Clamps upgrade

[Sideways]

Clamps are tools that you build up as you go along so it's important to get the right ones from the beginning. For joinery work I don't think you can beat the standard Record - Irwin clamps. Extender bars are available at 36" long for the 135 series. As you are in Slovakia I would also look at the range of Hatagane clamps available from www.fine-tools.com. They are lighter duty than the Record but very versatile. No import duty from Germany either.

The brass Hatagane clamps are lovely little things and clean up without harm after a glue up, but they are a lightweight clamp, I bought a dozen decades ago and have only ever used them, several at a time, for small assemblies. Not the first clamp to buy for general use.

 

[recipio]

The brass Hatagane clamps are lovely little things and clean up without harm after a glue up, but they are a lightweight clamp, I bought a dozen decades ago and have only ever used them, several at a time, for small assemblies. Not the first clamp to buy for general use.

The brass clamps are nice for light boxes but only go up to 27.5 mm . The heavy duty Hatagane go up to 900 mm in span and have a nice nickel coating which repels glue. They are not cheap but less expensive than the industry standard Record - Irwin clamps.

 

[Ttrees]

I use the lidl f-clamps, bought 12 of them last year, they are very good worth every penny, I'm going to get a few more when they are in stock again.

The larger ones are excellent, I try and get at least one every time round.
Great for when you want a speedy hold down for something.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Yes, the Lidl ones are fine. A quick wipe with M/C wax will prevent just about anything from sticking to clamps.

 

[tibi]

I have finally decided to buy a bunch of quality F clamps in 200 - 300 - 600 mm lengths and buy 4 sets of pipe clamp heads from the Pony brand, which I can get from Germany. We have various brands here in Slovakia as well for pipe clamps, but I do not believe the quality, as they are mostly big box store labels.

I have three questions:

1. It is difficult to buy black steel pipes with threads on the end for me. I can find galvanized versions only. Even the seller in Germany sells the clamp with an optional galvanized pipe. Do galvanized pipes slip and are not worth buying? Should I look for black pipes (without any surface treatment)?

2. Is it feasible to buy only 4 sets of heads and buy various lengths of pipes? Is it quick to swap heads or I will be better off buying a head for each pipe?

3. Does the thread need to be just on one end?

Thank you.

 

[MikeK]

I have finally decided to buy a bunch of quality F clamps in 200 - 300 - 600 mm lengths and buy 4 sets of pipe clamp heads from the Pony brand, which I can get from Germany. We have various brands here in Slovakia as well for pipe clamps, but I do not believe the quality, as they are mostly big box store labels.

I have three questions:

Answers based on my dated and limited use of pipe clamps:

1. It is difficult to buy black steel pipes with threads on the end for me. I can find galvanized versions only. Even the seller in Germany sells the clamp with an optional galvanized pipe. Do galvanized pipes slip and are not worth buying? Should I look for black pipes (without any surface treatment)?

Every pipe clamp I used had the commonly available galvanized pipe from a hardware store.

2. Is it feasible to buy only 4 sets of heads and buy various lengths of pipes? Is it quick to swap heads or I will be better off buying a head for each pipe?

My friend in Stuttgart has five or six sets of heads and a dozen or so different lengths of pipes. He also uses the straight coupler to join two lengths of pipe when needed for the extra long reach.

3. Does the thread need to be just on one end?

Unless you want to join lengths of pipe using a straight coupler, the pipe needs threads on one end.

 

[tibi]

Answers based on my dated and limited use of pipe clamps:



Every pipe clamp I used had the commonly available galvanized pipe from a hardware store.



My friend in Stuttgart has five or six sets of heads and a dozen or so different lengths of pipes. He also uses the straight coupler to join two lengths of pipe when needed for the extra long reach.



Unless you want to join lengths of pipe using a straight coupler, the pipe needs threads on one end.

Thank you Mike, you helped me a lot. I will need 1,5 m pipes, as I am going to build a round dining table with 1,2 m in diameter. So I will buy 1m and 0,5m pipes and join them with a coupler. This will give me 3 possible lengths for the clamps (0,5 - 1 -1,5) m

 

[tibi]

Does anyone know what thread is on Pony Jorgensen pipe clamps?

https://www.dictum.com/en/i-beam-ba...clamp-fixture-set-inch-with-stand-solo-708934
I assume, as US product, it will have NPT threads and I can only buy locally pipes with ISO 7-1 threads. The ISO 7 tapered Whitworth threads are equivalent to DIN 2999, BS 21 (BS EN 10226-1), JIS B0203.

NPT threads have 60 degree taper angle, vs 55 degree for ISO 7-1, so I cannot use them interchangeably.

Can someone confirm, that this is the case with Pony pipe clamps?

see
https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/iso-threads-d_752.html

 

[MikeK]

Since Dictum sells it, the pipe thread will be the U.S. 3/4-inch and 1/2-inch NPT. Almost all metal water pipe and fittings available in the German hardware stores use the U.S. NPT thread sizes.

 

[Inspector]

My Pony clamps are between 20 and 40 years old and are 3/4NPT. I would believe the ones sold now are the same but you should ask the seller to confirm. You can also buy an import hand threader and thread the pipes yourself.

Galvanized pipe is reputed to slip a little more but I never noticed on the few I have. They are also supposed to wear the edges of the clutches but you can flip them around for more life. I have never done that. The advantage to galvanized pipe is that should the pipe touch the wood and glue it won't turn the wood black, like black iron pipes do. Put a bit of tape, paper or space the clamp off the wood with a little strip of wood 3mm or thicker....or don't be sloppy with the glue.

https://www.amazon.ca/Threader-Plum...=hand+pipe+threading+set,aps,237&sr=8-10&th=1
Pete

 

[tibi]

My Pony clamps are between 20 and 40 years old and are 3/4NPT. I would believe the ones sold now are the same but you should ask the seller to confirm. You can also buy an import hand threader and thread the pipes yourself.

Galvanized pipe is reputed to slip a little more but I never noticed on the few I have. They are also supposed to wear the edges of the clutches but you can flip them around for more life. I have never done that. The advantage to galvanized pipe is that should the pipe touch the wood and glue it won't turn the wood black, like black iron pipes do. Put a bit of tape, paper or space the clamp off the wood with a little strip of wood 3mm or thicker....or don't be sloppy with the glue.

https://www.amazon.ca/Threader-Plum...=hand+pipe+threading+set,aps,237&sr=8-10&th=1
Pete

Thanks, Pete for the clarification. Importing a threader would not be economical, as I would only use it maybe once or twice in a lifetime and it is a lot of money. I will probably opt for a pipe clamp from a local company that will have threads suited to ISO standard threads.