Clamps anyone?

Jeff Horton

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The Heart of Dixie
Must be the week to buy clamps. at least for me. I went down to the HUGE salvage store (1st floor of the old factory) for my monthly look see and for the first time didn't buy anything. Almost always find some 4-5 dollar tool I can use. I did see a lot of the cheap spring clamps.

I am glueing up a bent lamination for a kayak coaming when I run short of big spring clamps and think about the ones down at Mikes. At a buck a piece I figured I better go buy all he had. I scrounged around and had all I could carry in my arms., ended up with 14 of them at the checkout. (on the red bag) I think I left 3 or 4 in bin. At $14 I felt it was a bargain and they have strong springs in them! Perfect for laminating coamings.

Yesterday I go to look at a Unisaw a friend of mine has. Fair price but I don't need it, (it's listed in the for sale section). The she shows me all the clamps. Well you never have enough clamps right? Well I am not so sure. I think I have bought my last clamp for a while.

I had one large hand screw and I had wanted more but I kept watching for a deal. When I saw these I couldn't pass it up. Plus I had always wanted some long I-beam clamps to boot. She said make an offer, Hate when a friend does that. Since she was a friend I was honest and said, you could probably get more but they are worth X$ to me. Next thing I know I was loading up the truck with all these clamps. I realized really quick I have to take time to build a wall mounted clamp rack. I have run out of room in the rack I have now. Time for another rack and NO MORE CLAMPS! I think I have too many now.
 

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Keep us posted on the clamp rack. I'm sort of thinking of making something like this for my little collection of clamps:

21834-01-200.jpg


I've already got the scrap lumber and some casters to do it, but just haven't gotten around to it yet.

I have 0 wall space in my garage, so it has to go on the floor on wheels...

Right now they are all hanging from the rafters...
 
I thought about a rolling clamp cart but I value my floor space more. I think a Rolling cart would just be in the way. So these will hang on the wall. Not bragging but will all my clamps I am afraid a cart would be the size of a small smart car!!

I have limited wall space where I need them but I have been thinking about moving a shelf I have now. It has collected old motors, a 4" jointer, other misc. thing I have no use for and just need to pass these on to someone else. If I did that I could have a good place for ALL my clamps I think.

Heck, I just remember I bought a welder a while back for a project I have yet to get too. Maybe I should just buy some angle iron, weld up some sturdy racks and bolt it to the wall!
 
How can you say that now you've got enough clamps? You are going against the millenary saying! You'll be outcast from any woodworking forum if you say that out loud. (except in this one, we are friendly and forgiving people):rofl::rofl:

Congratulations on the deal Jeff! I'm sure you'll make goo use of them:thumb:
 
Toni, I am always in the minority and go against the grain. :rolleyes:

For example I would rather have this old rust I-beam clamps than spend money on Bessy's. I could go one but .........
 
Good score Jeff. I built a rolling floor clamp rack as wall space is a premium for me and I am regreting it and trying to find a spot on the wall to put the clamps. The roller is nice but it seems to always be in the way. I actually when I think of complaining about my lack of organization and shop space I just think of Alex and Stu in Japan and the space that they have. I have a palace in comparison. I can Just imagine Stu and Alex back here and with a regular western garage/shop they will have everything crammed into one small corner :rofl::rofl::rofl:
 
You motivated me to put together a rack for my meager collection of clamps....

http://familywoodworking.org/forums/showthread.php?p=186998#post186998

Drew, I suspect I'm in a similar situation to you. I don't have either the wall space or floor space for the clamps, but I'd rather have them organized I guess than to continue to search for the right clamp, or bang my head on the ones hanging from the rafters :D
 
You motivated me to put together a rack for my meager collection of clamps....

http://familywoodworking.org/forums/showthread.php?p=186998#post186998

Drew, I suspect I'm in a similar situation to you. I don't have either the wall space or floor space for the clamps, but I'd rather have them organized I guess than to continue to search for the right clamp, or bang my head on the ones hanging from the rafters :D

Yea Brent I hear ya, Organized is great, don't get me wrong. What I have is better than not having anything at all. I rushed in to build it thinking it would solve my problems and it did for a time. Just like anything in the shop it is a constant changing situation. What seemed good, was for a time now that has changed.
 
Jeff, There might be a method to your madness on the I beam clamps you got. doing some research this morning on glue ups for a table I plan on doing I came across this.

clamps.jpg

As you can see, they (FWW) rated I beam clamps to have a much greater clamping force than the other kinds of clamps...
 
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