Anyone who has had to do something with their own hands in the direction of improving their own home does not need to talk about the importance various kinds clamps and clamps. Without their presence, it is impossible to imagine both carpentry and plumbing. To properly process any part, you need a clamp. You can easily make it yourself at home using the most basic tools.
Types and types of clamps
Mechanical clamping devices differ both in purpose and in the material from which they are made. Main starting materials are also wooden beams.
Sometimes clamps are assembled in a rather complex spatial configuration: they provide both horizontal and vertical compression of the workpiece being processed. For assembly when constant supervision is required right angle, the corner clamp is very convenient. It’s quite possible to do it yourself, but it’s better to practice on less complex structures.
Clamps also differ in the type of elements that create mechanical compression. The most common are clamps based on a screw mechanism. But anything that can provide the necessary compression force can be suitable for the design. Even those cut from old car cameras.
Why not just buy them?
In any tool store, clamps are presented in a more or less wide range. And any master has a sufficient number of them in his arsenal. What usually stops a craftsman from buying another one? Firstly, the price - quality tool cannot be cheap by definition. Secondly, it is not always possible to find what you need. A self-made clamp to perform a specific task ensures the process of assembling the product on an individual basis. This is not always possible to achieve using a universal clamp from a tool store.
Disadvantages of the standard tool
On the construction market you can find a lot of clamps that look like real ones and are expensive, but they only work for a very short time. They are usually made in China. They will have to be thrown away along with the money that was paid for them. Most often it fails; it is made from a cheap, low-quality alloy. If you don’t want to throw money away, then you should think about how to make a clamp with your own hands. This will not only result in another useful thing in the master’s instrumental arsenal, but also an increased level of skill and self-esteem.
DIY clamp: what is needed to make it
First of all, you need to get quality timber made of hard wood hardwood or a piece of rolled metal profile (preferably a channel section) - this is the basis on which the stop and the screw mechanism must be mounted. The most important element clamps is exactly it. A bolt with a large thread profile nut is best suited. To assemble the structure into a single whole, you will need a drill with attachments and standard bolt fasteners. Making clamps with your own hands does not require outstanding qualifications, but you should still have basic carpentry and plumbing skills.
Making a clamp
The most important advantage of a homemade clamp is its narrow focus on providing a specific technological operation. That is why it is necessary to carefully measure everything and sketch out a schematic drawing of the future product. A self-made clamp can and should last a very long time, but this will only happen if it is competently designed and assembled correctly.
A stop and a screw mechanism must be mounted on the supporting frame beam. The free movement of the screw provides sufficient force for compression. The fastening of the stop and the screw with the nut must prevent them from being pulled out of their fixed position when technological force is applied. An important point is the presence of a flywheel mounted on the head of the process screw. If it is not provided for and not carried out, then the compression of the clamp will have to be done with the help of which is neither productive nor functional.
In order to be able to use the clamp in as many operations as possible, the support on it is usually made in the form of a removable block that can be placed in several fixed positions. For assembling large wooden planes, it makes sense to construct a more complex clamp in the form of a system of two or more screws mounted on the same frame base. Efforts put into manufacturing technological tool, always give the proper return when using it.
Simple and functional f-shaped clamps, made by yourself, will become indispensable assistants in your workshop and will allow you to save considerable sums on expensive clamps, of which, as you know, there are never too many. Quick clamp cam type is optimal for situations where large clamping forces are not required: gluing narrow or small parts, edges, fixing workpieces, etc.
The cam clamp works on the principle of a classic f-shaped clamp. It consists of a guide rail and two jaws: movable and fixed. By fixing the workpiece in the jaws and turning the cam 90°, the tool will provide a strong and reliable clamp. Homemade clamp It won’t be difficult to make it yourself at home, with a minimum of tools and consumables.
The proposed clamp drawing and detailing are a basic guide. The design of the product is such that you don’t have to worry about materials and dimensions, changing them to suit your needs. The tire can be made of either metal or wood. You can also vary the length and width of the jaws to increase the gripping depth of the clamp. Rivets or small bolts may be used instead of metal pins. The movable and fixed jaws are mirror images of each other, so it is convenient to produce these parts in series, several pieces at a time.
By making your own set of clamps and simple wooden stops, shown in the photo, you will get an effective corner clamp that will become an indispensable assistant when gluing together perfect frames.
Clamp – important tool for any master. At the same time, the specifics of his work do not play a special role: carpenter, mechanic. This device is indispensable and is therefore often used. For example, when gluing wood blanks to secure a sheet, slab, board, etc.
You can find a large selection of clamps on the market. They differ in the material from which they are made, sizes and other characteristics. Despite this, as practice shows, choose best option difficult for work. Most tools have their drawbacks that cause difficulties during use. One of the most important is associated with low strength. This is explained by the fact that the manufacturer wants to save costs on the manufacture of products, so he uses low-quality materials.
If you want to get a durable and reliable device, then the same the best option- this is to do it yourself. Such a tool will a great assistant when working with wood and will last long years. At the same time, it will save money on purchasing a new one, which is expensive. The design you come up with will help solve individual problems quickly and easily.
A clamp is a simple device in its design, but very important when performing wood processing. It is used to fix in one position a board, slab, etc. that needs to be cut. It is very important that it is comfortable for its owner. This will allow you to get the job done quickly and efficiently.
The only way to get a tool that will meet your requirements is to make it yourself. To do this, the first thing you need to start with is to decide on the type of structure. The tool can be made of both metal and wood. Their scope is wide. This can be either a universal or a specialized device.
If we talk about varieties, we can distinguish tape, pipe, edge and others. As for clamps, the mechanism is represented by the type of angular, screw, mounting, manual, quick-clamping. The last option is relatively new. It appeared quite recently, but is already actively used by craftsmen, as it is convenient and practical.
Preparation of drawings
Manufacturing of clamps – simple process. Despite this, it requires attention and responsibility. In order for the resulting product to be of high quality and reliable, it is necessary to think through everything to the smallest detail.
First of all, you will need a drawing. On a piece of paper you can reproduce the device as it will be in the future. You can prepare it yourself. But here you need to have certain skills in solving such problems.
And, of course, the best option is the help of a professional. He will take into account your wishes and prepare an individual drawing. But for his work you will need to pay a certain amount.
What is necessary?
Depending on the purpose for which the tool will be used, the material from which it can be made is selected. The highest quality and most reliable products can be obtained from wood, metal, corners, pipes and other things. These materials are great for making a clamp. It is also worth considering their high strength and durability.
In addition, you will need studs, nuts, plywood boards, and slats. Their size is determined based on what kind of device it will be. They are indicated on the drawings.
Manufacturing process: instructions
The clamp manufacturing process consists of several stages. You can proceed to it after the drawings have been prepared and necessary materials. At the same time, you must work carefully and carefully.
The first stage is to secure the bars to the table surface. These will be used to secure the clamp to the workbench. To do this, you need to make holes on them by drilling. Then, using nuts and studs, press them tightly.
The second stage involves working with the lower beam. It must be stable on the surface. To do this, it is placed horizontally. The next one is placed on top. It should be edge-on to the tabletop.
After this, you need to install plywood boards. A block is placed on them, and everything is attached to the table. In this case, the bottom edge of the board should protrude slightly. Three centimeters relative to the block will be enough. After the elements are correctly laid out, they must be drilled through and secured with studs. In this case, each board performs its role. One is responsible for how the lower beam is fixed, the second acts as a clamp.
In this case, it is important to equip the structure with a plywood strip that moves. The studs used for fastening are different. They differ in length. So, the long ones are responsible for the working stroke, the short ones for attaching the device to the table. As for the nuts, their role is also great. They fix the part of the tool that moves and regulate the clamp itself and its strength. Thus, they act as levers.
DIY quick-release clamp
A do-it-yourself quick-release clamp is one of the most common types of design. It happens different types: angular, lever, manual and others. Its main difference is that the device provides quick clamping of the material that needs to be processed.
Making such a clamp with your own hands is not difficult. To do this, it is necessary to take into account some of the nuances of the case. The first is related to a good clamp. A lever that helps in working with the tool is excellent. Such a device will be convenient and practical to use.
If the tool is used for welding, then it is necessary to choose an angular model. She will allow necessary work It is quick and easy to perform, as it is a universal fastener.
It is very important that during processing the part is correctly and permanently fixed. That is why tools are so often required that will be assistants in such situations and will be able to solve this problem in such a way that for any thermal or machining she remained in one motionless position, as the master needed.
By the way, an angular clamp is just such a clamp that is perfect both for fixing a part during processing and for compressing several parts into a single whole so that a strong bond is obtained.
The principle of operation of the clamp
If the master decides to do some work from wood or metal, then he should process the part. But this can be done efficiently only if this part is fixed very firmly with a clamp.
Old models of such a tool allowed working with only one hand, but now new models of this tool are appearing, which serves as an integral assistant to any master, and they are not only quick-clamping, but also allow you to work with the part with two hands.
There are several types of such clamps:
- Lever.
- Screw.
- Assembly.
- Corner.
- Manual.
Let us briefly describe each type of clamp. The first type is lever. This means that the work of such an assistant tool is based not only on axial work, but also on the work of levers. Often people also call them clamps, which allow you to quickly fix parts intended for processing.
Lever clamps do not require much force from the master; in order to clamp something with them, you just need to apply a little force. And so that the parts are clamped tightly and can no longer move, it is necessary to use a lever, which will do all the work for a person.
The design of such a lever clamp is quite simple; you can even make it yourself. To do this, you will need a main frame and some element where the main clamp can be located. With the help of such an assistant tool, you can not only clamp parts and make them motionless, but also calculate the clamping force, which is important, for example, when gluing.
The remaining types of clamps differ from the first type and from each other in that they have different clamping mechanism. Many of these types of assistant tools can be made with your own hands.
How to choose the right clamp when purchasing
Choosing a tool such as a clamp is not difficult, you just need to know a few rules that will help you purchase such a tool - an assistant that will become indispensable for you when performing any type of work. First of all, you should pay attention to what the working stroke of your tool is.
In addition, it is worth paying attention to the fact that what is the distance between the elements - clamps. The higher the scores on these two points, the better this tool will be for you. This will allow you to use clamps for working with parts, both large and small.
Types of screw clamps
In such an assistant tool, the first place is no longer a lever, but a screw. This type of clamp is also popularly called a pipe clamp, since it is used for clamping pipes that are usually used for plumbing work.
Such an instrument is considered plumbing very strong and reliable, as it is made of duralumin. By the way, such instruments are also used to make special holes for installation, so that it is convenient to fasten any part to the workbench when working. Making such a tool with your own hands and at home will be quite difficult.
Now a few words about the assembly clamp, which is most often used in the construction of various objects. The main purpose of such a tool is hold any construction materials, such as, reinforced concrete slabs so that they can be processed efficiently.
This clamp is considered the most reliable for work, but if you study its design, you can easily understand that it is simple. Looking at the drawing, which reflects its constituent elements, you can easily assemble it with your own hands.
The manual clamp has several options:
- Cam.
- Wedges.
- Angular.
There are other options for this hand tools- assistant. Popularly, such a clamp is called a spring clamp. This is due to its simple design and equally simple application. Therefore, you can easily make such an assistant tool with your own hands.
Instructions for making a tool - an assistant with your own hands
To make a clamp, you must correctly follow the step-by-step steps described in the instructions. First, we acquire the parts that are necessary to make a tool - an assistant with our own hands.
To make a clamp you will need the following items: n several studs with threads of different diameters, nuts, which are suitable in size, several boards made of plywood, and a couple of slats.
The second step for making a clamp is to create the base. You can also make it yourself. To do this, you should secure what you have already done on the table. Then we take the bars and, applying them to the clamp, drill holes where they are needed in order to press them more tightly to the base of the table.
The third step is to make the clamp yourself. This will require those plywood boards that you prepared in advance. You must press them against the bars that are already attached to the clamp, but so that they are movable.
You must understand that the role of these boards in the tool that you make with your own hands is to act as levers in the clamps. Now using studs and nuts, all that remains is to secure this entire structure that you made with your own hands.
But when using such a tool - an assistant that you made yourself, you should understand that it is not very durable and it is difficult to talk about its reliability. But it can be perfect for many household jobs, if they are not very complex.
Buying clamps is very expensive. Therefore, in order to avoid unnecessary expenses, it would be useful to know how to make a clamp with your own hands. Quite often, when making furniture or wooden products, clamps in large quantities. Especially if wooden crafts are produced professionally. To make clamps yourself, you will need primitive materials at hand, which everyone has in stock. In addition, the work process itself is not complicated and does not require professional skills, which will allow you to quickly create the necessary auxiliary tool.
Clamp diagram: a - parts, b - assembled, 1 - rectangular hole, 2 - pusher, 3 - body wall, 4 - protrusion, 5 - hole in the case, 6 - clamping screw, 7 - movable jaw, 8 - lever, 9 - protrusion, 10 - threaded holes, 11 - screws.
What is a clamp, and is there any point in making one yourself?
A clamp is an auxiliary tool that is used to secure boards when connecting them (using glue, fastening hardware, etc.) or if it is necessary to compress them. Typically clamps are made from metal or wood. The clamp is also used to cut boards smoothly, make routing for a hacksaw, connect various parts and elements, etc. Wherein homemade clamps are in no way inferior to store-bought ones. To understand the principle of making a clamp with your own hands, you should understand its design.
Such clamps consist of 2 elements - a “body” (frame) and a fixing element (movable clamp). There are clamping jaws on the moving element and the frame, and for better fixation the moving element is equipped with a lever. Lever clamps are sometimes found, but they are rare due to their complexity in production, as in industrial enterprises, and at home.
The way clamps work is simple: parts (or material) that require processing are inserted into the body of the tool, then the working material is clamped with a moving element (the clamping occurs with jaws), after which you can begin processing or working with the parts or material.
In most cases, the number of clamps required for a particular operation is not limited to 1 piece. To secure the hacksaw tightly, use 2 pcs. wooden planks- from 2 or more (depending on their length). In addition, if you need to connect parts, it is recommended to use a pair of clamps. Many people forget to remove them after completing work, which often leads to the loss of the tool. And primitive factory-made metal clamps are not cheap, which makes it economically profitable to manufacture such tools yourself. Below we will look at how to make carpentry clamps from wood and metal, and how to make a corner clamp with your own hands.
Making a wooden clamp
A wooden clamp is much easier to make than all other types of such tools. Such clamps are very convenient when performing various carpentry works.
To make them you will need:
- pieces of boards (or plywood);
- studs (which should be pre-threaded);
- nuts (for threaded studs);
- slats.
To make the clamp, prepare two pre-threaded studs 200 mm long and 2 studs 120 mm long. It is important that all 4 studs have the same diameter. Next, nuts are selected for the threads of the studs, and two slats are prepared. The slats should be made from hardwood. Oak would be ideal, but beech, birch or ash slats are also suitable.
Then the slats need to be made the same size. To do this, cut off all excess and grind it. Then 2 holes are drilled in each rail. The holes should be at the same points on each rail. The diameter of the holes must match the diameter of the studs.
The next stage is gluing plywood (as sponges) onto the surface of the slats. When the plywood is glued, all protruding parts are cut to fit the slats, and the plywood jaws themselves are drilled through the holes in the slats.
Then long slats are inserted into the resulting holes. They will act as guides.
After the guides are installed, they are secured with nuts to the rails. 2 nuts are screwed onto each guide.
Next, you should insert short pins. To make them motionless, the studs are riveted on one side. It is important that one pin is riveted from the back side of one batten, and the other from the back side of the other. Nuts are used as clamps. To make it easier to tighten them, wing nuts are used. In this case, it is important to cut the threads on the fixing studs along their entire length.
That's it for production wooden clamp completed.
How to make a screw metal clamp
To make such a clamp, you first need to prepare the materials. For the clamp body, you can use a sheet of steel approximately 1 cm thick or even and straight metal scraps of the same thickness. The length of the workpiece depends on the working distance of the clamp. For manufacturing you will need long screws or bolts M8 or M10.
At the beginning of the manufacturing process, markings of the future body of the tool are applied to the workpiece material. Often the body of the instrument looks like the letter "C". In this case, the thickness of the workpiece can be different. It depends only on the required length working area. When the markings are applied, the part is cut out. To do this at home, use gas cutters, acetylene torches or a grinder. The grinder is used for workpieces of small thickness; it is problematic to use when cutting out small shaped elements.
When the workpiece is cut, it is polished using files, sandpaper. Grinding is an important process; if you do not grind the part, there is a possibility of cutting yourself on sharp edges when working with the tool.
Then fasteners for the moving element are made on one of the sides. To do this, M8 or M10 nuts are welded to one side of the clamp body. If there are no bolts or screws of sufficient length, you can use hexagons or reinforcement rods of the required length. They must first be threaded. A flat flat part (on the working side) is welded to the end of the screw, which will serve as jaws. A lever is welded to the opposite side (studs can be used as a lever), which should simplify the clamping process. This completes the production of the clamp.
Another option is to make a clamp like a caliper. For this purpose, a sliding frame made of steel strip is used. The end of the strip is flattened and sponges are welded to it. Next, a movable element is made from the same strip, to which nuts are welded and a screw is screwed in for fixation.
Such a clamp is more difficult to manufacture, but it has a longer stroke and, accordingly, a larger working area.
Angle clamp
In order to make a corner clamp, you need to accurately maintain an angle of 90°. To do this, you will need a square. Angles and steel strips can be used as materials.
To make such a clamp, you should install a square to which the corners are applied so that the legs of the resulting rectangle are equal. Next, the corners are fixed on the square using improvised materials. Metal strips are applied to them. The strips should be fixed and then welded.
Nuts for moving elements are welded to the corners. It is advisable to use 2-3 nuts for this. Their task is to provide better fixation. Long bolts or threaded metal rods should be used as fixing elements. A flat plate should be welded onto one end of them as jaws, and for more convenient operation, a welded lever should be used. At this point the work is completed.
The corner clamp is the most difficult to manufacture, however, for some jobs it is simply irreplaceable.