - I think I got it from a tips-type segment of FWW, back in the day when I bought that rag.

[Edward Oleen]

Excellent Idea!!!

[Bruce Wrenn]

If you go the galvanized route, look at rigid conduit instead of water pipe. Remember you can't get two five foot (working length) clamps out of a ten foot section of pipe.

[Dave Zellers]

1/2" pipe clamps are a complete waste of money and time IMO.

3/4" galv pipe here for 40 years now. Even with 3/4" pipe, you quite often have to still offset the clamping pressure with opposing clamps but not always.

As you accumulate pipe, get some lengths that are threaded on both ends so you can join them to others with a coupling for longer lengths.

As Bruce W points out, 1 10' cut in half does not equal 2 5's, but you can couple those with pipe threaded on both ends to increase the working length.

Then after you have spent all your money on 3/4" pipe clamps, we can talk about parallel clamps. :D

[Michael W. Clark]

I use 3/4" black pipe and have not experienced the staining much. The minimal amount I get sands off after gluing the panel. I have put painters tape on the pipes sometimes to completely avoid any staining.

I use the 30" lengths that are threaded both ends most often. You can couple them together for longer pipes.

Since I got some good parrallel clamps, I do not use the pipe clamps nearly as frequently.

[Frank Pratt]

Had galvanized rigid conduit for years & found that the more the clamps were used the more they slipped. So I threw away all the galvanized & got black pipe. No more slipping. The problem with galvanized is that the zinc is very soft & will creep under clamping pressure.

I have the clamps that use 3 of 4 flat plates that lock against the pipe. I thing as they get worn they don't bite as well.

As my collection of parallel clamps grows I use the pipe clamps less & less.

[Kent A Bathurst]

Then after you have spent all your money on 3/4" pipe clamps, we can talk about parallel clamps. :D

AIn't it da truth, ain't it da truth.

[Jim Andrew]

Grizzly has their summer sale going on now, and they have pipe clamps, and I beam. I ordered 6 I beam clamps. Had to redo my clamp stand to hold 6 more, have to quit now.

[Rick Johnston]

Any recommendations for 3/4" clamp manufacturers?

[John Sanford]

Any recommendations for 3/4" clamp manufacturers?

Pony.

3/4" galvanized pipe.

10' length cut at 3', giving you a 3' and 7' pipe.

I haven't used any of the more recent "stand up on their own" pipe clamps, but if I were getting pipe clamps today I'd get some that do so. I have 4 3' and 4 7' pipe clamps, haven't used the 3' in years, only use the 7' when the length is needed, which is very rare. The beauty of pipe clamps is they're inexpensive for their length, especially if you're willing to swap the bits around onto different lengths of pipe. The downside is they are heavy and have a shallow reach.

[Kent A Bathurst]

Jorgy - Pony.

[Bill ThompsonNM]

Pony. 3/4" galvanized pipe. 10' length cut at 3', giving you a 3' and 7' pipe. I haven't used any of the more recent "stand up on their own" pipe clamps, but if I were getting pipe clamps today I'd get some that do so. I have 4 3' and 4 7' pipe clamps, haven't used the 3' in years, only use the 7' when the length is needed, which is very rare. The beauty of pipe clamps is they're inexpensive for their length, especially if you're willing to swap the bits around onto different lengths of pipe. The downside is they are heavy and have a shallow reach.

Great Strategy! Same one I have used, though now have a few longer ones for door glue ups.

[Jeffrey Martel]

Any recommendations for 3/4" clamp manufacturers?

I have Jorgensen, Bessey, and Harbor Freight. The Jorgensen and Bessey clamps seem to be about on par, and the HF ones aren't quite as smooth, but still work perfectly fine.

[Jim Dwight]

I was just going to say this could be an HF item. Pipe clamps are pretty simple. I have both 1/2 and 3/4 and really prefer the 3/4. The 1/2 will work, even in longer lengths, but deflection is an issue. My 1/2 have the toothed stationary gripper and slip unless I give the a good whack with a deadblow. They are on zinc plated pipe. My 3/4 are the multi plate on black iron pipe and don't slip. I don't plan any more zinc plated or 1/2 inch clamps.

[Kent A Bathurst]

10' length cut at 3', giving you a 3' and 7' pipe.


Actually, I have some cut to 90" - 30". [nominal]

And a bunch cut in quarters to 30" [nominal]

And a bunch cut in half to 60" [nominal].

The 30" get a lot of use. 60" next most frequent. The 90" are in the back - only occasionally, as you would imagine.

Started out with pipe and a few clamp sets to switch around. Then, added a few, then got a bunch here on Classifieds...........the word for it is "lazy". I am at about 30+ clamp sets for 35+ pipes.


Never used galvanized......just BORG black pipe. Not sure there is any reason/logic behind that - it just is.

[Rick Johnston]

To Kent: I don't understand why your pvc sleeves are not needed on the bottom for glue protection from black pipe.

[Rick Johnston]

For black pipe why not a light coating of spray lacquer or shellac. Certainly some maintenance with that.

[Kent A Bathurst]

To Kent: I don't understand why your pvc sleeves are not needed on the bottom for glue protection from black pipe.

Yeah - I didn't explain that bit, did I? Sorry.........
The heights of everything is deliberate - - the pipe clamps in their stands are about 1/4" below the top of the cauls when they are in their cradles - so they don't touch the boards. The cauls' height above the table is 1/2" more than needed for 6" C-clamp to slide in there.

But - you are correct - when I am not using the cradles, then the PVC sleeves work exactly the same way as standoffs under the work piece as above it. As I noted - every stick of pipe has 2 of them on there anyway - that's where they live, so they are there, need them or not.

I got really annoyed one day, running around grabbing stuff, mismatched, trying to cobble things together while the glue wa setting up. So I took a few days' time out, planned it all , and then made all that stuff you see in the photos. Everything is identical, so no matter which gizmo I grab, it fits the bill.

And - I learned to have it all laid out in specific places before the glue goes on, every time. I almost think I could do it blindfolded - it is just habit where to reach with which hand.......... but that attention to detail means that when I pick up the glue, one quick glance tells me everything is ready to go. Just like patting my pants pockets on the way out the door - there are supposed to be certain bulges in certain pockets, or I stop and figure out what's missing - wallet right hip, car keys front left, sunglasses hanging off the front of the shirt.....you do the same thing, I'll guess.

[Kent A Bathurst]

For black pipe why not a light coating of spray lacquer or shellac. Certainly some maintenance with that.

You probably could. For me, though - if glue drips get on the pipe, I don't care - leave them there until they interfere with a clamp location.........