Not to be outdone, I thought I’d throw my metric hat into the ring… not so much to brag about my very basic, amateur setup, but more so as a lead in to a few review/get-to-know forthcoming blogs I plan to post about a variety of clamps I have, and that some out there may have been unaware or hesitant to address. That bottom "brace" was put in as a late afterthought (2 years later) once the rack started to sag from sheer weight... I was too lazy to lever it straight.
Photos 1-3 give an indication of the “scaffolding” I knocked together
to store my larger clamps, which was “extended” by using the top of my lumber storage vertical racks to attach a variety of my other clamps.
Moving from left to right along these two pictures,
2. Swag of Irwin Quick-Grip Heavy duty (various lengths) and a swag of “standard” Quick-Grips.
Need say no more.
3. Then we hit 4 Jack clamps, which will be included in my “review” blog.
4. Bessey Gear Clamps (a)… to be “reviewed”.
Attached to one of these clamps is a Bessey Edge clamp (b)… also to be “reviewed”.
5. More Irwin Quick-Grip, various lengths…
as mentioned before, everyone knows them so no further blog.
6. Bessey DuoKlamp, to be “reviewed”.
7. Hand screws…
I’m sure every novice woodworker in the past bought a set of these and haven’t used them since,
other than on non-woodworking props.
This project will serve as an anchor of the Blog Series that I will progressively make an Episode about the less common clamps I have… they may just be another link to a project/review/blog, however, at least it will group them together for quicker navigation… when it comes to convenience, I don’t duck down but get on my soap box,
You know, when you get right down to it. (A downtoit is a lot like a roundtoit, but involves a point to be made) Clamps are a real PIA.
You absolutely can use clamps, and sometimes you need all 754 registered types of them for a simpleass little box or something.
But they cost a LOT of $$$$$
They weigh a TON
Then you need a place to store them, but unlike wood, or other things you can't build a "Clamp building" or you would be all week hauling clamps from storage to a place of use.
That storage can't be far from their end place of use, or you might have a few days hauling them from the "wall o clamps" to your bench. Don't even think about the return trip, and this is why most woodworkers have them strewn all over the place.
I'm sure I just touched on all the ways clamps are a PIA, but after what I put down I need a nap.
Like most, in so far as design goes, my clamps are all over the place. As to storage, I tried to go for efficiency. To that end, one entire wall is dedicated to their storage. Many more can be found at the drill press and band saws.
Then there are the many clamps that do not show clearly at the clamp wall. They are the ones I build for use cutting small pieces, to protect my fingers and blades. Their build can be seen on my Instructables page:
3 or 4x are you kidding us ? nothing wrong with pipe clamps. a hell of a lot cheaper than those bessey's in your herd ducks ! understand one thing all a clamp does is apply pressure. a pipe clamp can do what those fancy ones you have for at least half the price. and thats what i wanna tell someone starting out. dont be lured into high dollar clamps that dont achieve anymore ! ive been woodworking for over 50 years and you wont find one bessey in my shop, today, or ever. i got better things to spend my money on. like wood ! luv ya duckie ! 😎😍
working with my hands is a joy,it gives me a sense of fulfillment,somthing so many seek and so few find.-SAM MALOOF.
never said they were duckie, i merely said you dont need a high dollar clamp to achieve said result ! just like no one needs a rolls royce to go to the store !!!!! just like no one "needs" a festool sander to sand wood ! now if you really wanna educate newbies show that a cheap simple clamp can do the same result ! 😁
working with my hands is a joy,it gives me a sense of fulfillment,somthing so many seek and so few find.-SAM MALOOF.
Making do with substandard/cheap stuff is OK by veterans. I remember when starting, the frustration experienced with cheap stuff... I initially thought it was my incompetence. I'm surprised I didn't throw in the towel long ago. Newbies need all the help they can get. Pointing them to cheap shit is asking for trouble... at least make them aware of what is out there. If they can't afford the tools, go on on overseas trip/cruise/buy a Lamborghini. Cheap and woodworking in the same sentence is an oxymoron! We go back to the same old adage... it's OK to see what you can do, but I will only learn from how you did it... I can't tell people how others do it, but at least I get off my arse and try to tell how/what I did... albeit not the best way... they can always use me as a bad example.
If your first cut is too short... Take the second cut from the longer end... LBD
duck i agree and im tellin em how i did it, and still do it brother it ! were talkin clamps man, not a precision tool my friend ! like what someone said, use a rubber band ! 😁😁
working with my hands is a joy,it gives me a sense of fulfillment,somthing so many seek and so few find.-SAM MALOOF.
