Often in the process of performing any work there is a need to quickly compress or fix parts. To solve this problem, a clamp is used - a type of auxiliary tool that is used, for example, for gluing parts, performing welding work and other work.
Homemade clamps usually made of either wood or metal. This tool has many varieties, and they also differ in clamping mechanisms. Now this tool can be easily purchased at any specialized store or ordered online, but you can also make the required clamp with your own hands, and in its properties this homemade tool will not be inferior to factory models.
Types of clamps
Nowadays there is sufficient a large number of varieties of clamps, which differ in size, scope and other parameters. For example, the following varieties of this tool are popular, which you can make with your own hands:
This tool also differs in clamping mechanisms:
- Corner;
- Screw;
- Quick-release;
- Lever.
Homemade quick-release clamp
Let's consider the option of making a quick-release clamp with your own hands, with which you can use one hand quickly secure parts with each other and fix them on the workbench for further work. This design can be used for woodworking, furniture repair, shoe repair, and so on. As an option, quick-clamping tools can be used not only for compressing workpieces, but also for work when spacers of parts are needed.
To make a clamp with your own hands, we will need a sealant gun and a wooden block measuring 500x50x40 mm. To make sponges we will use two rectangular bars measuring 10x80x20 mm. To use the gun, it needs to be modified; to do this, you need to cut off the part where the nose of the sealant bottle rests and use a hammer to align the plate that connects the gun itself with the removed part. Then we attach the gun with this plate to the wide side bar 500x50x40 mm. using self-tapping screws.
In this design, the bars for the jaws will move along a 500x50x40 bar; for this purpose, we make through square holes in these bars. We put one of the jaws on a large block and securely fasten it with self-tapping screws to the press circle of the gun. Next, putting on the second sponge, we drill several through holes through the clamp into a large block. Several holes are made so that the width can be adjusted. For fixation we will use a bolt with a nut of suitable diameter.
As a result, it turns out that when you press the gun trigger mechanism, the press will move one jaw to another along the block. In places where the jaws come into contact with the parts, you need to install inserts made of soft material, such as rubber or plastic. Compression force of a self-made clamp can reach 300 kg, installation work can be done with one hand. Removing the clamp also occurs with one click.
A fairly simple design of a corner clamp can be made with your own hands in a home workshop, since the factory analogue is quite expensive. The material from which this type of clamp will be of the highest quality is iron.
Initially we make the base of the structure from sheet metal approximately 10 mm thick. Next, the base of the structure is made. To do this, we weld two corners together at an angle of 90 degrees; in the manufacture of this structural element, precision is required due to the fact that these corners act as stationary clamping jaws. Before welding the corners, you need to weld nuts to each of them, which will serve to move the movable jaws. Holes for bolts are drilled in two more corners. Next, these bolts are screwed into nuts and with its head they pull the movable angle, which achieves compression and tension of the fastening elements.
In order to increase the length on the sides of the grip, you can make a structure resembling a compass from two metal profiles connected at the end with a sleeve and a bolt. Having made two bushings that match the shape of the profile, a clamping screw is made on one side of the bushing, and on the other side they are attached to the existing corners. All that remains is to put the bushings on the profiles and secure them with screws. This achieves a large distance between the grips and makes it possible to work with large objects.
DIY corner clamp created has the advantage Compared to factory models, first of all, variety and cost. And also such a tool will have increased strength and reliability.
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 of various types of 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. The main starting materials are 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 - a quality instrument 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 acquire a high-quality timber made of hardwood or a piece of rolled metal profile (preferably a channel section) - this is the basis on which the stop and screw mechanism should be mounted. It is the most important element of the clamp. 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. The efforts invested in the manufacture of a technological tool always give the proper return when using it.
Experienced furniture makers, carpenters, and metalworkers rightly believe that a clamp is no less important a tool than a comfortable workbench, a well-balanced plane or a set of razor-sharp Swedish steel chisels. The device can be bought or rented, but it is best to make a clamp yourself. In this case, there will be confidence that a simple device will not fail at the most crucial moment.
The essence of the clamp device
Structurally, a clamp is the simplest device that allows you to press a part, a workpiece, or several components into one whole for installing fasteners - self-tapping screws, bolts with nuts, rivets, or while the glue dries.
There are two main requirements for the design of a clamp, regardless of the design, material and size of the device:
- The clamp frame should not deform under load; the rigidity of the fixture frame should be sufficient to keep the planes of the clamping jaws parallel;
- The design of the clamping screw must provide adjustable and smooth pressing of the movable support of the clamp on the fixed surface.
There are quite a large number of different types of clamp designs, and although the design of any clamp is primitive in essence, no one is trying to make a universal design that could be used in any situation. The device turns out to be very heavy, inconvenient and difficult to use.
Therefore, the dimensions and design of the device are selected based on the dimensions of the parts to be connected and the required pressing force. Conventionally, clamps are divided into three large groups:
- Carpentry and furniture ruler clamps, they try to make them from hard wood and metal;
- High rigidity mounting clamps;
- Mechanic's persistent clamps.
In addition to classic ruler clamps, custom-made clamps of non-standard designs are widely used; most of them are manufactured to perform one or two operations of increased complexity.
For example, drilling to a great depth in an array of several boards, cutting or gluing timber in a shaped way at right or non-standard angles, welding parts of complex configurations. There are more than enough options The best way To ensure the highest quality of connection is still to make the clamp of the desired size and shape.
DIY wooden universal clamp
The easiest way is to make a clamp from a wooden plank and timber. Wood is a fairly affordable material, so if you mark the parts correctly and use the proper tools, you can make a clamp of any level of complexity without much effort.
To make a wooden clamp, you will need the following tools and accessories:
- Tabletop drilling machine with a power of 400-500 W for drills from 1-15 mm. The vertical stroke of the drill chuck must be at least 120 mm;
- Electric grinding wheel. You can do it yourself; to do this, instead of an abrasive stone, use an electric sharpener to install a circle of plywood, 10 mm thick and 350 mm in diameter, on which sandpaper sheets are glued on both sides;
- Manual Circular Saw on wood with a disc diameter of at least 150 mm. You can use a grinder or a band saw.
All other operations can be done using hand tools. Of course, you can also drill holes and cut grooves with a hand drill and hacksaw, but achieving the required quality and manufacturing accuracy using hand tools will be very difficult.
Classic F-shaped clamp
The design of the simplest wooden clamp looks like the Latin letter F. The vertical and upper horizontal strips are one whole - a fixed guide connected by a stop of one of the jaws. The central bridge of the letter F is the movable or mating part of the jaws, which is driven by the lead screw. The third part of the clamp with the drive screw is manufactured in a removable version. The clamp can be rearranged along the length of the guide bar; the distance between the jaws can be made smaller or larger, as long as the length of the base rail allows.
The general view of the clamp is shown in the photo.
First you need to make a guide rail. Larch or spruce board is suitable for these purposes. All other parts of the clamp can be made from any wood, except soft varieties - poplar, linden, birch.
Important! For the manufacture of any fixtures and auxiliary equipment, only defect-free wood is used. If there is none, then it is best to make a clamp from ordinary plywood with a thickness of 15-20 mm.
The base strip is cut to the length of the future fixture. The supporting stationary part of the clamp jaws bears the lion's share of the load, so it is best to make the guide from the strongest wood or use a little trick.
A semicircular groove is cut out along the side end of the slats, into which a steel rod with a diameter of 8-10 mm is placed. On one side, the end is bent around the end; on the other end, the rod is connected to a fixed jaw with a nut screwed onto a pre-cut thread.
The fixed part of the jaws is glued to the guide bar with wood glue; after the glue has dried, the supporting surface is carefully cut at an angle of 90° to the guide bar. This part can be made glued, or the mounting groove can be cut using a hand-held circular saw.
The mating or movable part of the jaws is cut out together with the support for the screw from one block. Next, you need to make U-shaped cuts in both blanks, allowing you to fit the parts onto the guide bar. After removing the burr, the workpiece is placed in a package in a drilling machine and a hole is drilled for the lead screw.
If you plan to use the clamp quite intensively, then you need to press a brass tube into the hole for the screw and make a sliding bearing. Otherwise, the lead screw will quickly break the hole by 2-5 mm, which will make the tool unsuitable for work.
Clamp assembled from wood and steel
A wooden clamp is convenient to use if you need to apply a little pressure to secure a package of several planks or glue two parts. If you plan to process timber or boards with carpentry tools, a plane or a grinder, then it is best to make a clamp for fixing the material with a metal guide.
The process of making a clamp from wood and steel is as follows:
All that remains is to assemble the clamp, the rearranged part is drilled under the fixing bolt, the bolt or pin is installed and tightened with a nut. At the end of the assembly, you need to make two or three idle runs to settle the walls and facilitate the rotation of the screw.
Wooden clamp for fixing and tightening sets
In 40% of cases, work in a carpentry or furniture workshop requires the use of long clamps to tighten entire sets or packages of planks, form furniture panels, table tops and door leaves. The process of making clamps for screeding needs is practically no different from a conventional wooden F-shaped device.
Unlike other device designs, the clamp for the screed is made of solid timber, with a cross-section of 50x50 mm and a length of at least 100 cm. A series of holes are drilled in the guide bar from the timber on a machine to rearrange the mating part of the jaws.
In addition, you will need three blocks of oak or beech to make a fixed support with a lead screw and two parts of the jaws - rearrangeable and movable.
An installation groove is cut on the reciprocal adjustable support and a hole is drilled into which a nut is pressed under the mounting bolt. The distance between the supports can be made larger or smaller if the sponge is moved to the next hole and secured with a bolt.
Wooden clip from hanger parts
A small device, very reminiscent of a tightening type of clamp, can easily be made from ordinary suit hangers. The wooden base of the hanger is made of two identical halves of a trapezoidal shape.
The first step to making a clip from a hanger is to fold the two halves of the hanger into one bag and clamp it in the vise of a drilling machine.
Without opening the machine vice, you will need to make four holes with a diameter of 8 mm. You get two blanks, each of which has a pair of through holes. All that remains is to make a clamp; to do this, you need to cut off two studs with M8 threads, each 25 cm long. The studs can be glued into one of the halves or a symmetrical version can be made, as in the photo.
The clamp can be used to make a fixing device for gluing boards, holding pipes, or tightening a package of several planks.
Quick C clamp for wood
In addition to the classic options for carpentry clamps and clamps, when working with furniture and wood materials it is necessary to use small-sized clamps. One such device is a C-shaped clamp made of wood, photo.
Before making a clamp, you need to find a suitable piece of wood. C-shaped clamps require very strong wood, so acacia, elm or steppe oak are used for their manufacture. The U-shaped body is cut out with a grinder. With a total case size of 100x100 mm, the width of the sides should be at least 2.5 cm.
In one of the sidewalls you need to make a through hole with a diameter of 12 mm, into which two steel nuts, M8 or M6, are pressed. The easiest way is to screw the nuts onto the threaded rod, coat them with glue and insert them into the hole. You need to make a few gentle blows with a mallet so that the nuts fit into the through hole with a slight tension. All that remains is to make the handle, and the C-shaped clamp is ready.
DIY metal clamp
Most metalwork and carpentry clamps are made of metal, most often steel or aluminum alloys; there are only two reasons for such selectivity:
- High strength of metal parts;
- Long service life even under heavy load.
To make metal clamps, you will need welding equipment, a grinder and a regular electric drill and jigsaw.
Long tension clamp
The most logical thing would be to make a clamp in which the guide beam or wooden strip is replaced with a square profile pipe. A meter clamp can be made from a 20x20 mm square, for a two-meter clamp you will need a 30x30 mm profile. The use of a tubular square profile makes it possible to make the structure very rigid without “stretch” and shrinkage, as is the case with lumber.
The easiest way is to make a long clamp using the classic design. The stationary, movable and adjustable parts are made of thick plywood.
Each piece consists of two halves, which are cut with a jigsaw and bolted together on a long square tube. The lead screw can be made from two parts of a threaded rod and a regular piece of reinforcement.
Homemade welded clamp from rebar
Instead of wood, you can use a regular reinforcing bar with a cross-section of 8-10 mm. To make a clamp body from reinforcement, you will need to cut two blanks 65 and 55 cm long. The rods are heated on a blowtorch and bent on a steel mandrel at a right angle according to the drawing.
The bent workpieces are welded into one L-shaped structure; the spout and linear sections of the reinforcement are necessarily connected by welding.
The next step is to make a stand for the lead screw from a 20 cm piece, to which a nut is welded. If the clamping force on the clamp is more than 50 kg, then the stand can be made bent or reinforced with an additional strut.
Homemade G-clamp
The G-body design is also called a screw press due to the enormous force that can be achieved using a lead screw. Making a G-clamp is quite simple. To do this, you need to cut body blanks from thick metal with a grinder, at least 7-8 mm thick.
The body is welded using the letter P. On the top shelf you need to make a hole for the nut, then screw it onto the lead screw and install it in place of the weld. A small piece of metal is placed on the bottom shelf - a table, which is pressed with an unscrewed screw. You just need to make a few welding points or seams to weld the table and nut, and the clamp is ready.
Wooden spacer to support a metal clamp
An important part of any clamp is the lining installed under the supporting surfaces of the clamp. This is done to achieve two goals:
- Avoid damaging the part being clamped with a clamp, since in metal devices the clamping pressure can easily reach several hundred kilograms;
- Evenly transfer and distribute the force from the lead screw onto the surface of the furniture panel or fixed part.
It is best to make the gasket from ordinary birch plywood or soft wood with an unsanded surface.
Clamp for wrapping wire onto a mandrel
Reliably fixing a steel wire on a round piece, such as a rubber pipe or the head of a fitting, is considered a very difficult task. Structurally, such a device consists of a double body and a winding pin.
The wire is wrapped around the pipe and hooked onto a pin with a bolt head. In 2-3 turns with the key, the wound one-and-a-half loop is tensioned to the desired state. All that remains is to turn the housing to twist the wire on the hose into several turns and cut off its ends.
DIY corner clamps
The use of specialized clamps today remains the only possible way to assemble any rectangular or square structures made of wood and metal with a perfectly aligned right angle.
For example, a system of ready-made triangles that cover the planes of the joining sides and firmly hold them in the desired position until the fasteners are installed or welding is completed.
Universal clamp for any angle
A right angle, as a rule, does not pose a particular problem when working with clamps; it is much more difficult to make an angle of any size. To solve such problems, you need to make an adaptation to the clamp, as in the photo.
The additional device is based on a regular pine block with a right angle sector cut out in the center. The second piece is a regular right-angled triangle, which can be made from spruce or pine slats.
A through hole with a diameter of 5-6 mm is drilled at the top of the sector corner. It is the hole that allows the triangle to swing and change the angle of inclination of the clamp by 3-7 degrees.
Angle steel clamp for assembly
It is much easier to connect two parts at right angles if you secure them in a corner clamp. In the simplest case, the device consists of two guides made from a cut profile pipe or a steel angle.
The guides must be set using a square at an angle of 90° and connected with additional sheet metal overlays.
To ensure that the workpieces do not fall out of the device during operation, two G-shaped clamps are additionally installed on each of the guides.
DIY quick-release clamp
Sometimes when working with wood, clamps are required, with which you can fix or hold a part to a work table or place within just a few seconds.
In order to make a quick clamp, you will need wooden boards or plywood 16-18 mm thick. Initially, the tracing paper of the parts is transferred to wood and cut out using a jigsaw. In the driven parts, you will need to make cuts to fit the mating part.
At the marked points of the axes you need to make holes with a diameter of 20 mm.
Hinge axles are cut out of a round blank, ground and pressed into the holes. The result is a clamp design that is somewhat reminiscent of scissors. The drive uses a standard lead screw with a diameter of 6 mm.
Clamp for holding and securing small parts
In a similar way, you can make a clamp for fixing particularly small parts. You will first need to mark and cut out two halves of a device similar to tweezers or a medical clamp from OSB or plywood.
The crescent-shaped blanks are connected to each other using a wooden axis, so a hole of the appropriate diameter must be made in each of the parts of the clamp. For the clamp body, you can use ash or spruce; the axis must be made of a harder material - oak or beech.
Clamp made from rebar and wood
Using a reinforcing rod 50-60 cm long and 8 mm in diameter, you can make a very strong and at the same time lightweight frame for universal use.
The structure is based on a wooden support block made from hardwood. Block dimensions 150x50x30mm. Dimensions may vary depending on the thickness and bending radius of the reinforcing bar. A hook from a piece of reinforcement can be bent with a heavy hammer on a steel pipe. The bend must be done so that the bent reinforcement is flat.
Universal tape clamp
One of the most interesting unusual designs of clamps uses a thick belt made of polyester fabric as a strength element. A band clamp is used where it is necessary to tighten several parts evenly.
To make a tape clamp, you need to make corner elements and a device for tensioning the polyester belt. Three corners are cut out of ordinary pine using printed tracing paper. The fourth element, the tension device, is made of two blocks and a tension screw.
The tape is passed around the block; if you unscrew the screw with a wrench, the distance between the blocks increases, and the belt of the device is tensioned, pressing all four blocks to the part.
Cam quick clamps
Often, a part or workpiece in a clamp needs to be fixed quickly, and the clamp must be made without unnecessary movements. For example, when drying or painting a batch of panels or frames. For these purposes, it is best to make a specialized device with cam clamps, photo.
The difference between this device is that instead of a traditional lead screw, plywood eccentrics are installed on the vertical jaws of the clamp.
To do this, you must first make a cut along the thickness of the eccentric on wooden racks.
Telescopic folding clamp
The idea of a telescopic clamp is based on a set of pipes that fit into each other with minimal clearance, like a folding fishing rod, and a set of ring clamps with a screw lock.
A ring is cut from each pipe, to which a metal block with a thread is welded. A wrapped screw or bolt secures the pipe located inside, allowing the entire structure to be clamped into one extended rod.
Universal mounting clamps
In addition to clamps, two-shelf universal clamps are widely used for fixing glued parts of complex configurations, photo.
The idea of a clamp - a clamp - is borrowed from a bookbinding press; the dimensions and number of clamps are selected depending on the size of the part.
4-way poly clamps for wood panels
The lack of reliable fixation remains one of the problems that one has to face when assembling and gluing a shield from several wide and flat strips. It will not be possible to make an assembly even from five or six glued strips and tighten the material with ordinary long clamps; with the slightest increase in force, the shield bends in an arc.
The solution to the problem is a device with four clamps, photo.
The panel is fixed with two pairs of clamps. At the ends of each pair you need to make a cross-shaped clamp from a nut and metal plates. A height-adjustable hinge is installed at the opposite end of the fastening. The lead screw of each clamp rests against a wooden plate. It is enough to make a few turns of the screw so that a pair of bars firmly compresses the parts to be glued.
Clamping box for installation on a workbench
If there is no special mounting cradle, parts of complex configurations are not so easy to attach to a flat workbench surface. In this case, to process a wooden part of a complex spatial structure, it is best to make a clamping box.
The design is quite simple to make:
- A box-shaped frame is assembled from plywood;
- Along the long sides of the box, two beams are sewn, best made of pine, with a cross-section of 50x50 mm;
- A series of mounting crossbars are made of the same material.
The box allows you to use clamps to hold any, even the most complex part. If you plan to use powerful power tools to process it, you also need to make a clamp or clamp for the box-shaped base to secure the device to the table.
Homemade coffee table clamp
A serious problem with all wooden coffee tables has been and remains the low lateral rigidity of the frame; even without a load, the tabletop often has a small but extremely unpleasant play.
You can fix the problem by installing a homemade clamp or tension spring. Two planks or blocks of wood are connected to each other by a long metal bracket.
The device can be made with a screw clamp or self-clamping. In any case, the bars will strengthen and fix the frame with the legs, thereby eliminating the existing play.
Inexpensive simple clamp made from a PVC pipe ring
Sometimes you have to look for improvised means to hold it when carrying, but more often when drilling or processing parts and objects with a round cross-section. The simplest version of the clamp can be made from a ring of PVC pipe.
It is enough to drill two through holes, insert a couple of pieces of reinforcement and cut the wall of the ring in one place. The device is designed for a certain diameter of the part, so you will have to make a whole set of clamps to work.
Racks for a set of clamps
Working tools and clamps should first of all be stored in a specially designated place. Instead of a pile of tools, from which it is difficult to find and select the necessary device, it is best to make several split racks or shelves. In this case, it will take only a couple of minutes, and not half a day, as before, to quickly select several clamps that are most suitable in size and design.
Improvised clamps
Often in carpentry or when assembling wooden structures there is not enough time to make full-fledged clamps and clamps. Then ingenuity and experience come to the rescue.
For example, a round workpiece can be fixed using several rings stuffed onto the frame.
Reinforcing rod or water pipe can be clamped using an improvised clamp made from several bars and tape.
A regular trunk locking cord will help you tighten a set of a dozen wooden slats like a band clamp.
A clamp is a tool that allows you to fix a part during processing. Masters often use different kinds clamps in their work. Whether you are a carpenter or a metalworker, there is always a need to use it.
This device is available in different versions, from universal to specialized. Relatively recently, a new modification has appeared: a quick-release clamp. Develops compression force up to 450 kg.
The task for all types is common - to fix the workpieces for processing or connecting to each other.
Like any other tool, clamps can be purchased at the store or made yourself. The second option is often chosen by professionals. It’s easier to come up with your own design than to look for an option for individual tasks.
Homemade clamps - varieties and manufacturing technologies
Angle clamp
Such devices are used to fix two objects (not necessarily the same size) at right angles, to connect them together in any way. These can be wooden blanks when gluing, or assembling using corners and confirmat.
However, most often, an angle clamp is used as a jig for welding metal parts at right angles.
For production you will need:
- steel angle 40 mm, thickness 3-4 mm;
- steel plates 40-50 mm wide;
- threaded studs, preferably hardened;
- rods for gates;
- nuts for the worm gear;
- welding machine;
- drill, taps.
We weld the corners to the steel plates at a strictly 90° angle.
We attach a worm structure to each side by welding. This is the same corner with a welded-on thrust nut or thickening, in which a thread is cut in accordance with the collar pin. The width of the working gap is selected according to the potential workpiece.
IMPORTANT! If the range of sizes of the parts being processed is too wide, it is better to make several clamps. Too much movement of the knob does not contribute to a strong fixation.
A collar pin is screwed into the working nut, after which a stop is assembled at its end. As a rule, this is a structure of two metal washers of different sizes. The stop should rotate freely on the pin.
On the back side of the knob we drill a hole into which we insert a metal rod as a lever.
A properly assembled metal clamp allows you to securely fasten steel parts during welding, or wooden parts during carpentry. The design is so simple to make - that it has become a real staple among home-made craftsmen.
A clamp is a device that allows you to tie, clamp or glue various surfaces. However, some craftsmen may not always have such tools available.
In such cases, homemade clamps will come to the rescue, allowing you to solve individual problems. A do-it-yourself clamp is relatively easy to make, but at the same time it is particularly reliable when assembled.
What is a clamp
Neither professionals nor amateur craftsmen can do without the use of this tool. It is used for carpentry, plumbing and any other types of work. The configuration of this device has many different options and is available for both universal and specialized purposes. Recently, new modifications have appeared on the market, which are quick-release devices. The force exerted by them can reach 400-500 kg.
All types of this tool have a common task - to fix workpieces when processing them or connecting them to each other.
Naturally, you can buy clamps in many specialized stores, but some craftsmen prefer self-production. Homemade options are in some cases more practical and can be used for a specific and specific type of work, which cannot be said about many factory tools.
What elements does a clamp consist of?
Before you make a clamp, you need to figure out what structural elements are present in it. Among the main ones it is worth highlighting:
- frame;
- pressing jaws;
- movable element;
- lever arm.
The operation of such a tightening mechanism is ensured by a movable movable part, which has a thread. Thanks to this, the clamping device is attracted, pressing the desired object between the planes of the moving elements. The clamping force should be controlled using a lever.
Today, a variety of clamping devices are known that are manufactured as a lever system. But making such mechanisms at home is not possible.
For production that will be distinguished by quality and reliability, it is best to install metal parts. Welding can be used to connect them. Such a fastening mechanism will have a reliable design that allows for tightening elements that have different elasticity. The use of universal metal ties can be carried out to perform a variety of jobs, and their service life is longer than other materials.
Making a clamp with your own hands from metal
To make a homemade clamp, a metal channel must be prepared. Its long size must correspond to the maximum thickness of the products being pulled together. But to be on the safe side, it’s worth providing a small margin.
Marks should be made on the longitudinal center lines running on the channel. They will indicate the location of the holes into which the bolts will be inserted. Small pieces of a similar channel should be attached to the body of the bolts. This can be accomplished using welding. In addition, by welding you can cut holes with the desired diameter.
It is best to give the holes for the bolts a teardrop shape. This design will allow you to make landing nests with a tighter type of fit. The holes should look like keyholes.
After this, we take a small channel plate to weld the bolt to it. The size of the bolt head should be such that it can be installed in the socket without much effort. Having provided for all these aspects, the preparation of the necessary stops can be considered complete.
After this, you must use a screw that has large diameter. An eye is attached to one end, and a long section of channel is attached to the other. The best option for fastening is welding. Having completed these manipulations, you can fully use the tool.
We use a flexible insert
Often during the work process there is a need to tie parts that have a large surface. In such cases, flexible inserts should be used. For their manufacture, it is recommended to use fairly rigid materials, the surface of which will have a slight bend. For example, such a material is an ordinary metal plate having a thickness of 3 to 4 mm.
At the ends, such an insert is pressed on both sides with clamps to the plate to be glued. It must be positioned in such a way that through its surface it is possible to achieve uniform pressure over the entire plane of the surfaces being processed.
The use of flexible inserts together with a clamp will provide the opportunity for reliable gluing of any surface that has a large plane. Thanks to it, the whole job can be significantly simplified.
There are other ways to make a quick-release clamp with your own hands. But the use of this option is characterized by the greatest versatility. This device can be used when working with large items, such as doors, countertops, etc.
Wooden quick-release clamp
Homemade wooden clamps can be made in various options. Below we will look at some of the most practical carpentry options.
Option 1
The simplest clamp made of wooden elements, which is used for carpentry work, can be made using the following materials:
- Wooden blocks (2 pcs.) made of soft but durable wood, such as pine. Due to the hard wood, imprints may remain on the product if held firmly.
- A furniture nut with a wood lock.
- Four steel studs. They must be made of expensive hardened steel grades.
- Wing nut (4 pcs.) . Their thread must match the thread of the studs.
- Four thrust washers.
The block is cut in the form of working pliers. In which it is necessary to drill in parallel the required number of holes for each stud, allowing for a small backlash. Each pin is screwed into a furniture nut and locked. Tight alignment can be achieved using wings or regular nuts with open-end wrenches (to obtain a strong grip).
It is noteworthy that by producing two identical sets of clamps, the scope of their use can be significantly expanded. In such cases, you can work with the tool as a carpenter's vice.
Option 2
To ensure quick fixation of small parts, you can use a clamp, which is similar to a caliper.
To make the device you will need bars and thin plywood. You will also need to provide a worm system, which will require the use of furniture nuts and a socket pin. On one side of the guide rails, a fixed stop is firmly attached. On the slats themselves, it is necessary to cut several recesses that secure the moving mechanism.
When moving the bracket to the desired value, to fix the part you need to make several turns with the crank. If you release the thrust mechanism, the carriage can be easily moved, freeing the part.
Option 3
In some cases, it becomes necessary to press the workpiece to the table surface. For this purpose, a self-clamping clamp is used, which must be equipped with a metal or wooden bracket.
The swivel end must have a lever on which there is an eccentric. When you turn it at certain angles, it automatically locks. The overall height can be adjusted with studs that are attached to the device. By turning it to a certain angle, we get an automatic quick clamp.
To perform mass milling, two such clamps must be secured to movable templates. These types of quick-clamping clamps should be made individually, tailored for each matrix, or by rearranging them onto new substrates when cutting out subsequent forms.
Manufacturing of pipe clamps
It is known that end-to-end pipe welding requires special skill and ability. It is quite difficult to connect metal pipes in this way. When welding a piece of pipe to ready-made systems that are fixed in space, the level of complexity is significantly reduced. But to weld a freely lying piece of workpiece, the presence of assistants or special devices is required, which are clamps for welding pipes.
To make a pipe clamp you will need a metal corner and steel plates. The halves of homemade pipe clamps are secured with threaded rods. As a result, you can get a very simple and effective design.
You can learn more about how to make a clamp with your own hands from the video tutorial.
Video “Do-it-yourself clamp. Detailed manufacturing process"
The video presents a detailed process for making a homemade clamp.