The clamp is auxiliary tool, which is used to fix the boards when they are connected in a given position. The clamp is also suitable for holding boards while sawing them, for routing hacksaw blade, connections of various elements. Parts that require machining can be inserted into the tool. Then, using a movable element, they are clamped with jaws and begin to work. To securely hold parts in the desired position, it is recommended to use two or more clamps.
Homemade clamps are often made of metal or wood, and in terms of their characteristics they are not much inferior to purchased, factory-assembled ones. Since the design of the clamping device is simple, it will not be difficult to understand the principle of its operation in order to make it yourself.
Making a metal screw clamp
Before starting work you will need to prepare necessary materials. For the base of the structure, a steel sheet one centimeter thick, or any even trim of the same thickness, is suitable. The length of the workpiece is arbitrary, but they try to choose it taking into account the working distance of the clamp.
Main materials of manufacture:
- steel sheet;
- long bolts;
- nuts
A drawing is being drawn up. The future body of the tool is marked on the workpiece material, which in appearance resembles the letter “C”. Instead of steel sheet you can use a section of profiled pipe, bent in the shape of the letter “C”. There are no special requirements for the thickness of the workpiece, but the design must be reliable. The choice of length is made taking into account the dimensions working area, processed parts.
After marking is applied, the part is cut out of metal. At home preparations small sizes can be cut using a grinder. But when making clamps of large dimensions, it is recommended to use a gas cutter or an acetylene torch. The next stage is processing and polishing the workpiece. All sharp edges and beads formed when working with gas welding equipment are knocked down using a file, and the surface is ground. sandpaper. This must be done so that when clamping the workpieces, you do not cut yourself on sharp edges.
Having prepared long bolts M 8, M 10, proceed to fastening the moving element. Why are nuts welded on one side of the workpiece under the selected bolts? If there are no bolts, you can select hexagons or steel rods required length with pre-cut threads.
At the inner working end of the screw, a flat, even part is welded, on which the function of the jaws is assigned. On the reverse side of the screw, a lever is attached by welding from scraps of a stud. Its presence will speed up the process of clamping workpieces , further reducing the amount of effort applied. This completes the assembly of the clamp with your own hands.
Corner clamp device
When making corner tools for furniture assembly, it is important to accurately maintain a right angle of 90°. Main available materials are corners with steel strips. To work you will need:
- 40 mm steel angle 3-4 mm thick;
- steel plates 40-50 mm;
- threaded studs;
- rods for gates;
- nuts;
- welding machine;
- electric drill, taps.
The corner clamp is the most difficult to manufacture, but when carrying out some types of work you cannot do without it. On initial stage Corners are welded to the steel plates at right angles, and nuts are placed on each corner, which will serve to create worm design. Another option is to drill a hole in the corner and cut it using a tap. internal thread. The width of the working gap is selected taking into account the size of potential workpieces, but too large a stroke of the clamping wheel reduces the strength of their fixation.
To process parts of different sizes, it is recommended to prepare several clamps!
The stud is screwed into the welded nut. At its end there is a stop made of metal washers various diameters, which should scroll freely when the pin rotates. On the back side of the knob, a hole is drilled for a metal rod. Used as a lever, it will transmit more force, so it will hold workpieces more reliably.
Wooden clamp - made from leftover boards
The most popular is a wooden quick-release clamp, but a tool of a similar design can also be made of metal. Despite the simplicity of the design, it is very convenient when performing various tasks.
The presence of two identical clamps expands the scope of their application!
For assembly you will need to prepare the following materials:
- pieces of boards;
- studs with pre-cut threads;
- nuts and wings corresponding to the threads of the studs;
- slats.
First, two studs of the same diameter with threaded threads are prepared. They must be 200 mm long. The nuts are matched to the threads of the studs. Two slats are prepared, preferably from hardwood. Best choice there will be oak, beech, birch, ash. The slats are adjusted to the same size. To do this, the excess length is sawed off and the cut is sanded. After this, two holes are drilled in each of the slats with a small tolerance. Moreover, the locations of the holes on each of the workpieces must match perfectly, and their diameter must correspond to the diameter of the studs.
Strips of plywood can be glued to the surface of the slats. They are adjusted to the size of the wooden blanks and holes are drilled. The studs are inserted into the resulting holes and securely fixed with nuts on one of the rails on both sides. To prevent material from pushing through, washers are placed under the nuts. This bar will always be stationary, but the other one will be able to move freely along the guides in the form of pins.
Another bar is installed. To do this, thread it through the studs and push it into place. Clamping is carried out using conventional nuts and open-end wrench, but for convenience and improved performance it is necessary to install wing nuts. Check the movement of the fastener; if it is difficult or additional adjustment of parts is required, or other defects are found, then they are eliminated. The work on assembling the wooden clamping device can be considered completed; all that remains is to test it in action.
Properly assembled clamping devices allow you to securely fasten wooden parts during carpentry work. Constructions listed types The fasteners are popular and so simple that they can be made independently from scrap materials using a minimum number of tools.
With the help of such a vice it is very convenient and reliable to clamp small parts. And in order for our clamp to automatically open when unscrewing the nut, we can put a spring inside on the bolt, between the hinge flaps. It does not need to be very powerful in order to special labor it made it possible to clamp the necessary parts.
To work you need:
- small door hinge;
- bolt;
- wing nut;
- screwdriver;
- pliers.
Clamping with your own hands is quite simple. We take a door hinge, which should have 3 holes on each side. We connect both its edges and drill out one hole for a bolt, if you don’t have a small one that can fit the existing holes.
We insert the bolt into the hole prepared for it and tighten it on the other side with a wing nut. To ensure maximum clamping of objects, you can use a screwdriver and pliers.
The most basic clamp made from scrap materials is ready.
Now we can test it, for this we will take two materials that we need to glue together. We apply glue to their surfaces and apply them to each other. Then we open our clamp, insert the materials to be glued there and clamp it using a wing nut and bolt. Tighten with pliers and a screwdriver. Now we wait for the glue to harden.
Simple and functional f-shaped clamps, made by yourself, will become indispensable assistants in your workshop and will allow you to save considerable sums on expensive clamps, of which, as you know, there are never too many. A cam-type quick-release clamp is optimal for situations where large clamping forces are not required: gluing narrow or small parts, edges, fixing workpieces, etc.
The cam clamp works on the principle of a classic f-shaped clamp. It consists of a guide rail and two jaws: movable and fixed. By fixing the workpiece in the jaws and turning the cam 90°, the tool will provide a strong and reliable clamp. It is not difficult to make a homemade clamp with your own hands at home, with a minimum of tools and consumables.
The proposed clamp drawing and detailing are a basic guide. The design of the product is such that you don’t have to worry about materials and dimensions, changing them to suit your needs. The tire can be made of either metal or wood. You can also vary the length and width of the jaws to increase the gripping depth of the clamp. Rivets or small bolts may be used instead of metal pins. The movable and fixed jaws are mirror images of each other, so it is convenient to produce these parts in series, several pieces at a time.
By making your own set of clamps and simple wooden stops, shown in the photo, you will get an effective corner clamp that will become an indispensable assistant when gluing together perfect frames.
Carrying out plumbing or carpentry work in places not equipped for this purpose is inevitably associated with the problem of securing workpieces. It is very difficult to prevent their movement on the table or workbench during processing if they are not equipped special clamps, vice or other fixing devices. One such device, simple, affordable and versatile, is clamps. We will tell you what they are and how they are used, and also give detailed instructions on how to make reliable clamps with your own hands.
What is a tool needed for, its design and types of tools
The clamp is an additional carpentry tool. The main purpose of clamps is to fix a workpiece on a support surface or several workpieces for gluing them together; therefore, the design of the tool must include at least two elements: a support surface and a movable jaw equipped with a fixation mechanism. The movable jaw is usually moved using a screw or lever, which allows for increased compression and prevents backlash during operation. Depending on specialization and design features The following types of clamps are distinguished:
- Screw G-shaped ones are the most common, characterized by their simplicity of design and relatively low cost. Represented by a metal bracket, on one side of which there is a bearing surface, and on the other - a threaded eye with an adjusting screw screwed into it. The inner part of the screw is equipped with a working jaw, the outer part with a handle. The tool is effective when working with heavy, large workpieces of simple shape.
Clamps of this type are suitable for working with large workpieces
- F-shaped ones are more universal; their supporting surface is fixedly fixed on a long rod along which a working block with a sponge slides. Movement and fixation of the block is ensured by an auxiliary screw or a stepper pressure mechanism.
Objects are fixed using an auxiliary screw and a stepper mechanism
- Pipe - allow you to fix large-sized workpieces by varying the length of the pipe. Consist of two individual elements- a base plate with a screw clamp and a jaw sliding along the pipe.
The clamp is suitable for working with large workpieces
- Angular - designed to simplify the joining of workpieces at right angles, for which they have two supporting and working surfaces. They are divided into two subspecies. The first involves the presence of two clamping screws located perpendicular to each other; the second is equipped with a single screw with a double-sided corner block at the end. Very rarely there are specialized clamps that allow you to position workpieces at an acute or obtuse angle.
Clamps of this type simplify joining workpieces at right angles
Corner clamp with double-sided corner block
- Tape - equipped with a flexible element and several jaws floating on it. By fixing the jaws in certain places on the belt and adjusting its tension, you can process workpieces of complex shapes.
The band clamp is equipped with a band element that allows you to fix the workpiece around the perimeter
- Pincers - consist of two hinged parts and a spacer spring. In practice, they are rarely used due to the relatively low reliability of the joint, but they provide maximum speed for installing and removing the workpiece.
This clamp is rarely used due to the low reliability of the joint
At home, the first three types of clamps are most often made, since they are not too demanding on materials and production technologies, and also allow solving most household problems that require the use of auxiliary tools.
More more information You will find information about the types of clamps in our next material:
How to make a carpentry clamp with your own hands: step-by-step instructions with drawings
To make clamps at home, it is enough to have basic plumbing and carpentry skills. The materials used are wooden beam, rolled metal, pipes and fasteners, in particular bolts, studs, nuts, pins. For docking metal parts clamps, it is desirable to have an electric welding machine. When performing any work, the main thing is to follow the instructions and observe safety precautions.
Manufacturing of screw type tools
This type of clamp will help to secure wood workpieces well.
A clamp made using this method is perfect for fixing small wooden pieces - plywood, fiberboard sheets, OSB and chipboard, as well as boards and thin timber. We suggest that you choose the scale yourself, but otherwise it is better not to deviate from the following sequence of actions:
- Transfer everyone's templates wooden parts on thick paper or cardboard in accordance with the selected scale.
- Using the template, transfer the image onto a board of a suitable width. It's better not to use pine boards, but harder wood.
- Using a jigsaw, cut out all the parts. Correct the shape with a file and sand the surface with sandpaper.
- In the “jaws” mark and drill holes for the axial bolt. Lengthen the hole in the upper “jaw” using a round file so that its length is 1.5–2.5 times the diameter of the bolt.
- Drill a hole in the handle for a nut with a diameter corresponding to the number wrench. Using a file, give it a hexagonal shape. Install the nut inside with epoxy or cyanoacrylate glue.
- Assemble the clamp - fix the axial bolt in the lower “jaw” with glue, install the rear loop on the screws, put on the upper jaw and, placing a washer, install the handle. Apply soft pads to work surfaces.
An even simpler option is to make a screw clamp from a hacksaw.
A simple version of a hacksaw clamp
In this case, it is enough to weld a support pad at one end of its arc, and a nut at the other, into which the adjusting screw with jaw and handle will be installed.
Homemade quick-release clamp made of wood
Making such a clamp will take longer
Usage F-shaped clamps significantly speeds up the work process. But making the clamp itself is somewhat more complicated than creating its screw counterpart. You will need to do the following:
- Transfer the images onto the lumber as described above. Accurately observe the specified dimensions of the parts and the locations of the pin holes.
- Cut out the parts with a jigsaw, use it to make a narrow slot in the movable jaw and deep slots for the axial plate. Using chisels, select the groove for the cam lever.
- Drill holes for the pins. Treat all external and internal surfaces of the parts with a file, and then with sandpaper.
- Using a grinder, cut out an axial plate from a metal strip and grind it. Drill holes for the pins.
- Assemble the tool by installing the jaws onto the plate using pins. Insert the cam into the movable jaw. Glue on the working pads.
- Check the functionality of the quick-release clamp. If necessary, change the shape of the working part of the cam lever.
Rough fixation of the lower jaw on the axial plate can be achieved by wedging its guide pins, inserting an additional pin, using a screw clamp or another method.
Video: making a quick clamp
Metal pipe
To make such a clamp you will need a metal pipe
For such a tool, you will need three metal rings, the inner diameter of which corresponds to the outer diameter of the pipe you have, instead of which, by the way, you can use a metal rod. If you have a welding machine, the process of making a clamp comes down to the following algorithm:
- Weld support platforms to two rings, which can be made from angle steel; Install a nut on the third ring, and weld the ring itself to the end of the pipe.
- Weld an improvised handle made of a metal rod to the head of a long bolt, screw the bolt into a ring with a nut.
- From the free end of the pipe, place the ring of the upper movable jaw on it. Make holes in the lower jaw ring for the fixing pins.
- Install the lower ring onto the pipe.
A pipe clamp is ideal for holding furniture elements during assembly; it will be convenient in construction and installation work and other similar operations.
Video: homemade pipe-type clamp
Corner
To make this type of clamp, you can use wood, metal or duralumin. They differ from each other not only in material, but also in clamping force and the size of the fixed workpiece. Our next material presents detailed instructions for making tools:
Both in everyday life and in professional activity related to wood and metal processing, clamps will become an indispensable assistant. Following instructions and having simple dialing materials, you can make this tool with your own hands.
Processing workpieces on a carpentry workbench will be convenient to use various devices, fixing parts on the table surface. With your own hands you can actually make both the simplest stops and clamps, and universal systems, allowing you to secure workpieces of any configuration.
Simple wooden stops for a carpentry workbench - drawing, example
Homemade bench stops made of wood do not dull the tool and do not damage the ends of the parts. The devices are divided according to the type of rod and inserted into holes of the appropriate shape.
Rectangular wedges do not rotate and ensure absolute immobility of the workpiece. The stops themselves are easy to make, but hollowing out the square sockets will take a lot of time and effort. It is advisable to install these holes in tabletops made of solid boards at the manufacturing stage carpentry workbench.
In work surfaces made from sheet material, it is more correct to use stops with a cylindrical rod. Such devices are convenient for fastening curved parts, and holes for them can always be drilled into in the right place. Rigid fixation of rectangular workpieces is achieved by installing an additional bar with two rods.
How to make a stop with a round rod
Birch, cherry, maple or walnut are suitable for the bench stop rod. The top strip is made of the same hardwood or plywood. A low-profile stop can be made from high-density laminated board left over from the flooring installation.
Decide on the diameter of the rod. If you plan to purchase ready-made retainers later, select standard size 19 mm. If you are confident in the future self-production For carpentry workbench fixtures, use a diameter of 21 mm. Such outer size have half-inch water pipes, from which homemade clamping clamps are made. Approximately the same value corresponds to conditional pass three quarter pipes suitable for making round wood rods.
Take a piece of pipe with a diameter of 3/4 inch, a length of 60–80 mm and a thread of at least 20 mm. Sharpen the edges on one end and screw the nut onto the other.
Insert the device into inch pipe and run through it birch stick, hitting from above with a heavy hammer.
Trim the wood when the wood chips hit the nut. It may seem easier to take a longer tube, but it will be much more difficult to penetrate.
After running the stick, remove the burrs with sandpaper. Wooden rods made in this way may have minor imperfections that do not affect the overall shape of the cylinder. At the beginning of setting up a home workshop, when there are no special machines yet, you will not find more simple way making a round stick with your own hands.
Draw the top parts of the stops on the workpieces in the required quantity and mark the centers for drilling holes.
Using a feather drill, make indentations half the thickness of the material. Start drilling at low speeds, pressing lightly on the drill. At the moment of contact, marks will appear on the surface, which will show where the tool should be deflected for perpendicular drilling.
Saw the workpieces, sand the ends and countersink the holes for the screws.
Apply wood glue to the stud and into the recess.
Connect the parts, press them with your hands and wipe off excess glue. Insert the rod into the hole in the table top and tighten the screw.
After ten minutes, carefully remove the stop, pushing from below and without moving the parts. Leave the device until the glue dries completely.
Drill holes for bench stops where you consider necessary. Most often they are needed on the left side of the table for planing workpieces and next to the vice for sharing. The distance between the centers of the holes should be the same everywhere and correspond to the size of the long stops. Before drilling, attach an unnecessary board to the bottom so that there are no chips when the drill comes out.
How to make a stop for cutting boards
The stop located on the side of the tabletop is convenient for cross-cutting boards. When it is not needed, its rotating part is lowered and is out of the way. Use the tool in conjunction with a long bench stop, holding the board firmly with one hand while using the hacksaw with the other.
Cut the wooden stop pieces from leftover hardwood. Make two countersink holes in the fixed part and one in the turning strip, exactly matching the diameter of the screw being used.
Mark on the end of the table the location of the moving part in line with the bench stop.
Secure the turntable first, adding a block if necessary to increase the thickness of the tabletop. Next, install a stationary part perpendicular to it.
Universal bench clamps
Movable fasteners allow you to fix various workpieces and removable work panels on the carpentry workbench. The clamps move in metal guides with a T-groove (T-slots) embedded flush with the table surface, which can be aluminum or steel.
How to make guides with your own hands
An analogue of factory rails with a T-slot can be easily made from metal pipe rectangular or square section. A profile with a height of no more than half the thickness of the tabletop is suitable. Immediately select the bolts and mark the cutout on one side of the pipe in proportion to the diameter of the bolt.
Cut the groove with a grinder, trim the edges with a file and round the edges with sandpaper.
Select suitable profile trims for making sliders if the hex head is smaller than the groove and rotates in it.
Drill holes for the bolts and cut the brackets, calculating their height to be 1-2 mm less than the internal passage of the profile.
How to embed guides into a tabletop
Use manual frezer for making a recess in the countertop. If the profile being cut is wider than the cutter, make the groove in two approaches.
Draw a marking on the surface and install a flat panel parallel to it. To prevent chipping when the cutter comes out, attach a wooden strip close to the end.
Adjust the routing depth stop and select the groove in several passes.
Rearrange the panel, cut out the remaining material and sand the recess with abrasive paper.
Secure the guides with screws, making recesses in the metal for the caps.
How to make a simple clamp bar
Customizable clamping systems provide a variety of options for securing parts to your woodwork. The most simple design– a clamping bar fixed by bolts sliding in T-shaped tracks.
Saw strips of plywood, adding 20 mm to the width of the parts indicated on the drawing, in order to later trim the glued workpiece and get perfectly straight ends. For the middle part, plywood scraps of the same thickness will do.
Glue the parts together, drill holes with a countersink 25 mm from the edges and tighten the screws on both sides. After the glue has dried, saw the workpiece to final size using a circular saw.
Cut plywood washers with a diameter slightly larger than the width of the clamping strip.
Carefully drill holes for the bolts in them.
Place the tool on the surface of a woodworking bench, put on washers and tighten with wing nuts.
The clamping bar is excellent for holding large workpieces and also as a side stop along which to guide the tool, for example when routing a longitudinal groove.
How to make clamps from plywood
Simple and convenient clamps in the form of brackets are fixed on the workbench in the same T-slots, are easy to move and allow you to fix a variety of parts in any position.
The device consists of a plywood part with a groove, a bolt with a slider, washers, a wing nut and a metal sleeve.
For the manufacture of wooden elements You will need a template; it can be easily drawn on paper following our instructions.
The procedure for making a template
Trace the template onto the plywood and use an awl to mark the center of the drill.
Make a hole with a 22mm diameter drill bit.
Prepare the remaining pieces and attach them together using wood glue and screws. Sand the ends, paying attention Special attention the upper semicircle and the lower rounded parts.
Take a half-inch tube and measure a length on it the length of the plywood staple. Drill a hole in the center for the bolt and cut the bushing to size. File off the metal burrs and sand the surfaces.
Assemble the clamp by placing washers under the nut.
The clamp in the photo below is simpler and is made in a similar way. When using this design, you have to place a pad of approximately the same thickness under the second arm of the lever, otherwise there will be a misalignment of the bolt, leading to deformation of the guide rail.
Increase the capabilities of your clamping system by making profile pipe another T-shaped track. By placing the guide between the rails embedded in the table, you can fasten parts anywhere on the carpentry workbench.
This additional strip is fixed at the edges with short bolts, and inside the profile there are small plywood inserts with holes.
The considered devices for a carpentry workbench are easy to manufacture and are suitable for securing most workpieces. Further work in carpentry will require new stops or clamps, which ingenuity will help you come up with, and experience that comes gradually will allow you to do them.