249. Buy CHEAP f-clamps, but do this...
Тәжірибелік нұсқаулар және стиль
The F-clamp is easily my most used clamp in my shop. It’s also the one tool that you have to have several of to complete a project. Instead of going with the name brand stuff, generic clamps will work just fine…and most that I’ve seen even have a lifetime warranty, but I have a few tips for these.
First of all, stick with f-clamps that are less than 18 inches. Rarely do any of my projects need anything more than 6 inches, but as you go bigger, the steel will bend which will make them useless. If you need to clamp wide things, stick to pipe clamps.
Second, clamping pads, no matter what brand, can go missing. Clamping steel to wood with a little glue, causes the tannins in the wood to react which can leave dark black marks that you’ll have to sand later. Instead, use hot glue to attach the pads…and you’ll never have to worry about them again.
Third, all clamps, name brand or generic, can rust, but you can use a little paste wax on the flat side of the bars to keep them safe. This will also make them resistant to wandering glue puddles.
Finally, if you find one that’s bent, it can cause your work to move during glue ups. This is where the lifetime warranty comes in.
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Hey Makers! Harbor freight f-clamps are some of my favorite tools...they're incredibly cheap (3 of them cost about as much as a single Bessey clamp) and if you have any problems, you have a lifetime warranty that they are really good about. Check out my other channel! → @makethingswithrob
@RYwoodview
Ай бұрын
I have these clamps too. I tried hot-gluing the pads in place, but they'd come off. I find that superglue keeps them on.
good idea gluing the caps in place!!
Thank you for the information and yeah you’re right I don’t need more than six inches.
Muchisimas gracias por los tips, muy buenos! Saludos desde Argentina
If the teeth on the bar chewed get chewed up, clamp it in your vise, put your super heavy-duty ear protection on, and using a heavy duty cold chisel and a hammer (or a small sledge), “re-cut” the teeth on the bar. All it takes is a second or two to set the chisel in the original cut, give the chisel a couple of tap-taps, move your chisel to the next damaged tooth and repeat along the bar until you’ve squished enough steel out of there so the clamp will grab hold again.
@Manhandle730
Ай бұрын
Hadn’t thought of using a chisel. I went along with a hack saw. Put a somewhat aggressive metal cutting blade on it and recut the smoothed over areas so now it had plenty of grip again. Works pretty well but you’re much better off just buying a better clamp to begin with. I’ve never had issues with a quality, non-harbor freight made clamp.
@ImOnAJourney
Ай бұрын
@@Manhandle730 I wondered about using a hacksaw, but the reason I went with the chisel was because I wouldn’t be removing material that way. I want to leave something behind to grip to - if I sawed material away I might not leave enough for the clamp to grab. And you’re totally right about buying better clamps! The difference in cost is totally covered by less time spent making the cheap clamp work!!
Clamps from Futurama: **heavy breathing**
Those harbor freight clamps are garbage.
These tips are fantastic. Time to grab my paste wax