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Thread: Puting in a order for clamps.. am I missing anything?

  1. #1

    Puting in a order for clamps.. am I missing anything?

    Im about to put in my order for a bunch of clamps.
    See any thing that I would be missing?
    I want a I beam clamp for gluing.. but I suspect the parallel clamps will handle it fine.
    This is for a hobby shop.. not any commercial endeavor, with mostly hand tools.


    K-body / Parallel
    8 x 50"
    8 x 24"

    F style:
    8 x 12"
    8 x 6"
    8 x 4"

    One Handed
    8 x 12"
    8 x 6"

    Spring Clamp
    8 x 2"

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    NE OH
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    2,612
    Your list is a good start.

    Of course it depends on what you are/will be building, but I have two 36" ish one handed clamps that I end up using a lot. Usually to quickly hold an assembly in position while I put the "real" clamps in place. Also useful when squaring up a box or drawer as they are lighter than the parallel clamps so are easier to position across a diagonal.

    If you will be building furniture, you're eventually going to need at least a couple longer parallel or pipe clamps.

    And there are tons of specialized clamps that you *might* need, easier to buy those as the need arises.
    --I had my patience tested. I'm negative--

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    West Lafayette, IN
    Posts
    6,527
    Buy as needed. Are you new to the hobby - do you have experience with each type of clamp?

    Speaking of which - what’s a “one handed” clamp?

  4. #4
    Join Date
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    Nice list but, I agree that you buy as you need. That way you auto-magically gather an array of clamps that make sense for you. I was forever running out of 24" k-body's, I would buy a few on sale when I came across them and did so till I stopped running out. I still don't run out because I found the right number . . . for me ;-)

    I'll also add that for 4" f-style, the Bessey mighty-minis that go for under $5 each are one of my most used clamp for light work. I think I have 3 dozen. Also, the 2" spring clamps at Home Depot for a buck have served me well for many years. If you save a little on those, you have more for specific clamps like parallel or TG series bar clamps.
    Last edited by glenn bradley; 07-31-2020 at 8:52 PM.
    "A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".


    – Samuel Butler

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Austin Texas
    Posts
    1,957
    Yeah, what is a one hander? The pistol-grip type squeezers? I don't know how your cash on hand for the project is, but if it is a little tight, I wonder that (for my use, not yours) if you are looking at too many 50" clamps. maybe drop the 50" number down and spend some on four longer clamps as Paul suggested. I find that for furniture work, usually only four of the longest clamps are used at a time. 24"'s are used in bunches and some longer F style would not go unused. I have around 16-18 24" aluminum bar clamps (Universal Clamp Co.?) that are the single most used clamps in my shop. I originally started out with Jorgensen bar clamps (pre Bessey K clamp days) in 24", 36" and 48" that are used extensively for furniture clamp ups along with some K clamps. The aluminum bar clamps are great for panel width work, drawers, furniture, etc. I have four each of (I think?) 2" and 4" spring clamps for mostly jig, moulding and screw-up repairs. I have recently bought some kind of quick set super glue stuff with an accompanying accelerator that may eat into the spring clamp use, but we will see. Buy as needed is usually a very good piece of advise for most wood working tools, but I do understand that sometimes you have a shot of money now (that my not usually be available) that can go for something that can be solved for a long while. Your basic list is OK, just my own list-fine tuning thoughts.
    David

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2019
    Location
    Los Angeles, California
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    958
    I get them off Craigslist for under $10 each. Yeah a little beat up, covered with glue and rusty but their $10
    Regards,

    Tom

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Peoria, IL
    Posts
    4,411
    I'm old, but wouldn't be in the shop without some pipe clamps. I've used couplings to join them together, sometimes getting them to 12' long. I buy all my F clamps at Harbor Freight now. They are secondary clamps to me, and the HF clamps work very well. I'd ignore the spring clamps, the pressure is never right for what I want to do. I would add a few Microjig Matchfit clamps for jigs and fixtures, as well as some toggle clamps for the same application.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Kansas City
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    854
    What do you build? What are you planning on building? What do you already have?

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
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    Between No Where & No Place ,WA
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    Found today on the Fine Woodworking site:

    "The woodworking clamps you need

    "It’s true that you can’t have too many, but you can have too many useless ones. So here’s Megan Fitzpatrick's take on what clamps you need, in the order that she uses them most."

    By Megan Fitzpatrick, Jul 30, 2020

    Read all 'bout it: https://www.finewoodworking.com/2020...lamps-you-need

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    SE PA - Central Bucks County
    Posts
    65,638
    I've been using my 31" K-bodies a lot this year for some reason and wish I had more than four of that size. The 40" are fine to substitute, but there's that hunk of metal sticking out. LOL
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Doylestown, PA
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    7,541
    Quote Originally Posted by Paul F Franklin View Post
    Your list is a good start.

    Of course it depends on what you are/will be building, but I have two 36" ish one handed clamps that I end up using a lot. Usually to quickly hold an assembly in position while I put the "real" clamps in place. Also useful when squaring up a box or drawer as they are lighter than the parallel clamps so are easier to position across a diagonal.

    If you will be building furniture, you're eventually going to need at least a couple longer parallel or pipe clamps.

    And there are tons of specialized clamps that you *might* need, easier to buy those as the need arises.
    True about having a couple of the 'pistol grip' clamps. They don't seem to exert a lot of force for a glue-up but they sure are handy as a 3rd hand. Get things properly aligned then add stronger clamps as required.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    N CA
    Posts
    1,277
    I've been happy with the Dubuque Aluminum bare clamps. Worth a look I think.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Aug 2017
    Location
    Arlington, TX
    Posts
    452
    The OP has chosen a lot of clamps that are good for square assemblies and workpieces.

    I suggest wooden hand screw clamps for odd shaped clamping and holding tasks. They also make great, temporary stops on fences or table tops, etc. Very handy for holding small workpieces on a drill press or router table, sander, too. Their wooden jaws can be notched/drilled for custom applications. Their square jaw bodies can easily be clamped to a work surface or in a vise, to hold the work at just the right angle for you. You can even purchase the hardware kits for making your own hand screw clamps with custom wooden (or other material) bodies.

    Dubuque Clamp Works' Miro-Moose brand hand screws are made in Iowa, USA. Woodcraft carries them, as well as Tools For Working Wood, Lee Valley, and others.

    Ditto Dubuque's Universal aluminum bar clamps (mentioned above by Jack), also manufactured by DCW (and made in USA). They are light weight, for easy, one handed positioning, rigid and smooth-acting. Beware cheaper, foreign knock-offs that have thinner bar material, and flex more. Sure, you can stiffen them with a snug-fitting hardwood batten, slipped inside the bar, but then they weigh a lot more than the Universals. Universal bar clamps are available from TFWW, Woodcraft, Lee Valley, and others.

    Finally, if you have an application where the bar or screw on an F or C clamp gets in the way, I suggest Kant-Twist cantilever clamps. Their unique design allows tightening without swiveling or walking. They are available from Industrial Magnetics, Inc. (the new US manufacturer), and others. TFWW appears to be selling off their existing stock since the manufacturer was sold to IM.

    If you haven't guessed by now, I favor US-made tools whenever possible...

    -- Andy - Arlington TX

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Jack Frederick View Post
    I've been happy with the Dubuque Aluminum bare clamps. Worth a look I think.
    Do you know the actual clamping length of these clamps?
    Actual length.. or a bit longer?

    Bessey are a bit longer then actual "stated" length..

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Location
    Itapevi, SP - Brazil
    Posts
    672

    I missed band clamps

    As a number of posters comments, it will depend what is your use (application and your style) but it looks a good start up for me except I would miss my four Merle clamps I purchased on 1991. They have metal band and can replace a number of very big conventional clamps for some setups.

    I also would miss my four 1500 mm (60 in) 3/4 pipe clamps.
    All the best.

    Osvaldo.

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