Clamp

Spring clamp

Very low clamping force compared to traditional clamps. Very quick to use. Can be useful for holding things in place while fixing them, but often several clamps are needed to give enough holding force.

Its possible to make basic spring clamps by cutting plastic pipe into C shaped pieces. See Make Things from PVC Pipe.

Mole grips

A locking type of plier. Gives the highest clamping force of any portable type of clamp.

Heavy Object

Gravity is enough for some jobs.

Rope & Wedge

A rope is tied round the items to be clamped. Wedges are inserted under the rope to pull the rope tight. Using one wedge on each side avoids asymmetric pull.

When a wedge is not to hand, scrap wood, food tins and so on can be used.

The advantages are:

• enables jobs to be done when no proper clamps are to hand.
• it can secure oddly shaped workpieces
• it can clamp any size of workpiece

The disadvantages are:

• there is not good accurate control of clamping tension
• wedging on one side only will pull items out of alignment, so access to both sides is needed for reasonable performance.
• maximum clamping force is limited, though often sufficient to get the job done.

Dog Clamp

A dog clamp has 2 spikes that are knocked into the pieces of wood to be held together. Inserting the clamp pulls the wood together.

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PVC Pipe Clamp

A PVC pipe clamp is nothing more than an inch of pvc pipe slit open. It is a simple type of spring clamp readily made from plastic pipe scrap. If you need greater clamping force, use 2" pieces of pipe instead of 1".

The clamp on the right has fancy wooden jaws added. This increases the spring force by pushing the pipe further out, but reduces maximum throat size.

http://www.pvcworkshop.com/ShopProjects.htm

Tape

Tape can be used as a crude clamp. The tape is puled tight as its applied, and clamping force builds up with each added turn of tape. An initial layer of paper or polythene can be used to stop tape sticking to the workpiece.

Screw

A screw in an inconspicuous position is sometimes good as a clamp.

Clothes Peg

Simple minimal cost spring pegs. Small jaw opening, too small and too weak for most work. Oversize pegs are now available. For very small workpieces a whole row of pegs can give enough clamping force to do the job.

Not a good DIY tool, but on hand in most homes.

Vacuum Press

A vacuum clothes storage bag is connected to a hoover for light clamping, with the workpiece inside. Force is exerted on the workpiece in all directions.

See Also

• Category:Tools
• Wiki Contents
• Wiki Subject Categories