If you are a craftsman or craftswoman like me, chances are very high you must have come across clamps and made use of them severally in your day-to-day tool activities.
For newbies, clamps are a very vital and versatile part of any tool –with a clamp, you can effectively tighten your workpiece to a work surface. Who could ever have thought that it would be very difficult holding two pieces together? Thanks to clamps that are always available to save the day and help you fasten things together.
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Woodworking Clamps
Woodworkers find clamp as a very useful piece in their jobs – when working on materials as a woodworker, you will definitely require the use of a clamp to tighten your workpiece to your work surface.
Working on materials without a clamp can be a very difficult and tiring task as the workpiece is not held firm to the work surface.
There are different types of clamps to ensure your workpiece has a straight edge while sawing or carrying any other activity on the work surface.
15 Types of Clamps you Will Find Very Useful as a Woodworker
The market is filled with a countless number of clamps which makes the selection process a bit of a hard one. Below are 15 types of clamps used in woodworking.
C-clamps
The C-clamp, as the name implies is shaped in a C curve –a long screw passes from the end of the C-clamp to the other. The C-clamp is sometimes referred to as the G-clamp.
My goto C Clamp is:
Ideal for
- Woodworking
- Metal workpiece
- Welding
- Holding edge pieces
Special benefits
The C-clamp can be used for a variety of materials which makes it a preferred choice by some woodworkers. It has a three-way edging clamp and the single edging clamp. The clamp can hold materials proportional to its size so you may need more than one.
Pipe Clamp
The pipe clamp fixture is somewhat similar to the sash clamp. It makes use of a round shaft instead of a flat bar. This tool does a good job of providing adequate pressure considering the size. Large materials can be effectively held firmly with the pipe clamp fixture.
My goto Pipe Clamp is:
Ideal for
- Holding large items
- Woodworking
- Speed
- Very good when much pressure is required.
Special benefits
Some of them have multiple-disk clutches, and this feature makes for easy connection to almost any part of the pipe. In other to allow for easy connection, you can make use of couplings to connect different pipe lengths.
Deep Throat C Clamp (oh…Stop It 🙂 )
These clamps are a combination of power and pipe clamps along with the deep reach of a C-clamp. This clamp is sure to carry out some clamps work for you. The deep throat clamp can easily replace the pipe clamp fixture in most applications.
My goto Deep Throat C or U Clamp is:
Ideal for
- Woodworking
- Power
- Speed
- Firm grips with good pressure.
Special benefits
It can effectively carry out a wide range of clamping activities as a result of the dual strength of C-clamps and pipe clamps. You can be assured that it will effectively hold your workpiece in place without slipping off.
Handscrew Clamp
If you are one for DIY, then you may not need a handscrew clamps –as a professional, you definitely would need this. It has been used for woodworking for so long. It is made up of wood and metal with strong jaws.
My goto Handscrew Clamp is:
Ideal for
- Woodworking
- clamping with good pressure
- Adjustable jaws
- Power
Special benefits
It provides ample clamping capacity through its wide length. Having this tool helps woodworkers handle a wide variety of jobs that are delicate and require a good amount of pressure.
One-handed bar Clamp
The one-handed bar clamp has a spectacular advantage over other clamps as it does not require more than one hand to get it fixated to its position while the other hand for fastening as required by many clamps.
The one-handed feature doesn’t make it weak but rather can produce a good amount of pressure.
My goto One-Handed Bar Clamp is:
Ideal for
- Woodworking
- Metalwork
- One-handed
- Pressure
Special benefits
If you are working on multiple or difficult projects, then this clamp is an ideal clamp for you. It would help you effectively carry out some tasks.
Spring Clamps
These clamps are called often by some people pinch clamps. The spring clamps work similarly to the pins used on clothes and also look the same way.
This clamp works just fine on hardwood due to the amount of pressure it exerts. They work effectively during repairs as an extra hand.
My goto Spring Clamps are:
Ideal for
- Woodworking
- Increased pressure for clamping
- Making small repairs
Special benefits
If you need lots of pressure when working on hardwood, then the spring clamp got you covered. The ergonomic design on some gives it a better grip. They apply similar force with larger C-clamps without sticking out.
Ratchet action bar Clamps
This clamp is known by some people as the band clamp. The ratchet action bar clamps are one of the clamps for woodworking on the market –this is peculiar to holding of odd shapes.
The ratcheting mechanism is very effective in holding materials as it remains in the desired position until it is being released.
Ideal for
- Woodworking
- Holding odd-shaped materials
- Holding materials firmly without causing any damage
Special benefits
This band clamp can effectively hold both soft and hardwood. It has a wide range of band length to fit a variety of materials. The ability to hold oddly shaped materials makes it a win-win for most people.
Miter Clamps
If you are considering holding together two pieces and you want them at a precise position, the miter clamp will come in really handy.
As a woodworker, you wouldn’t require more than one of these, unlike the C-clamp. It works as a very good substitute for the pinch clamp.
Ideal for
- Woodworking
- Holding wood sheets and edges
- Assembling
- Power
Special benefits
The miter clamp is quite easy to use –all you need to do is slide in your material and tighten the screw. It works well for the assembling of materials like frames and several moldings.
Kant twist clamp
The Kant twist clamp is a favorite option for many. It is commonly used by woodworkers, metal workers, and welders.
The strategic positioning of the handle makes it easy to evade twisting while tightening the material.
My goto Kant Twist Clamp is:
Ideal for
- Woodworking
- Welding
- Metalworkers
Special benefits
You can always count on the Kant twist clamp to effectively hold your materials through the perpendicular handle positioning. Woodworkers find it as a good clamp to hold quite a number of their workpieces.
Locking clamp
The locking clamp is also another very good clamp seen on the market. It works similarly to the sheet metal clamps. It differs from the sheet metal clamp in the fact that the jaws have a large surface area which makes it ideal for clamping materials.
Ideal for
- Woodworking
- Very fast
- One-handed
- Metalworking
- Welding
Special benefits
It is one of the most popular for its efficiency in clamping materials. The one-handed design of this clamp makes them suitable for a number of things.
Quick action clamp
The quick action clamp is another very popular clamp in recent times. As the name implies, it carries our swift action clamping. These clamps are similar to the F-clamps as a result of the varying clamp capacity.
Ideal for
- Woodworking
- One handed
- Speed
- Adjusting clamp capacity
Special benefits
The quick action clamp is very popular for its uses in woodworking and other clamping abilities. It does a very good job when you need to change clamp capacity. It can be tightened easily from the comfort of one hand.
Edge Clamp
Do you want to hold workpieces to an edge? The edge clamp is there to help out. The edge clamp effectively controls its two positions in two axis through its three separate screws. If you want to hold a butt weld or glue an assembly, then your edge clamp is sure to do justice.
Ideal for
- Woodworking
- Welding
- Assemblies
Special benefits
The edge clamp does a good job of holding workpieces to the edge through its dynamic design.
Parallel Clamps
The parallel clamp is another clamp that is loved by people due to its clamping abilities. If you are looking for a clamp with large opening capacity, the parallel clamp is sure to suffice. They are similar to the F-clamp due to its opening capacity.
Ideal for
- Woodworking
- Large opening capacity
- Large distribution area
Special benefits
The parallel clamps have a number of benefits. The large opening capacity makes it suitable for a number of clamping activities. During woodworking, the clamp jaws remain parallel when load is increased which gives it a large distribution area.
Bench Clamps
The bench clamp is ideal for holding down or screwing down workpieces to the work surface. If you are working with a work table, then the bench clamp will come in handy. It can also be used for assemblies.
Ideal for
- Woodworking
- Assemblies
- Welding
Special benefits
The bench clamp is your ideal clamp for fastening objects to your work surface. Woodworkers will find this clamp is a good one for some woodworking activities. It can also be used in welding.
Spring Clamps
If you are looking for an affordable yet effective clamp, then the spring clamp would be a perfect option for you. Their opening capacity is not as big as some other clamps but also can carry out a number of tasks.
Ideal for
- Woodworking
- Speed
- Very affordable
Special benefits
This tool is very effective in halting or stopping movements while working. The clamp load is little owing to its size. It will help you carry out your clamping work with speed and little effort needed.
Conclusion
The above list consists of 15 types of clamps all offering different clamp activities. No single clamp can work in all situations and all materials. The C-clamp and Deep throat clamp carry out similar activities through its deep reachability.
If you are looking for a clamp due to its varying clamping capacity then you can get the F-clamp or the quick action camp.
If you are on a low-cost object and your clamping need requires little clamp load then you can patronize the spring clamp –it is very affordable.
Whatever your need is, make sure you look for one that carries out a number of clamping activities you desire before you buy it. Whether you are out for varying clamp capacity, large clamping capacity or whatever your need might be –there are a number of clamps to suit your needs.
