| Blog series by Dave Rutan | updated 09-28-2016 12:26 PM | 7 parts | 8971 reads | 8 comments total |
Part 1: Supplies and cutting
[Legebla en Esperanto] I recently built two more of my wooden bar clamps. I decided to take photos along the way to show how they are made. These are made of 1×2 pine. Most of my bar clamps are of a very similar design. I’ve used them. They haven’t broken and they hold wood together during glue-ups. Using a stronger wood would make the clamp… well, stronger. N.B. I made these with basic hand tools. Using better tools will yield a more professional looking proje...
Part 2: The fixed head
[Legebla en Esperanto] [Above] Take the 2 inch piece and measure 1 inch from one end. That end is henceforth the bottom. Mark the center between the sides and put a dimple in that spot. I used a convenient nail here. [Above] Now, using a 5/8 in. bit (or better, one just big enough for the nut,) drill a hole just deep enough for the 3/8 in. nut. You can see my hole is a little large. [Above] In the center of the shallow hole you just drilled, now drill a 3/...
Part 3: The Jaw
[Legebla en Esperanto] [Above] Now take one of the 3 inch pieces and put it on the bar in front of the clamp head that you recently glued onto the bar. Mark the height of one of the side members of the head on the 3 inch piece. N.B. in this position the area above the head is going to be the fingers. [Above] Using the other 3 inch piece, place it in the ‘finger’ area of the one you just marked. Center it from side to side and mark where it sits. [Abov...
Part 4: The Bar
[Legebla en Esperanto] [Above] Now turn the bar over to expose the bottom side. Put both jaw pieces on the bar up against the head. Measure in 2 inch increments from the jaw pieces down the length of the bar. In reality one in increments is better, but it’s double the work too. Using the rat tail rasp cut half circle stops into the bar. N.B. More can be easily added after the clamp is finished. Don’t go all the way to the far end. [Above] Round ove...
Part 5: Finishing the jaw
[Legebla en Esperanto] [Above] And here’s me forgetting to photograph steps, but it’s OK. Advance the threaded rod a few inches. Put the jaw half with the through-hole on the bar and with the rod through it. Put a washer on the rod and into the well you drilled. Glue the nut on the end of the threaded rod. Now you should have what is shwn in the top photo. 2nd photo: put the other washer in the well of he other jaw half. Apply wood glue to the inner surface of ...
Part 6: Movable stop
[Legebla en Esperanto] [Above] Cut the piece of flat steel into two lengths of 3.25 in. Use a file to blunt the edges and round the corners a bit. [Above] mark a point about 3/8 in. in from each end, centering it on the steel. Drill a 1/4 in. hole at these locations. You will want to use a center punch to give the drill bit a place to catch. The hole is easier to drill if you start with an 1/8 in. pilot hole, then go to the 1/4 in. bit. File any burs. [Above]...
Part 7: Finishing up
[Legebla ankaŭ en Esperanto] [Above] After the movable stop is on the bar, insert a piece of 1/4 in. dowel into the hole at the end of the bar. This keeps the head from sliding off. The dowel can be glued in, but if it is snug, you may want to leave it be. If left removable, the possibility is open to join two clamps together to make a longer one. [Above] Take the 1 in. x1 in. x 4 in. piece of wood and drill a 3/8 in. hole down the center about 3 in. deep. Using epoxy...
