Clamps are indispensable assistant every carpenter. It is difficult to imagine a master who is able to do without these devices in his work. There are quite a few varieties of clamps and clamps, while manufacturers do not stop looking for new solutions to make their tool even more convenient, functional and adapted to specific carpentry tasks.
In our material, we will talk in detail about the main types of wood clamps: we will tell you what they consist of and how they work. various models clamps, consider the advantages and disadvantages of each of them, give useful tips on how to choose a clamp for specific carpentry tasks.
G clamps
Design features. G-shaped clamps, also often referred to as C-shaped, are the most versatile and mass type of carpentry clamps. The basis of the design is a cast or forged bracket with a movable clamping screw.
Advantages. L-shaped clamps are light, easy to use, provide high clamping force, do not have gaps in the jaws.
disadvantages. Suitable for joining workpieces of small thickness.
Application area. G-shaped clamps are used in cases where it is necessary to apply the same compressive force to surfaces that are parallel to each other. AT carpentry C-clamps are mainly used when gluing wood.
F clamps
Design features. The clamp consists of a guide rail on which the movable and fixed jaws are fixed. The movable bracket, sliding along the guide, has a set screw that allows you to adjust the desired length of the grip and prevents the clamp from loosening. Sponges complete with overlays for protection of the fixed surfaces.
Advantages. The main advantage F-shaped clamps is their versatility. The adjustable grip length makes it possible to firmly and strongly fix workpieces of various thicknesses.
disadvantages. C F clamp it is not always convenient to work, because You have to use both hands to manipulate the tool.
Application area. Used for fixing wooden products and blanks of various thicknesses.
End clamps
Design features. The end clamp consists of a cast or forged base-bracket with three clamping screws.
Advantages. Simple and affordable design for specific carpentry tasks: the T-profile clamp is used for clamping edges and ends.
Disadvantages. For all its functionality, it is not so easy to cope with the end clamp: fixing the edge, simultaneously holding the clamp and tightening the three clamps is not always convenient alone.
Application area. Clamping edges and end elements of wooden products.
Angle clamps
Design features. Clamps for corner connections may have a variety of implementations. Typical design consists of a body, one or two screw clamps with clamping heels.
Advantages. Simple and compact fixture for clamping workpieces at right angles. Such clamps are often supplemented with special holes for fastening to a workbench.
disadvantages. Limited opportunities when working with overall wooden elements.
Application area. Clamps for gluing and fixing wood at right angles. Creating connections on the mustache.
Keyless (automatic) clamps
Design features. A typical design of a quick-release clamp consists of a metal bar and two plastic jaws (movable and fixed). The moving part is pressed by means of a special lever mechanism. Lightweight and durable body of quick-clamp clamps are made of plastic composites fiberglass reinforced. This allows the use of automatic clamps in almost any conditions.
Advantages. One-handed options are perhaps the most convenient and ergonomic type of clamps. How to use such clamps is intuitive: all manipulations are performed with one hand, while the other holds the part. Even the smallest quick-acting clamps have tremendous clamping force.
Majority lever models has a transforming design that expands the capabilities of the tool. For example, on some models, you can turn the jaws in opposite directions, to work by surprise, which is very convenient when disassembling spiked joints. Two quick clamps can be easily re-arranged into one long one by interlocking the protrusions on the fixed jaws.
disadvantages. High-quality automatic clamps are quite expensive, and almost all budget counterparts are not highly reliable.
Application area. Quick-release clamps are used for all types of carpentry work: from fixing small parts to gluing large boards.
Spring clamps
Design features. Clamps with non-adjustable clamping force, working on the principle of a clothespin. A popular variation of the classic spring clamp are designs with a variable clamp width.
Advantages. Clamps are lightweight and comfortable, all manipulations when working with them are performed with one hand. They provide a stable, powerful clamping force. Optimal for delicate fixation of parts to be glued.
disadvantages. Small depth of capture.
Application area. Universal device for gluing and fixing oversized parts.
Tape clamps
Design features. The band clamp consists of a strong synthetic band and a tensioning block. The package usually includes plastic elements for fitting corners.
Advantages. Provides gentle clamping of corners and roundings without distortion, which is very important at the gluing stage. Allows you to work with products of any size: from small frames to large cabinets. The use of plastic corner elements ensures uniform pressure when gluing corners and miter joints.
Application area. Choice of clamps belt type – best option for difficult carpentry tasks: clamping roundings large diameter, fixing polygonal connections, etc.
Pipe clamps
Any frame - large or small - is a "strict" design: it makes serious demands on the squareness of the corners and their careful execution and connection. To simplify production and get high-quality frames with less labor, the French magazine System D offers two simple and convenient fixtures, which you can do yourself: a tablet for sawing bars or a baguette and a press for gluing blanks.
Angle is out of sight
When making frame blanks, the most difficult thing is to cut them strictly at an angle of 45 °. In scrap and designed to help a tablet that will serve as a good addition to a small circular saw or a jigsaw and will replace the traditional fixture - a miter box, which is used when working with a hand saw.
The tablet consists of a small wooden shield - the base and two persistent rails, installed strictly at an angle of 90 ° with respect to each other. The base of the tablet is a wooden board hard rock 25 mm thick and approximately 400×250 mm in size. Instead, a furniture shield or chipboard can also be used.
On one side of the base, a small cut is made - a slot into which saw blade or jigsaw blade. On both sides of the cut, indented to its width, two thrust bars are attached, the opposite ends of which are sawn off strictly at an angle of 45 °. That's the whole tablet device. It is convenient to use it on a saw table, on which two parallel grooves are milled for this, and two guides that respond to them are attached to the bottom of the tablet. Thanks to them, the tablet can slide with slight friction along the guide grooves, strictly maintaining the direction of its feed.
1 - base; 2 - guides; 3 - propyl; 4 - persistent bars; 5 - screws
1 - coupler with holes; 2 - angle-lock; 3 - protective gasket
The picture shows how the plate with the frame blank is installed and how it is fed for sawing when the plate moves along the guide grooves towards the saw.
In order to cut a baguette on one of the sides of the frame, you need to mark it inner dimensions pencil. Then the baguette is pressed (outside) against the corresponding stop bar so that the length mark is against the slot. Now, when moving the tablet towards the saw blade, the baguette is cut at an angle of 45° automatically. In the same way, the ends of all other rails that form the frame are cut off.
Gluing press
However, preparing parts of the frame is still half the battle. The next task is to securely glue them together. A very simple press for assembling them will help out here. It consists of four ties - wooden slats from hardwood with a section of 30 × 30 mm, with holes drilled in them with a diameter of 4 mm. The ties are connected in pairs with each other using a loop - a connecting bar with dimensions of 100x30x30 mm and bolts with nuts (solid). In addition to the ties, four fixing brackets are made. They are cut from hardwood blocks with a thickness of 30 mm. Each latch has a spike at the bottom - a screwed screw with a diameter of 4 mm, with a cut head.
1 - ties (perforated slats); 2 - connecting loop; 3 - squares-clamps; 4 - clamp
In order to actuate the press, the screeds are laid on flat surface(table) in the form of the letter X. Depending on the size of the frame, clamps are inserted into the corresponding holes of the ties. It remains to apply glue to the joints of the baguette rails to be connected “on the mustache”, and lay them in the clamps. Now you need one single clamp. With its help, the connecting bars of the screeds are pulled together, and hence the baguette ends in the clamps, ensuring their tight connection and holding them in the desired position until the glue seizes.
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With this device, you can glue wooden panels different sizes. The clamp itself is easy to use and has a fairly simple design. In the presence of the right materials making such a clamp for a home workshop will not be difficult.
For the manufacture of home-made clamps (they are also called clamps), you will need a stud with M10 nuts, a 20 mm steel strip and two rectangular shaped pipes with sides of 40x20 mm, 80 cm long. These materials can be bought inexpensively at a hardware store.
Clamps for gluing shields: stages of work
On the profile pipes we make markings and drill through holes every 15 cm, using a conventional or stepped drill for this. We cut the steel strip with a grinder into segments 150 mm long. In these plates, we drill two holes of the desired diameter.
Profile pipes are connected to each other using plates. You will also need stops - movable square shape and fixed T-shaped, welded from a profile with side dimensions of 20x20 mm. We screw a hairpin of a suitable length into the movable clamp.
Features of using a clamp
It is good because when gluing wooden shields clamps the workpiece from four sides in two planes. Thus, the gluing is of very high quality. By rearranging the T-shaped fixed stop, you can adjust the length. See the video on our website for the assembly process of the clamp for gluing wooden shields.
Warped products will be eliminated thanks to the right methods of work and fixtures.
You only have a few minutes to assemble the project pieces, line up the edges and tighten the clamps. By the way, are you sure that all the corners are right? Using the right tools and accessories, as well as several useful tips, you will be able to achieve every time perfect results without too much fuss.
The accuracy of the assembly depends on the squareness of the parts, so before you start processing the parts, make sure that your equipment (sawing, planing, thicknessing and other machines) is set up correctly. Then prepare a flat and clean work surface for assembly. For successful work learn one or more of the tried-and-tested techniques to help avoid misalignment.
One piece aligns another
Dry-assemble the box and rock it from side to side to make sure that the bottom inserted into the tongues ensures the assembly is square.
If all the parts of your project initially had right angles, they will align each other when assembled, provided that the clamps are installed correctly. As shown in top photo, Precisely cut at right angles, the crossbeam hangers automatically align the frame. The trick is to direct the compression force of the clamps perpendicular to the edges of the parts. If you place the clamp at an angle, the pressure can cause it to skew.
Another way to make the assembly self-leveling is with a plywood bottom or back wall must fit snugly into tongues or folds to keep the box or cabinet square (photo A).
Need gaps around the bottom or infill to compensate for seasonal humidity fluctuations?
To assemble a box with a bottom, insert the assembly template into it and fix it with clamps. Clamp pressure is distributed by clamping bars installed next to the joints, and not on top of them.
Make a simple assembly template that fits snugly into the drawer opening (photo B), and make cutouts on its corners so that it does not stick to the details.
When assembling drawers where the straight spikes protrude slightly at the corners, use spacers or hold down bars as shown. (photo B), so that the jaws of the clamps do not touch the joints. This method is also useful when assembling dovetail joints.
As per template
For precise alignment and fixation simple connections end-to-end it is convenient to use a metal mounting bracket (photo C), which holds the parts at right angles to each other and prevents them from moving. If you prefer homemade devices, make your own mounting brackets in any size (a photoD). Brief advice! No mounting brackets? There is a way to ensure the immobility of the butt joint parts when gluing. First, apply glue to the end of one piece, then join both pieces, rubbing them together to spread the glue. Separate them for 10-15 seconds, let the glue dry a little and become more viscous and sticky, and then rub the parts together again. Increasing the viscosity of the adhesive will help to avoid shifting parts when installing clamps.
This mounting bracket, thanks to its rounded outside corner adheres tightly to both glued parts.
When determining the dimensions of a homemade mounting bracket, make cutouts in it that correspond to the jaws of the clamps you have.
Other do-it-yourself leveling devices are clamping bars or strips of arbitrary sizes with cutouts that hold the parts in position and at the same time distribute the pressure of the clamps (photo E). Prism bars with V-grooves will help to tightly tighten the details of the corner joints on the mustache.
Cutouts in the pressure bars prevent parts from shifting, and prism bars, clamped diagonally with clamps, compress the parts together.
The steel band of this clip distributes pressure to all four corners, tightly tightening the joints of the barbed parts.
Some clamping devices, due to the design features, help to ensure the squareness of the gluing. For example, a band clamp with four corner blocks (a photoF) and four-sided screw clamp for frame assembly (a photoG) allow you to align all four corners at the same time.
Four-sided screw clamps, commonly used for gluing frames, can be used in pairs to assemble drawers. Metal corner pieces help to achieve squareness.
Compare lengths of diagonals without measuring them with a tape measure
Even if you don't have a square to trust, you can check the squareness of an assembly by comparing the distances between opposite corners. If the diagonals are equal (and opposite parts are also the same length), you can be sure that all corners are right. If clamps interfere with measuring with a tape measure, or if you are gluing several of the same products, try another method. Saw out two thin slats from scraps. The length of each of them must be more than half the length of the diagonals. Then cut one end of each batten at an angle of about 30°. Pressing the bevels to the opposite inside corners assembly, fold the slats together and fasten them with a clip. Then, with the same straightedge, measure the other diagonal to make sure the assembly is square. To correct skew, use a long clamp to carefully tighten opposite corners along the longer diagonal.
Each carpenter uses clamps during work, securely fixing the workpieces with their help. You can make such a device yourself, and there are several options for execution.
Clamps are simple, universal and specialized. Appeared not too long ago the new kind products - quick-clamping. Such an element can compress up to 450 kg. It will be useful to study the instructions for creating do-it-yourself wood clamps.
corner option
Regardless of the type of clamp, it must firmly clamp the parts for their connection or processing. Angular carpentry fixture helps to fasten wood blanks at a certain angle (most often 90 °, but there are others). This is indispensable when assembling furniture and frames.
In order to make such a wooden clamp with your own hands, you will need the following materials:
- two wooden bars 25 mm thick hardwood;
- plywood 12 mm thick or more;
- self-tapping screws, studs;
- jigsaw or hacksaw;
- drill.
A square board with a side of 25 or 30 cm is cut out of plywood. Two bars are fixed on it at an angle of 90 °.
Important! The angle must be measured from high precision because it depends correct fixation details.
First, the bars are glued, then they are countersinked, holes are drilled with a drill and self-tapping screws or other fasteners are screwed in. Perpendiculars are drawn from the center of the bars - screw studs will pass here.
At a distance of 20 mm from the corner bars, persistent bars are fixed, maintaining a gap between them. It should be slightly larger than the width of the parts to be clamped with a homemade clamp. It is better to screw in the studs immediately, before fixing the stops. You will also need to cut out the movable pads that will be connected to the pin (when it is unscrewed, the workpiece will be pressed against the corner bar).
As a screw, it is best to take studs with a rectangular or trapezoidal thread. The thread pitch is 2 turns per cm. It is very good if on the stud on one side there is a pillar of a slightly smaller diameter than the thread. It can be used to fit the handle. On the other hand, a slightly larger diameter rear sight is desirable to fit the bearing.
So, in the simplest clamp, one end will be fixed, and the other will advance through a worm gear.
To release the workpiece, you need to move the bracket to the required distance and turn the knob a few turns. Thus, the element is fixed. After that, you can release the mechanism and the workpiece will be released.
The simplest version of this model is equipped with a rail structure. The guides, which are arranged in parallel, have cut grooves on equal distance. Fixed stops are fixed with metal rods. They can move exactly along the width of the blanks. At the end of the beams, fixed stops should be installed, which have a worm gear. In the usual way there is a clamping with a hairpin and a furniture nut.
Self-clamping option
For gluing parts, it is better to choose the most simple model clamp, which has an F-shape. The stores sell various models, which consist not only of wood, but also of metal. The cost of such tools is high. Therefore, many craftsmen prefer to make them with their own hands.
For small operations, a cam-type clamping clamp is perfect. For example, if you need to glue small parts or fix workpieces. Such a model works in the same way as the f-shaped element. The tool includes 2 jaws and guide rails. Sponges: mobile and motionless. For reliable clamping, it is necessary to fix the workpiece well and turn the cam 90 degrees.
You can make such a tool yourself with minimum set tools and materials. Before starting, you should draw a drawing of the product. You can use any material for manufacturing, as well as change standard sizes at will.
The tire is made of wood or metal. Small bolts and rivets can be used instead of metal pins. It is recommended to make movable and fixed jaws at the same time, as they mirror each other. Their width and length can be changed to increase the grip of the product.
For gluing boards (shield)
Clamping clamps are needed to fix the plots, which, after the glue has dried, are used for furniture panels. Such products differ from simple ones in their length. In other words, they have a large jaw span. If you buy such material in a store, you will have to pay a decent amount. Therefore, craftsmen prefer to make clamping mechanisms on their own.
Materials and assembly steps
In order to make wood clips, you will need the following items:
- beech or birch bar;
- drill bit;
- pipe 2.5 cm;
- mortise nuts of suitable diameter;
- a nut that has a rounded knob (used for decoration);
- cutter with a diameter of 2.5 cm and a long hairpin.
The basis of the material is a pipe, from which a piece of the required length is cut. Depending on the size of the sponges, it is necessary to saw the bar. The pieces should be from 15 to 20 cm. For the free movement of the timber through the pipe, make a hole with a diameter of 2.5 cm at a distance of 2.5 cm from the edge. Parallel to the hole, cut from the same end. To fix the sponge on the pipe, connect the hole to the end.
For the drive nut, an additional hole must be drilled to the side of the cut. It is necessary to hammer a nut into it and tighten it from the back with a bolt. To fix the sponge, clamp the pipe in the hole. To move the pipe, unscrew the bolt, then move the element and repeat all the steps again.
There are 2 jaws in the lower clamping part, it is slightly larger than the upper one and has an additional nut. In terms of structure, both parts are the same. An additional driving nut is located at the opposite end of the pipe, into which a stud with a wing nut is inserted.
In the second collapsible movable part, there are no clamping parts such as cuts and nuts. The size of such an element is also rather big. In this part, it is necessary to make a recess for the stud device.
Operating principle
The principle of operation of the clamp is very simple. It is necessary to dilute the extremely sponges so that they are at a distance of 3 cm more from each other than the width of the shield to be installed. Next, you need to fix them on the pipe. To do this, clamp the nuts that are located along the edges. The blanks must be put on the tubes and sealed with glue. Then they need to be pulled together with the help of the “lamb” rotation.
With the ability to use the grinder and welding machine you can make the same clamp for gluing wood from metal.
To maintain the plane of the plot with tubes, it is recommended to arrange the clamps in a checkerboard pattern. The main advantage of such a tool is the ease of manufacture and operation.
Special clamp designs
Having mastered the skills of making clamps of a simple form, you can improve them and make devices for connecting complex parts.
There are homemade clamps made from wooden hanger which is cut into pieces. They combine wood and steel, make more comfortable handles that allow you to quickly tighten the screw. This is especially important if you need to frequently change position or use several clamps at the same time. In the case of complex blanks, you can first cut them out of paper, and then transfer them to plywood.
Although more reliable are welded products metal, wooden structures also used not only for carpentry, but also for turning, carpentry. You do not need to have special skills to create a clamp. You can make such a product from wood in unlimited quantities with your own hands. It will only take a certain amount of time for the manufacturing process.