Wooden Bar Clamp
I saw stars the last time I dropped a bar clamp on my foot. Then I saw the light, in the form of a wooden handscrew. I’d been making my own handscrews—wood threads and all—for years. Why [...]
Grippy Clamp
Some objects aren’t easy to hold for drilling. When I run into a situation like this, I use a wooden-jawed handscrew that has sandpaper glued to one side of it, so it doesn’t move [...]
Clamp the Clamp
When your hands aren’t strong or large enough to put the last squeeze on a big clamp, try clamping the clamp. My ingenious wife, who has very small hands, invented this solution. She works [...]
Pipe Clamp Vise
Tool: Pipe Vise Manufacturer: Lee Valley Price: $65 A tail vise is an essential part of a first-class workbench. It’s used to hold work on top of the bench, between dogs. Most types of tail [...]
Improved PVC Clamps
PVC spring clamps aren’t new. I like using them, but thought they could use some improvement. Here’s what I came up with. First, I added two dowels installed 90° from each other (into [...]
Bar Clamp Fix
Bar clamps can wear out over time. Usually, it’s because the ridges on the bar get worn down. When this happens, the clamps lose their grip, rendering them useless. Even if it’s just [...]
No-Fuss Locking Clamps
Tool: AutoMaxx clamps Manufacturer: Kreg Price: $24-$29 Are you a pocket-screw fan? If so, you know that locking clamps are extremely handy for holding parts together during assembly. In fact, [...]
3 Classic Vises Made With Pipe Clamps
As a professional woodworker, leaving the comfort of my shop to work on a jobsite is part of the routine. I had a portable bench, but without vises, it was only marginally useful. Having all the [...]
Tool Review: Bessey GearKlamp
The Bessey GearKlamp is designed to reach into places that just weren’t possible with your average bar clamp or f-clamp. Today on the blog, David Lyell gives us his review.
Tool News: Auto-Adjust Dog Clamp
Perhaps the red finally caught my eye, but it seems like I’m seeing Armor Tools everywhere now. My local Woodcraft has a great display of Armor Tools gear, and I finally took the plunge with [...]
C-Clamps for Demanding Jobs
In my ongoing quest for finding adequate substitutions for the vanishing North American clamp manufacturers, I recently discovered an exceptionally strong forged steel C-clamp that will surely [...]
Harbor Freight Clamps One Year Later
A year ago I wrote about the demise of America’s clamp manufacturers and my choice to try a few inexpensive alternatives for the obsolete Pony, Wetzler and the like. We decided to buy a few types [...]