Make your own clamps at home. Do-it-yourself quick-release clamp. Classic F-shaped clamp

Carrying out plumbing or carpentry work in places not equipped for this purpose is inevitably associated with the problem of securing workpieces. It is very difficult to prevent them from moving around the table or workbench during processing if they are not equipped with special clamps, a vice or other fixing devices. One such device, simple, affordable and versatile, is clamps. We will tell you what they are and how they are used, and also give detailed instructions on how to make reliable clamps with your own hands.

What is a tool needed for, its design and types of tools

The clamp is an additional carpentry tool. The main purpose of clamps is to fix a workpiece on a support surface or several workpieces for gluing them together; therefore, the design of the tool must include at least two elements: a support surface and a movable jaw equipped with a fixation mechanism. The movable jaw is usually moved using a screw or lever, which allows for increased compression and prevents backlash during operation. Depending on specialization and design features The following types of clamps are distinguished:

Screw G-shaped ones are the most common, characterized by their simple design and relatively low cost. They are represented by a metal bracket, on one side of which there is a supporting surface, and on the other - a threaded eyelet with an adjusting screw screwed into it. Interior screw equipped working sponge, external - with a handle. The tool is effective when working with heavy, large workpieces of simple shape.
Clamps of this type are suitable for working with large workpieces
F-shaped ones are more universal; their supporting surface is fixedly fixed on a long rod along which a working block with a sponge slides. Movement and fixation of the block is ensured by an auxiliary screw or a stepper pressure mechanism.
Objects are fixed using an auxiliary screw and a stepper mechanism
Pipe - allow you to fix large-sized workpieces by varying the length of the pipe. They consist of two separate elements - a base plate with a screw clamp and a jaw that slides along the pipe.
The clamp is suitable for working with large workpieces
Angular - designed to simplify the joining of workpieces at right angles, for which they have two supporting and working surfaces. They are divided into two subspecies. The first involves the presence of two clamping screws located perpendicular to each other; the second is equipped with a single screw with a double-sided corner block at the end. Very rarely there are specialized clamps that allow you to position workpieces at an acute or obtuse angle.
Clamps of this type simplify joining workpieces at right angles
Corner clamp with double-sided corner block
Tape - equipped with a flexible element and several jaws floating on it. Fixing the jaws in certain places tape and adjusting its tension, you can process workpieces complex shape.
The band clamp is equipped with a band element that allows you to fix the workpiece around the perimeter
Pincers - consist of two hinged parts and a spacer spring. In practice they are rarely used due to the relatively low reliability of the joint, but they provide maximum speed installation and removal of the workpiece.
This clamp is rarely used due to the low reliability of the joint

Clamps are most often made at home first three types, since they are not too demanding on materials and production technologies, and also allow solving most household tasks that require the use of auxiliary tools.

You will find even more information about the types of clamps in our next material:

How to make a carpentry clamp with your own hands: step-by-step instructions with drawings

To make clamps at home, it is enough to have basic plumbing and carpentry skills. The materials used are wooden beam, rolled metal, pipes and fasteners, in particular bolts, studs, nuts, pins. To join metal parts of clamps, it is desirable to have an electric welding machine. When performing any work, the main thing is to follow the instructions and observe safety precautions.

Manufacturing of screw type tools

This type of clamp will help to secure wood workpieces well.

A clamp made using this method is perfect for fixing small wooden pieces - plywood, fiberboard sheets, OSB and chipboard, as well as boards and thin timber. We suggest that you choose the scale yourself, but otherwise it is better not to deviate from the following sequence of actions:

Transfer the templates of all wooden parts onto thick paper or cardboard in accordance with the selected scale.
Using the template, transfer the image onto a board of a suitable width. It's better not to use pine boards, but harder wood.
Using a jigsaw, cut out all the parts. Correct the shape with a file and sand the surface with sandpaper.
In the “jaws” mark and drill holes for the axial bolt. Lengthen the hole in the upper “jaw” using a round file so that its length is 1.5–2.5 times the diameter of the bolt.
Drill a hole in the handle for a nut with a diameter corresponding to the number wrench. Using a file, give it a hexagonal shape. Install the nut inside with epoxy or cyanoacrylate glue.
Assemble the clamp - fix the axial bolt in the lower “jaw” with glue, install the rear loop on the screws, put on the upper jaw and, placing a washer, install the handle. Apply soft pads to work surfaces.

An even simpler option is to make a screw clamp from a hacksaw.

A simple version of a hacksaw clamp

In this case, it is enough to weld a support pad at one end of its arc, and a nut at the other, into which the adjusting screw with jaw and handle will be installed.

Homemade quick-release clamp made of wood

Making such a clamp will take longer

The use of F-shaped clamps significantly speeds up the work process. But making the clamp itself is somewhat more complicated than creating its screw counterpart. You will need to do the following:

Transfer the images onto the lumber as described above. Accurately observe the specified dimensions of the parts and the locations of the pin holes.
Cut out the parts with a jigsaw, use it to make a narrow slot in the movable jaw and deep slots for the axial plate. Using chisels, select the groove for the cam lever.
Drill holes for the pins. Treat all external and internal surfaces of the parts with a file, and then with sandpaper.
Using a grinder, cut out an axial plate from a metal strip and grind it. Drill holes for the pins.
Assemble the tool by installing the jaws onto the plate using pins. Insert the cam into the movable jaw. Glue on the working pads.
Check the functionality of the quick-release clamp. If necessary, change the shape of the working part of the cam lever.

Rough fixation of the lower jaw on the axial plate can be achieved by wedging its guide pins, inserting an additional pin, using a screw clamp or another method.

Video: making a quick clamp

Metal pipe

To make such a clamp you will need a metal pipe

Such a tool will require three metal rings, the inner diameter of which corresponds to the outer diameter of the pipe you have, instead of which, by the way, you can use a metal rod. If you have a welding machine, the process of making a clamp comes down to the following algorithm:

Weld to two rings support platforms which can be made from steel angle; Install a nut on the third ring, and weld the ring itself to the end of the pipe.
Weld an improvised handle made of a metal rod to the head of a long bolt, screw the bolt into a ring with a nut.
From the free end of the pipe, place the ring of the upper movable jaw on it. Make holes in the lower jaw ring for the fixing pins.
Install the lower ring onto the pipe.

A pipe clamp is ideal for holding furniture elements during assembly; it will be convenient in construction and installation work and other similar operations.

Video: homemade pipe-type clamp

Corner

To make this type of clamp, you can use wood, metal or duralumin. They differ from each other not only in material, but also in clamping force and the size of the fixed workpiece. Our next material presents detailed instructions for making tools:

Both in everyday life and in professional activity related to wood and metal processing, clamps will become an indispensable assistant. By following the instructions and having a simple set of materials, you can make this tool yourself.

A do-it-yourself clamp is made according to a pre-prepared pattern. The tool is presented in the form of a clamp, which is used to fix various parts. Carpenter's clamps are used for sawing, spreading saw teeth or sharpening them.

Quick clamp is a type of hand vice that is used to firmly hold workpieces or parts.

Operating principle

A quick-release clamp is a type of hand vice that is used to firmly secure workpieces or parts. The main elements of the device include the frame, moving part, lips, and valve. Experts recommend making tools from iron.

The quick-release tool can be locked using one hand. The object is inserted between the jaws, pressing it with the movable system. Then the product is fixed with a valve. Experts include the following advantages of the design under consideration:

light weight;
ability to fix large parts;
high strength;
transportation;
fast completion of work.

A quick-release clamp is used for release. To do this, you will need to dismantle the stops and lips, turning the last elements over. Using this tool you can process glass.

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Components

Do-it-yourself clamps made from light metal quickly fail. The parameters of such units do not exceed 2 m. To press the dimensional sheets of plywood, you will need to make a sliding homemade clamp.

TO constituent elements design experts include:

frame;
clamping jaws;
movable part;
lever component.

The movable design changes the pitch between the jaws using threads. From a constructive point of view, the lever device consists of levers and eccentrics. This tool is difficult to make at home.

To make a wooden clamp, use a diagram and the following tools:

threaded studs;
slats;
nuts;
plywood.

The length of the studs should be 120 and 200 mm, and the diameter should be 5 mm. The size of the plywood boards is 15x150x200 mm, and the parameters of 2 slats are 20x40x240 mm.

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Step by step instructions

The production of homemade clamps involves the use of wooden blocks made from oak, beech, birch or ash. Such instruments are fixed to work surface. In the bars with which the clamping part is attached, 2 holes are made. This technology ensures tight fixation of the nut with the stud.

To get a stable and reliable design, it is recommended to place the bottom bar flat.

The next stage is the installation of plywood boards. A block is attached to them. The bottom edge of the plywood must be positioned 3 cm below the block. The blanks are drilled. Pins are inserted into the resulting holes.

Plywood is used as a clamping element. Such clamps grip parts with a movable strip. The tool is fixed to the surface of the tabletop using short pins. Long analogues determine the working stroke of the clamp. Nuts are a lever that secures a moving element by adjusting the clamping force.

A homemade clamp for welding can be made from a hacksaw, 2 threaded rods and a nut. The last elements are inserted into the clamp connectors. The nuts are put on from the inside of the device. The resulting tool has 2 standard sizes. To prevent the body from breaking into 2 parts, the folding element is wrapped with electrical tape. The versatility of the resulting device lies in the possibility of converting it back into a hacksaw. For fastening sliding design The tool uses steel fasteners. It is not recommended to use a homemade clamp to the limit of its capabilities. Otherwise, it will quickly fail. The universal clamp is made from a channel.

Its length depends on the maximum dimensions of the material being processed. The thickness of the channel is selected taking into account the frequency of use of the future tool. Places for holes for bolts are placed along the axis of the channel. The last fasteners are welded to the thrust structure. Holes are cut welding machine. To achieve a tight fit of the stop, the nest is made in the form of a drop. A bolt is welded to the channel. The size of its head must correspond to the diameter of the socket.

The next step is to manufacture the clamping device. To do this, use a thick screw. The resulting tool is used when working with large objects. Otherwise, use 2 small clamps and a flexible insert. The material of the latest design must have high degree rigidity, and the plane should be curved. ends flexible insert press with 2 small clamps to sheets of plywood. It is recommended to apply even pressure on the surface to be glued. Manufacturing method homemade instrument depends on the purpose of the device and the size of the parts being processed.

In the process of woodworking, in most cases it is impossible to do without a carpentry clamp. Is it necessary to glue wooden blanks, secure the sheet, board, slab during cutting - you will definitely need a clamp. On sale similar products yes, but according to reviews experienced craftsmen, they are characterized by two significant disadvantages - size limitations and low strength, since soft metals (alloys) are mainly used for their production in order to reduce costs.

Those who have to work with wood quite often prefer homemade carpentry clamps. How to make such a device with your own hands, what to pay attention to and take into account - this is discussed in the article.

There are many modifications of carpentry clamps - corner, G-shaped, edge, universal. Some are used for constant work with various workpieces (in area, thickness), others are manufactured for a specific technological operation (for one-time use).

The author considers it advisable to dwell only on those that are most often used by “home craftsmen”. If the principle of their functioning becomes clear, then you will be able to make any type of carpentry clamp with your own hands, to suit your own needs. If, of course, you turn on your imagination and think carefully.

The author deliberately does not indicate the linear dimensions of the clamps. One of their advantages self-made lies in the possibility of arbitrarily choosing the shape and dimensions of carpentry clamps. There is no standard for such devices. And it’s hardly advisable to “chew” basic things for a person who is used to (and knows how to) do everything with his own hands. The main thing is to give an idea, to “prompt an idea”, and everything else is at your own discretion.

Option #1

The simplest modification of the clamp. It is done quite quickly, but the use of such a carpentry clamp is somewhat limited. Although in most cases, when working with small-sized samples, it is quite sufficient.

The basis of the device is the frame of a hacksaw for metal. The fastening elements of the blade are replaced with long threaded rods, at one end of which there is an iron “penny” (as an option - a nut), at the other - or removable handle, or a head for an open-end wrench.

Since the frame can be adjusted in length, such a clamp will allow you to fix workpieces of various thicknesses. It is mainly used when gluing parts (), since the body of the device itself cannot be fixed to any surface. The only thing that needs to be taken into account is that if the frame is folding (the old modification of the “hacksaw”), then you will have to apply a “tire” at the bend (for example, wrap it with adhesive tape). This clamp is not entirely convenient to use, but in the absence of something more suitable, it is a good solution to the problem.

Option No. 2

Also a fairly simple clamp model. It is done with your own hands relatively quickly. The design of the device is clear from the figure. All you need is metal corner and a pair of long screws or threaded rods.

If you make several of these clamps, you can use them to perform various carpentry jobs. For example, gluing long workpieces. To do this, it is enough to set the clamps at a certain interval, and lay metal strips or slats made of hardwood between the stops and the sample being processed. Another option is to mount the assembly on a workbench. The same applies to cutting blanks.

Before sawing, they are fixed on the tabletop, and their immobility will be guaranteed. This design can be modified by welding metal plates to the corners. This significantly increases the clamping area.

Essentially, for household use This modification of the carpentry clamp is one of the best. Experienced craftsmen always have at hand a ready-made set of several devices with different dimensions. Depending on the specifics of the work, you may need a clamping device made from a corner of either 25 or 45.

The versatility of this modification lies in the fact that it is made of metal and, therefore, is characterized by sufficient strength. Unlike wooden clamps, here you can adjust the clamping force over a wide range, and work not only with wood, but also with other materials - glass, plastics, iron. This is what you often have to do in everyday life.

This design can be slightly modified. For example, when processing logs on a mini-sawmill (dissolving into boards, sawing), they must also be fixed. In this case, an improved modification of such a carpentry clamp is suitable. It is enough to take strip iron as its basis, and weld the same corners at the ends.

Varieties and modifications

Here are a few more types of carpentry clamps. All these clamps are easy to assemble with your own hands.

The question is: how advisable is it to use it as source material wood? There are arguments both for and against. But if a tree is chosen for the base of a carpentry clamp, then it must meet certain criteria.

Species – only hard (pear, oak, walnut and similar). Otherwise, there is no need to talk about any pressing force. And the durability of the clamps made from “soft” wood raises some doubts.
Humidity is minimal. Only after the material has been thoroughly dried can it be used for the manufacture of clamping fixture parts.

Good luck, reader, in making your own clamp. Don't be afraid to fantasize, and everything will work out for you!

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. The cam-type quick-release clamp 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. It is not difficult to make a homemade clamp with your own hands 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 the 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.

Beginners who love woodworking will find our instructions useful, with a consistently described process for making carpentry clamps of several varieties. In it we will tell you what materials should be used for this and how to make a device that exactly suits your own needs.

Materials for body, stop and jaws

In carpentry, clamps are used to securely and carefully hold together several parts while they are being mechanically connected or while the glue dries. The pressing force should not be colossal; it is much more important not to damage the surface of the parts being connected. At the same time, the clamp must maintain high strength and be durable.

For the manufacture of clamp parts that are in direct contact with the workpiece, it is better to use wood hard rocks. Ideally, these are bars and planks made of larch, beech, hornbeam or birch. This tree has a fairly high strength and at the same time is elastic, restoring its shape well. The hardness of such wood is usually higher than that of the processed parts, which can be compensated for by heels made of leather, light rubber, felt or more soft wood.

Both hard wood and rolled metal can be used as a frame for the clamp. Corners or profile pipes fit well, but they need to be thoroughly cleaned, primed and painted in order to finished product there were no traces of rust left. To prevent accidental mechanical damage or pushing through of the parts being connected, it is recommended to metal elements clamps, glue wooden strips or pull on a loose silicone hose.

Which screw and flywheel to use

Despite the not very high clamping force, ordinary studs with metric threads will not be very convenient for use as a clamp screw, unless very small. A small thread pitch will make the choice of free play tedious; among other things, the triangular profile is “eaten up” much faster.

It would be much more correct to purchase studs with trapezoidal or rectangular profile threads, otherwise called jack threads. The optimal step is about 2-2.5 turns per centimeter, this ensures good smoothness of adjustment and optimal tightening force for wooden parts.

Get studs, nuts and fittings the right type You can either contact the turner directly, or in a hardware store, including on the Internet. There is, however, one BUT: most factory products have a full thread, while a slightly different screw configuration is optimal for a clamp. Ideally, there are smooth pillars at the ends of the stud: about 20 mm long for the bearing (slightly thicker than the thread) and about 30-40 mm for the handle (slightly thinner or the same diameter).

The handle or handwheel can be made from either wooden block, or by drilling a hole in the side of the stud and inserting a steel rod into it as a shift lever, like on a vice.

Straight screw clamp

To make a simple clamp, you will need a frame in the shape of a U-shaped bracket. It can be made in two ways. The first is to connect three bars at right angles on a tongue-and-groove joint, strengthening it with glue and a pair of dowels. This option requires a fairly highly qualified carpenter: hemming and fitting must be done with high precision, because the load in these nodes is very significant.

The second option is somewhat simpler, but more expensive in terms of material consumption. You can cut the bracket from thick birch plywood by gluing 3-4 blanks 12-16 mm thick with Titebond wood glue.

When choosing the shape of the parts, keep in mind that the most reliable design will be one with external bevels for greater rigidity. The bracket stop and its opposite part, in which the clamping screw will be fixed, must be trapezoidal in shape. In this case, the inclined sides should diverge outward at an angle of approximately 30º greater than the straight line. Thickening in the middle part of the frame is also highly desirable.

To secure the screw, it is recommended to use fittings or nuts of the appropriate diameter, which are fixed in one of the “horns” of the clamp frame with inside and are further strengthened epoxy resin. If the bracket was assembled from bars, then you need to insert a screw into one of them before final assembly. If the frame structure is multi-layered, then the footers can be replaced with nuts that are glued into the cut of the central layer of plywood. Here it is important to monitor the direction of the screw axis and at the same time not allow glue to get into the threaded joint - lubricate it well with grease.

At the point where the clamping heel is attached to the screw, some kind of swivel is needed so that the parts do not move when clamped. It is best to press a bearing matched to the diameter of the inner race onto the solid edge of the screw stud. For a reliable stop, clamp the pin into the drill chuck, and then use a triangular file and a hacksaw to cut a groove for the retaining ring. Next, in the block that serves as the supporting heel, you need to use a core drill to make a cylindrical groove and press a bearing with a pin into it, strengthening the fit with varnish or epoxy resin.

Adjustable universal clamp

Clamps with variable opening widths are more versatile in use; they are most often used when rallying furniture panels. To make such a clamp, you will need a calibrated strip of dry hardwood, ideally beech or ash. A constant profile size along the entire length and the complete absence of any defects are required. The pressing force that the clamp can withstand directly depends on the thickness and width of the slats.

So, manufacturing should begin by attaching a perpendicular stop to one end of the longitudinal rail. It is better to make it from two bars that fold and clamp the rail in two symmetrical grooves, or hammer it like a hammer. Thus, the blank for the clamp with a fixed stop takes on a T-shape, and the length of the stop on the working side should be greater than the reach from reverse side no more than 3 times. The connection between the stop and the rail can be strengthened furniture ties, it is also possible to connect with 2-3 dowels and PVA glue.

The reverse part of the stop is designed to secure the bowstring. A straight steel bar with a diameter of 10-12 mm is ideal for it. The end of the rod should be threaded and spread between the end stops with nuts from the inside. Holes for the bowstring should be drilled as close as possible to the back edge of the stop. In this case, the distance from the edge should be sufficient so that the wood does not split. After installing the bowstring, it is necessary to mark a series of notches in increments of 15-20 mm on the end of the bar facing the clamped part, make slots up to 2 mm deep using a fitting hacksaw according to these markings and trim the notches with a knife.

Next, you should make a movable block of the clamp. A through eye is made in it rectangular section, the dimensions of which exactly correspond to the thickness and width of the longitudinal strip. It is ideal to hollow out a groove 2-3 mm smaller, and then bring it to the desired shape with a square rasp. The bar should sit tightly in the block, but at the same time allow relatively free movement along the clamp and its tilt for locking on the notches. You also need to make a through hole under the bowstring so that the rod is positioned strictly perpendicular to the rail, and the block slides freely along it with a slight play.

On the reverse side of the hard stop you need to fill another block, which will fasten the bar with the bowstring parallel to each other. To do this, you can use a small piece of a block in which a groove for the bar is made with a chisel and an incomplete hole is drilled for the bowstring. Dowels or bolts are used to secure the block. As for the clamping screw and heel, they are installed by analogy with a conventional clamp. It is enough to drill a through hole in the movable block not too close to the edge and glue a sleeve or nut into it from the inside. This way, when you clamp the part, the nut of the screw mechanism will rest against the wood and fit even tighter.

Angle clamp

The most difficult to manufacture can be called a clamp, which provides fixation of two parts at right angles. At the same time, it is the most useful and sought-after tool in a carpenter's workshop.

Basis for corner clamps A piece of thick plywood will serve. It is better to take a square board approximately 300x300 mm with a thickness of at least 14 mm. In the corner of the base you need to fix two blocks of hardwood, which for convenience we will call standard. These blocks must meet at right angles facing the center of the plywood board; the thickness of the blocks is at least 25x25 mm. Their fastening should be as rigid as possible: it is recommended to first glue the bars, ensuring their perpendicularity using a plumber's square, and then strengthen the connection with ties or bolts.

From the center of each block you need to draw a perpendicular line, coaxially with which the screw studs will be located. It is necessary to retreat from the bars a distance of 20-30 mm greater than the maximum thickness of the parts being pulled together. After this, two more bars are rigidly attached to the base parallel to the previous ones. It is advisable to glue the nuts in immediately, and then proceed with the thrust bars in the same way as with the reference ones: first position them on the adhesive joint, and then strengthen them with ties. For greater convenience, you can immediately screw the screw studs into the nuts.

After securing the thrust bars, all that remains is to press on the bearings secured in the movable blocks. The cross-section, dimensions and material of the latter must be similar to the standard bars. Finally, you need to fill the handles or insert the flip levers and trim off the excess base of the clamp, removing the protruding corners for free rotation by the screw handles

Custom clamps for specific applications

In any carpentry workshop, homemade clamps show themselves to be more adapted to local working conditions than those purchased in a store. Can be used wide range variations of the three designs described above.

For example, on one rail you can attach not one, but two adjustable blocks for positioning parts on long distance. Such a tool will be very useful, for example, when assembling door blocks.

Instead of a handle, you can weld a regular hex head from a bolt onto the stud. This is relevant if, when assembling parts, several clamps need to be frequently clamped, released and rearranged. In this case, it will be convenient to rotate the clamping screw using a socket with a ratchet mechanism or even a screwdriver.

To assemble products of complex shapes, you can make clamp stops and movable blocks of a more complex configuration, which are well suited for working with irregularly shaped parts.