Cramps, how many are needed and in what sizes?
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- This topic has 7 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 6 years, 8 months ago by Dave Ring.
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26 July 2017 at 2:44 pm #314017
Hi all! I’m just about to start building a workbench as my first project and have been picking up the tools i need, and now i’m at the point where i need to buy cramps. Paul recommends the Screwfix designs (I’m in the UK) but i’m not sure how many i’ll need or in what sizes?
Also for the laminations are all wood glues essentially the same and i should just go for the cheapest or most readily available?
lol, cramps…
You can get the clamps he uses from Harbor Freight pretty cheap. I think you can get 3′ aluminum (maybe 4′ ones) for around $9-10 a piece. You can then upgrade them by filling them with plywood and putting wooden pads on the interior of each clamp to make them quite rigid/robust.
I currently have 8 of them (which I purchased exclusively for my bench build) but 10 would have been just a bit better. You could probably do it with less but it is helpful to get as much pressure along the length of your project as possible when gluing up.
Well, here’s the ones I bought. They’re $12 apiece right now.
https://www.harborfreight.com/36-in-aluminum-bar-clamp-60539.html26 July 2017 at 4:45 pm #314024Yeh, but Harbor Ferry doesn’t exist in the UK. The cramps he recommends over here are from Screwfix and cost £10-£13 each, which doesn’t seem that unreasonable to me.
Are all of your eight the 36″ versions, or did you go for a mix of 24″ and 36″?
I just got all 36″, figuring that I can easily clamp something smaller with them so I didn’t get any 24″ ones.
Perhaps try these from Amazon.co.uk. £10 each, not bad, and not sure you’re going to find a better deal (with free UK delivery). These are the same clamps, just a different name/color. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Am-Tech-36-inch-Quick-Release-Clamp/dp/B008PQA542/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1501085441&sr=8-7&keywords=36%22+clamps
29 July 2017 at 5:11 pm #314136Hi Matt i started out with these
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4-x-600mm-ALUMINIUM-SASH-CLAMP-bench-cramp-glue-wood-door-vice-vc62-/231977961917?hash=item3602f6c9bd:g:ZbMAAOSwNNxWFCTo1 August 2017 at 1:28 pm #314216Good shouts, both of you. Had a look at Screwfix, the amazon link David gave, and the ebay link Eddy gave, and they all seem to be exactly the same clamps! Just varying slightly in price. After a bit more searching I found an ever so slightly better deal of 4 36″ clamps for £39 (a whole pound cheaper!) and ordered 2.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/162513225724
1 August 2017 at 5:37 pm #314226go for the sash clamps or bar clamps,d.bockel lol clamps are also know,n as cramp,s
on amazon you can get 4 bar clamp,s for under 15 quid.
best of luck mate -
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