Wooden clamp

[Jacob]

Jacob, you can find some double threaded rod and make me 10 clamps please. Thanks for the offer.

You can make very similar clamps without double threaded rods. You will have to think about it.

 

[Sheffield Tony]

In fairness, it should be possible to come up with something that uses only right handed threads and serves a similar purpose. After all, the metalworker's equivalent - the toolmaker's clamp has no left handed threads:

A coarse pitch thread might be a good idea though.

 

[Jacob]

In fairness, it should be possible to come up with something that uses only right handed threads and serves a similar purpose. After all, the metalworker's equivalent - the toolmaker's clamp has no left handed threads:

A coarse pitch thread might be a good idea though.

Yes that's it. The point of the double thread is to effectively coarsen the pitch by a factor of 2.

 

[AndyT]

Here are some wooden equivalents of the engineer's clamp in use (ignore the plastic spring clamps). Made from offcuts of oak, coachbolts and insert nuts.
Robert Wearing described many variants of the design in his magazine articles and books.

 

[sjalloq]

The engineers/toolmakers clamp relies on one end being fixed/held in a rotating end cap. Yes you could make a similar style wooden clamp but if you use a coarse thread then you risk the clamp loosening. You also loose the main feature of the handscrew clamp which is fast opening/closing with minimal turns.

Each to their own. I'd prefer not to start a 'my clamp is best' war. It was just an FYI as I've seen lots of threads with people looking for them but no solutions as to where to buy them.

 

[Sheffield Tony]

If you are determined to use a left handed thread, a quick google of "left hand tap die" shows that you can get a die and set of three taps in say 10mm for £20 or so. I would hazard a guess that they are not of a quality for making very many clamps, but should do. It is a simple enough job.

Actually, looking at RDG tools they even have ACME right and left handed taps and dies.

 

[Jacob]

The engineers/toolmakers clamp relies on one end being fixed/held in a rotating end cap.

Or a captive nut as per bed bolts. Easier.

 

[bugbear]

In fairness, it should be possible to come up with something that uses only right handed threads and serves a similar purpose. After all, the metalworker's equivalent - the toolmaker's clamp has no left handed threads:

A coarse pitch thread might be a good idea though.

Yes - that's got a long standing equivalent in wood:

http://www.barntiquestore.com/store.php ... p_rice_mfg

(both threads are continuous and r/h)

Not as convenient or versatile as Jorgensen's invention but useful.

BugBear

 

[AndyT]

Yes - that's got a long standing equivalent in wood:

http://www.barntiquestore.com/store.php ... p_rice_mfg

(both threads are continuous and r/h)

Not as convenient or versatile as Jorgensen's invention but useful.

BugBear

If you want pictures of the conventional wooden design, they are available somewhat nearer home!

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/threads-t82691.html

 

[Sheffield Tony]

Now they are rather nice Andy.

 

[Biliphuster]

Sorry to bring up an old thread but I've been searching for these for a while and have had some success.

The UK importer of Jorgensen clamps/kits is EGL Tools: http://www.egltools.com/0-size-handscre ... =jorgensen and I've managed to get them from one of their resellers: https://www.cromwell.co.uk/

You can also get Pinnacle branded ones from Peter Sefton's shop now. But I've also sourced some second hand Jorgensens direct from the States and they work out at about half of the UK new price with shipping and VAT/duty added so not bad given the shipping cost. You can find some good value ones on eBay and also on Etsy.

Cheers.

If one is willing to go off brand I use this very much cheaper option

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Six-10-Wood-S ... 5b02bdfde9

The quality is not perfect but the function is absolutely fine, and a bargain price of £8 per clamp

 

[JohnPW]

Yes - that's got a long standing equivalent in wood:

http://www.barntiquestore.com/store.php ... p_rice_mfg

(both threads are continuous and r/h)

Not as convenient or versatile as Jorgensen's invention but useful.

BugBear

If you want pictures of the conventional wooden design, they are available somewhat nearer home!

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/threads-t82691.html

I won a couple of those on Ebay for 99p, plus some other stuff but the seller didn't want to sell.

I gather they're called "hand screws".

 

[buzzby]

Does anyone know a current place to buy these types of clamps. I am starting to look at making my own but these will easily take a couple of hours, not be as good as I want, and cost £20 in bits.

Not sure in my mind how to make the threaded rod stay in place. Have already given up on the reverse thread idea and will just use M6 or M8 stuff.

 

[AndyT]

I don't think anyone is making them commercially, though it would be nice to be proved wrong.

There's a good selection of the type with steel rods in, from Dictum

https://www.dictum.com/en/tools/woodwor ... epth-55-mm

Or from Dieter Schmidt

https://www.fine-tools.com/wooden-hand-screw-clamp.html

It's also possible to make a version cheaply and easily, certainly under £20 each.

Follow the wooden handscrew design, where threads are both right handed and an end presses into a blind hole. Use T-nuts and studding, available cheap from Toolstation or similar.

M12 studding £2.68 metre, M12 T nuts not listed, plain hex £2.94 for 50. More choice in M8 for a bit less. Wood = offcuts, no cost.

The metal rods work ok but are slower to adjust because of the finer pitch.

 

[ED65]

Does anyone know a current place to buy these types of clamps. I am starting to look at making my own but these will easily take a couple of hours, not be as good as I want, and cost £20 in bits.

Not sure in my mind how to make the threaded rod stay in place. Have already given up on the reverse thread idea and will just use M6 or M8 stuff.

There are a few versions of these with varying levels of complexity in Robert Wearing's book "Woodworking Aids & Devices". If you're lucky a local library might have a copy. The book is well worth having if you like jigs etc. If you want to buy a copy it shows up semi-regularly on Amazon's marketplace for a quid or two. My copy is an ex-library one, 10p before postage!

The simplest versions of these need the wood for the jaws, the lengths of threaded rod and only two nuts. 8mm is strong enough unless you're making quite large ones. I think you can even go down to 6mm, but with the quality of modern rod it might not be worth taking the chance.

Handles don't have to be turned, octagonal handles give a much better grip anyway and are easily made using any hand plane, without a jig if need be. If you want to save even more money you can use branches to supply the handle material but in that case you should probably add a ferrule unless you make the handles very beefy and set the rod in quite deep.

As Wearing advises I think, you should set out to make these in fours. One by one is a no-go and pairs doesn't really cut it in terms of saving time with repeat operations. So four or more is the way to go.

 

[Alexam]

http://www.ebay.com/bhp/jorgensen-wood-clamps

 

[Peter Sefton]

If I can help I will

Cheers Peter