Shop made handscrew clamps

[LCHIEN]

After posting an article on BTCentral about using handscrew clamps I got to thinking about what it would take to make your own using the kits available.
I ordered a couple of 4" handscrew clamps ($4.25 each at Grizzly) and a pair of Shopfox 4" handscrew clamp kits for $2.95 at Grizzly.

http://www.grizzly.com/search/search.aspx?q=handscrew%20clamp%20kit&cachebuster=2601797315292060.5

So if your wood is free and your labor is worth less than $1.30 they you should build the kits and have that warm glow and self satisfaction.

Well, 2 clamps would take 4 identical jaws. I cut eight and then ended uo cutting another 8 from some Jatoba I had laying around. I ended up having to make three jigs to drill the angles, intersecting holes for the slots and to hold and cut the chamfer on the front. Made several mistakes in dimensioning as I tried to go my own way instead of using the dimensions (that I found from Shopfox on the web, not the Shopfox ones that came with the kits). Drill guides wallowed out and the holes drifted off center. Drilled the wrong side.

instructions that are better than the ones that come with the kits:

http://pics.woodstockint.com/manuals/d3016_m.pdf

Anyway here's the final products - I think mine are better made but I suppose my labor is worth around $0.10 per hour... :

[cabinetman]

I tried a kit and found that the hardware supplied wasn't up to the quality of Jorgensen's. Their products are tough to beat.

.

[LCHIEN]

you can get the Jorgenson handscrew clamp kits here:

http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.aspx?cat=1,43838,47843&p=59472

but they do cost a pretty penny. 4" kit cost $9.20

[chopnhack]

Well done Loring! I do believe you need a raise though... your work is custom :-)
The distance between the first screw and the opening of the clamp looks rather short, was this by intention or is that the way this size is designed?

[cabinetman]

Well done Loring! I do believe you need a raise though... your work is custom :-)
The distance between the first screw and the opening of the clamp looks rather short, was this by intention or is that the way this size is designed?

It's a small clamp.

.

[LCHIEN]

Well done Loring! I do believe you need a raise though... your work is custom :-)
The distance between the first screw and the opening of the clamp looks rather short, was this by intention or is that the way this size is designed?

Well, mine is about 1/8" closer to the tips than the commercially made one but that's not all that far off. Generally the reach, as they call that dimension, is about half the clamp body length so in this case its about 2".

[chopnhack]

I see. I only have one size in the shop and was basing my question on my limited experience with wooden hand clamps. I bought them when they were on sale from rockler some years ago. They are handy, just a few days ago I used them as a large plumber wrench when my slip joint pliers were too small (larger than 2" diameter fitting.)

[cabinetman]

Dimensions listed can be confusing. The size of the clamp usually referred to is the overall length of the clamp. The reach, is the useable jaw depth to the first threaded rod. The opening distance, or capacity is how far apart the two jaws can be adjusted. Generally speaking, none of the three measurements or reference to dimensions are uniformly related.

.

[Bruce Cohen]

Very nifty clamps.

But I still think you guys have way too much time on your hands.

Bruce