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Thread: Historical Examples of Wedge Clamps?

  1. #1
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    Historical Examples of Wedge Clamps?

    I've seen a lot of people make wedge bar clamps, but I can't seem to find many historical examples besides viking age "pincher" style clamps for holding thin pieces (I assume face to face?), or Roubo's wide panel clamps for edge gluing up boards.

    I was curious: are there any examples of clamps similar to bar clamps, F clamps, or C clamps which used wedges?

  2. #2
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    Try folding wedge clamps on the net. You should find many examples both wood and metal. Simplest ones are just a couple of blocks nailed to a board spaced as needed with a couple of folding wedges to tighten. A little fancier are a block on one end and drilled holes along the board for spacing and folding wedges to tighten.
    Jim

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    Quote Originally Posted by James Pallas View Post
    Try folding wedge clamps on the net. You should find many examples both wood and metal. Simplest ones are just a couple of blocks nailed to a board spaced as needed with a couple of folding wedges to tighten. A little fancier are a block on one end and drilled holes along the board for spacing and folding wedges to tighten.
    Jim

    Yes, I've seen this design! I was wondering if they were used historically though... Can't seem to find any information on that.

  4. #4
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    Your not looking back far enough. At least as far back as the ancient Egyptians. Wedged boats together with folding wedges and reed rope.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by James Pallas View Post
    Your not looking back far enough. At least as far back as the ancient Egyptians. Wedged boats together with folding wedges and reed rope.
    If you know where to look you will find wooden wedges used for clamping pressure in to the mid 19th century. Not necessarily by woodworkers but by printers:

    Quoins Printing (coins).jpg

    Pronounced like coins.

    After that the were made of metal.

    Though often wedges are used on my bench for holding items.

    It probably wouldn't be too hard to make a clamp that worked like a wedged tenon (tusk tenon).

    jtk
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

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