criteeker's Full Review: Adjustable Clamp 1/2" Pony Bar Clamp Fixture Set f...
Clamps... They come in all shapes, sizes and configurations. They can aid in repairing furniture, making a chessboard, making picture frames - pretty much anything that needs to be repaired or created out of wood can be held together so that glue can do its job. You can never have too many tools - in this case, too many clamps. Clamps create "bonding experiences" if you're not feeling a little "fe-clamped." Okay, that was a horrid pun.
Wander into any contractor's workspace or a Do-It-Yourselfer's garage and you'll see them. In my garage, they are all clamped to a board I designated for clamp storage. That way, my clamps are organized and I can easily choose the one(s) I need. Pipe clamps have a wider jaw opening than, let's say, a C-clamp. C-clamps, spring clamps, twist clamps and hand clamps have their need too, but pipe clamps get the bigger jobs done. Any woodworker or DIYer will have a variety of clamps for repair work, creating new projects or other creative uses (which I'll get to later).
What you get with the 1/2" Pony Pipe Clamp set is basically two halves of a clamp. The business end has a threaded 1/2" hole that screws onto the end of the pipe. This is the end that works much like a bench vise - you can twist the handle to close or open the pipe clamp's jaw. The other end slips over the pipe and uses a diagonal spring-loaded inner jaw to grab the pipe. You can buy "black" pipe or galvanized pipe at any home center, hardware store or plumbing supply.
The great feature with pipe clamps is that you can make the clamps as short or long as you see fit. I have two at 14", two at 20", two at 26", one at 38", one at 50" and one for large jobs at 62". I like to get the clamps a bit larger than the common sizes - just in case. For instance, if I need to clamp a 48" piece of wood, the pipe would need to be a bit longer in order to allow room for the clamp itself.
Let's say you want to make a checker or chess board for someone. You'd need 2-4 clamps, some glue and two different types of wood like Maple for the light squares and Walnut for the dark squares. If you want 2" squares - cut the wood into 2" x (at least) 16" strips (preferably on a table saw). Lay down two pipe clamps. The feet of the clamps allows them to sit flat on the ground while giving you some clearance. Glue the sides of the wood and lay them onto the pipe in alternating colors - so you'd have dark, light, dark, light, etc. I use a pipe clamp on the top as well just so the wood doesn't buckle during the clamping process. Twist the clamp closed onto the wood until you notice glue start to ooze out from between each strip of wood. Use a damp rag to wipe up the excess glue and let dry.
Once dried, I run the wood through a planer or sander to get the surface cleaned up and flat. Next cut the wood across the stripes and rotate every other strip to get your chess board pattern. Then simply glue and clamp again. Once dried repeat the planing or sanding and you've got a chess/checker board!
Let's say you want to create a round table-top border for the chessboard. Pony also makes what is called a "band clamp" that uses a nylon strap to glue circular objects.
If you want to create a picture frame or a square border, Pony also makes clamps to clamp all four sides of square or rectangular objects. In fact, Pony makes a myriad of clamps and accessories for all of your bonding or repair needs.
You see, clamps are our friends.
Pipe Clamp Accessories Available:
Soft Jaw Pads:
Since the jaws of the pipe clamps are hard metal, when you clamp softer material like wood, the pipe's jaws tent to indent the wood and ruin the edge - creating more work. There are "jaw pads" that are soft and cushion the jaws vs. wood issue. You can also use scrap wood to accomplish this but the soft jaw pads slip right over the pipe clamp's jaws and work very well. Since they can slide off and get lost, a dab of hot glue will keep 'em in place.
Pipe Feet:
You can purchase feet that clamp onto the pipe itself and allow for mounting. You can use screws to mount the entire clamp to a piece of wood for custom clamping or use it like a large bench vise for working on larger projects.
For instance, let's say you have a door that sticks and it needs to be planed or belt sanded down a bit. Simply lay two pipe clamps on the floor, screw them to a larger piece of plywood and then nestle the door between the sets of jaws. Clamp down on the door and the pipe clamps keep the door standing straight up so you can plane or sand the edge of the door with ease. This works with or without the feet by the way. The pipe acts like an "outrigger" to keep the work (mostly) perpendicular to the floor.
Other Uses:
Get creative. It's a clamp with a length of pipe sticking out of it. I have used pipe clamps to hang clothes to dry or sell at a garage sale. I've used a pipe clamp to mount an overhead work light to. I've used two clamps (with a piece of wood) to create a temporary shade for a sick dog. I've even created a temporary barrier for the dogs or even kids. In a pinch, you can even build a temporary workspace or table with four clamps acting as the legs.
These versatile pipe clamps (available in 1/2", 3/4" and 1" sizes) can be purchased at most home centers, hardware stores and places like Harbor Freight Tools. Be aware that Pony is the brand name - there are many other knock-off brands out there.
The 1/2" pipe clamp is sufficient for most jobs, but with larger projects, thicker wood stock or if you run a professional cabinetry or furniture shop, the 3/4" clamps might be the best option because the jaws are a bit larger and the clamping power is a bit more.
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