What Are Your Favorite Clamps?

[JunkMan]

Just finishing up the sides of my TD, and getting ready to make the cabinets and I decided that I need to buy some more clamps (imagine that ) and was wondering what your favorites are.

I have several types right now, but seeem to like the one hand bar type clamps the best. The Craftsman is my favorite right now.


I got some Irwin clamps on sale, but don't like them as much, they seem to slip when you clamp them down hard.


When you use them, they stick up, vs down and seem to get in the way


I've also tried C clamps, spring clamps, pipe clamps, and racheting clamps, and know that there are uses and advantages to each. Anyone have any other favorites that I should try?

[IraRat]

STOP SHOWING OFF!

I'm using cheap metal screw-on Wal-Mart clamps that were like a buck each. But I have EIGHT of them!

Aren't you impressed?

I also have a few big rocks that come in handy, and I bet those rocks are bigger than YOURS!

[Ross Wade]

The quick grip clamps are great. I have a few of them, but they tend to get real costly. I still prefer the old fashioned C clamps and the pipe clamps. It is always great if you have a wide range of different types and as always.....you never seem to have enough.

Ross

[JunkMan]

STOP SHOWING OFF!
I'm using cheap metal screw-on Wal-Mart clamps that were like a buck each. But I have EIGHT of them!

I'm the King of Cheap. I didn't pay much for the clamps I have My kid gave me the spring clamps, the small Irwins were free after rebate this spring, the larger Irwins were $6 each after rebate, and the Craftsman clamps were 1/2 price ($10 each) last Thanksgiving. I also use rocks, leftover floor tile, buckets of sheetrock mud, and anything else I find laying around.

Unfortunatly, I think I'm going to need more clamps when I get to the cabinets, and want to get some decent ones that will last for a while, not like that $20 "bargin box" of clamps I bought last summer, that broke about as fast as I found uses for them. I'm not really impressed with the Irwins, although they aren't bad considering what I paid for them.

[ralaco]

What about this really “El Cheapo Clamps”, just buy a piece of PVC piping, cut some rings from 1 1/2” to 4” depends of the pressure needed and just make a cut to open the rings and that’s all, you will have some very useful and inexpensive clamps.
Raul

[IraRat]

What about this really “El Cheapo Clamps”, just buy a piece of PVC piping, cut some rings from 1 1/2” to 4” depends of the pressure needed and just make a cut to open the rings and that’s all, you will have some very useful and inexpensive clamps.

Hey, that's simply brilliant. What diameter and thickness pipe wall do you think is best for this? Or does it matter?

[ralaco]

I don’t know if there is different thickness but about 4” diameter is fine.

Raul

[asianflava]

I have 2 pair of the Vice Grip Quick Grip clamps (now made by Irwin) 2 are minature and 2 are regular size. I encounter the slipping with the small ones but not with the big ones, they are my favorite. I also got some imitation clamps at a traveling tool sale, I haven't used them yet so I don't know how ell they work. I have several plastic spring clamps from Harbor Freight. They work well but I've had a few break after the slid off.

[DestinDave]

King Of Cheap??? Hah! I only use whatever my brothers-in-law have around...

[gardenwood]

Your pictures look like our shop. A rainbow of colors, styles, sizes, brands. We've used them all in this project. The only clamps we've not yet used are the wood screw clamps, but we're not finished yet either.
Roger

[Marck]

As the owner now of over 220 clamps, I will speak.
I really like the quick clamp bar clamps, they are quick and easy to use with one hand, however, when you get into the longer ones (up to 3 feet) they bow too much when clamping down hard, I also like the longer "screw type" sliding bar clamps, but they too bow... Pipe clamps for anything over 2 1/2 to 3 feet work best.
C-clamps are a royal pain...trying to hold your work in place and clamp isn't fun.
spring clamps are great for fastening the skin on your tear and a ton of other uses (heck my wife took all my small 1 inch spring clamps to use as clothspins when she washes our quilts and heavy stuff).

I also like some of the homemade clamps I have found on various woodworking sites.

to each his own and to each job a different clamp.

[Endo]

Here is a picture of the "clamps" I used to glue down the exterior plywood skin:

5 buckets of water, 3 tires, jackstand, circular saw, bottle of propane

Do you think my roof spars are strong enough?

[asianflava]

Heh Heh Heh.....I've got some of those clamps too. Do you have a set of cinder block and brick clamps?

[IraRat]

Heh Heh Heh.....I've got some of those clamps too. Do you have a set of cinder block and brick clamps?

I like the Sunbeam Microwave Box clamp there, which is probably filled with old magazines.

[doug hodder]

Home depot has a really "cheap" spring clamp. They're only a buck and will do just about the same thing as a Pony spring clamp. The drawback is that the vinyl grips slip off. Hey I can get 3 times as many clamps for the dough however. And if you need about 20 of them, it beats 60$ for the pony ones. I buy them 10 at a time occasionally to add to the collection. I ask for the vice grip bar clamps as Christmas gifts and B-day. For heavy weights, I go by the tire shops and ask if they have a bucket of wheel weights that they don't want. I melt them down and pour them into a mold. Got tons of lead and lead/zinc weights. I also have a collection of short pieces of rail road iron. They make great anvils....Doug Hodder