Clamps for Sore Hands

[Gordon Dale]

Over the years, due to age and injury, I’ve experienced increasing levels of pain in my hands, so I’m always on the lookout for pain-saving tips and tools. Recently Shiraz Balolia posted a video to this forum in which he used Jorgensen gear clamps. I ordered a couple and, although I haven’t yet had a chance to use them extensively, they seem like a godsend to me. Pistol and screw handle clamps have long been the bane of my existence.

Among other things, I’ve replaced the rod and knob blade tensioner on my old Jet bandsaw (which I can’t seem to bring myself to retire) with a wheel crank and have been convinced by other threads here that I should consider investing in a Festool ETS random orbital sander to reduce vibration. I also now have a strange and probably unnatural urge to buy a hydraulic lift table (every time I read this forum it costs me money!).

I know other Creekers experience hand pain and various physical limitations and that these issues have been discussed in earlier threads. Never-the-less, I thought I would share this in case it was helpful to others. I’d also be interested in hearing about additional solutions people have tried recently and found to be effective.

[Doug Dawson]

Yost HD parallel clamps (Amazon etc) have handles that rotate 90 degrees.

Dubuque aluminum bar clamps (toolsforworkingwood.com) have gigantic wingnuts, and are also cheaper and lighter.

[Michael W. Clark]

I’ve started using some gloves that have rubbery grip areas and these help quite a bit with all clamps. They also keep out the splinters.

I have these, got them as a sample at a WW trade show.
HexArmor Helix 2075 Seamless Knit Work Gloves with Cut Resistance, X-Large https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0871268HR/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glc_fabc_HbM6FbV6BKRW8

[Brian Holcombe]

Recent models of Bessey ‘F’ clamps have a feature where you can torque them down with an Allen wrench.

[Mike Kees]

I’ve started using some gloves that have rubbery grip areas and these help quite a bit with all clamps. They also keep out the splinters.

I have these, got them as a sample at a WW trade show.
HexArmor Helix 2075 Seamless Knit Work Gloves with Cut Resistance, X-Large https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0871268HR..._HbM6FbV6BKRW8

I grabbed a couple pairs of rubber covered gloves at Harbor Fright to try out. Really like them for jointing and planning wood and using with clamps. I have very dry hands so my issue is traction not pain. However these help with far less slivers and nicks/cuts as well.

[Mel Fulks]

I grabbed a couple pairs of rubber covered gloves at Harbor Fright to try out. Really like them for jointing and planning wood and using with clamps. I have very dry hands so my issue is traction not pain. However these help with far less slivers and nicks/cuts as well.

While there ,get one of those jar opening gizmos. They work well on clamp handles.

[Michael W. Clark]

I grabbed a couple pairs of rubber covered gloves at Harbor Fright to try out. Really like them for jointing and planinig wood. I have very dry hands so my issue is traction not pain. However these help with far less slivers and nicks/cuts as well.

Same for me, I use them for most things except where I need to feel the surface to confirm fit or flush. I have also gotten used to using the rubber coated gloves for yard work, find them on sale at HD often. I have another pair from Grainger but they don’t grip as well after getting used some.

[Andy D Jones]

This may sound weird, but hand-screw clamps (or kits thereof) might be a good choice.

You don't have to twist the handles much once you learn how to twirl the whole clamp between your hands to gross adjust.

And you could make custom grips/cranks for the screws too.

Note, the rear screw has much more leverage than the front (middle) screw.

You might also look at affixing a hex nut on the butt end of the screw (of any screw clamp), and using a cordless driver to tighten them.

The Kant-Twist style clamps would be a good choice for this, since the axis of the screw is at ~right angle to the compression, so the clamp does not want to twist the two pieces being clamped together. They are also available with wide "weaver" handles for more comfortable leverage. They were originally developed for welding applications, and have copper plated screws to prevent welding splatter from sticking to the screws and jamming them.

-- Andy - Arlington TX

[Jim Matthews]

+3 on non slip gloves for enhanced grip.

Several of my handscrew clamps were purchased from their first owner with captured dowel rods in each screw handle.

I cut most of those off (they were forever getting hung up) and did as suggested above, engaged a screwdriver to spin them on.

In practice, just having the gloves on makes a huge difference.

[Andy D Jones]

For bar clamps, the Dubuque HD aluminum bar clamps have a butterfly handle for which you could easily make a slotted wooden "wrench".

Some of the cheaper knock-offs might also be amenable to a similar wrench.

Andy - Arlington TX

[John K Jordan]

When having hand trouble about 20 years ago a physical therapists gave me some rubber non-slip stick-together tape to wrap around tool handles and such to make them larger diameter, provide some "give", and make them easier to hold and use. He said it was often used on kitchen knives and such. I put some on a couple of tool handles and it helped.

I don't golf but I wonder if someone makes something similar for golf handles.

[David Publicover]

Rather than using grippy gloves, you could also try the method Rob Cosman uses and wrap hockey tape on your handles. Tape the handles like the upper end of a hockey stick to get a spiral pattern. I’m pretty sure he has a YouTube video showing it or ask a hockey player.

[Clark Hussey]

Rather than using grippy gloves, you could also try the method Rob Cosman uses and wrap hockey tape on your handles. Tape the handles like the upper end of a hockey stick to get a spiral pattern. I’m pretty sure he has a YouTube video showing it or ask a hockey player.

Have been using this for a while. It certainly makes a big difference.

[Tom Bender]

A wrench for glue bottles
Glue Wrench.jpg

[Derek Cohen]

I have wrapped the wooden handles of Bessey parallel clamps with silicon self-sealing tape. This fuses and becomes a solid grip. Very grippy.

In the centre ...



Regards from Perth

Derek