Homemade wooden clamps with your own hands. A do-it-yourself clamp makes the craftsman’s work easier and saves him money

A clamp is a universal tool that no craftsman can do without. The cost of such a device on the market is quite high, so a homemade clamp will be the best option for working with wood and metal. The manufacturing process does not require a lot of materials and financial costs.

Types and principles of operation

There are two main types of clamps: for carpentry and metal work. It is possible to use metal clamps for working with wood, but you will always have to put spacers under the jaws, otherwise the product will be damaged. In carpentry work, it is quite common to use corner clamps - whether it is tightening two frames, where an important aspect is to maintain a 90-degree angle, or assembling entrance and interior doors. When gluing the main door frame, you cannot do without clamps. On the Internet you can find a wide variety of options for making clamps with your own hands; drawings are also available. Here are the most common options.

A drawing of a homemade carpentry clamp is shown in the figure.

For assembly you need: stops, block clamps, movable blocks and strips, which can be made from 3/4 plywood, and the top and bottom can be made from 1.2 mm thick plywood. The corner clamp is assembled quite easily, and the plywood will not scratch the surfaces of wood, plastic and other surfaces. Quite a bit of material is needed, which significantly reduces the price of the product. The carpenter's version of a homemade clamp is characterized by a simple design and provides good compression of the parts together. You can make a tool from scrap materials:

• Two bars 4-5 cm thick, the length can be selected depending on the tasks.
• Two furniture nuts.
• Two studs.
• Wing nuts for studs.

The bars need to be shaped into a kind of pincers. This can be done with a jigsaw or a regular wood saw. Then the bars are leaned against each other, and two holes are drilled in them. The studs are screwed into furniture nuts and locked. The compression of two wooden planks occurs with the help of wings. The cheeks of the product must be made of soft wood so as not to damage the surface during compression.

Band clamps are very popular among carpenters. They can be used to compress large objects. The manufacturing sequence is as follows.

This type provides strong compression, and the material for assembly is likely to be found in every workshop.

Making a corner clamp

The corner clamp is also widely used for welding work. Almost any welding work involves connecting parts at a certain angle and holding them stationary. When a welder welds, he has a holder with an electrode in one hand and a mask in the other, so corner clamps will greatly simplify working with the product. In stores, the price of such devices can reach 2 thousand rubles. and more.

Therefore, the best option would be to make a metal clamp with your own hands. This will not only save money, but also allow you to make the tool of any size and add some changes to the design. Drawings of the corner clamp are shown in the figure.

For this you need: strips of metal 8-10 mm thick. To fix metal elements you need to take a corner 40 by 40 mm or 50 by 50 mm. The corners can be fastened together by bolting or simply welded, which will provide them with the necessary rigidity. For the clamping device, you need to weld 3-4 nuts together, but the best option would be to make a bracket with a threaded hole 30-40 mm thick. To move the clamping mechanism, it is necessary to make guides. Using a drill, drill a hole, insert a bolt into it and tighten it with a nut.

The next modification is simple, but the finished tool must be mounted on a workbench for convenience. The clamp consists of two corners and two strips made of sheet metal. For a quick-clamping design, you will need two corners 70 by 70 or 50 by 50, depending on the dimensions of the metal. If the metal is large-sized, then it is advisable to take larger corners. You will also need 2 steel studs to act as clamps, 6 nuts and 2 or more sheet metal plates.

Weld two corners together at 90 degrees; the distance between them can be reinforced with metal strips or the same corners. Now in the middle of each corner you need to weld one bracket.

Next, you should cut the thread or simply drill a hole and weld a nut into which the stud will be screwed, securing the workpiece. Weld nuts at the end of the stud, having previously welded them together.

Tubular design

Professionals or amateur welders quite often have to work with different pipe diameters. To weld two pipes, the two pipes must be matched exactly. With their help, you can not only save time, but also quickly adjust the alignment of the pipes and make tacks. There is a large selection of clamps This type is available in hardware stores, but, as a rule, such products are quite weak, and those that are of good quality cost a lot of money.

Therefore, the best option would be to make them yourself. It is advisable to have several types of clamps on the farm, depending on the diameter of the pipes. To make the first option, you will need two pieces of U-shaped profile, two nuts and two bolts.

Manufacturing sequence:

• Saw off two pieces of a U-shaped profile approximately 20-40 cm and weld them at an angle of 90 degrees, as shown in the figure.
• In order not to cut threads in the holes, you can simply weld a nut on top of the hole.
• The width of the profile can be selected depending on the diameter of the pipe with which the work will be carried out, and bolts and nuts will probably be found in every workshop.

The design is quite simple and does not require special skills for manufacturing. The same option can be made for butt welding pipes: to do this, you need to take a U-shaped straight profile from 1m to 2m long, screw it to the workbench and make similar clamps that were in the previous version.

Universal option

If you have to weld pipes at different angles, then this option will be preferable. For production you will need 2 corners 70 mm by 70 mm, 2 strips of thick metal 7-10 mm (thicker), 3 M17 bolts and 5 nuts.

Cut the ends of the planks at 45 degrees, then weld them to the corners. Pre-drill holes at the ends of the planks and bolt them together. As shown in the picture, weld pieces of corners 5 to 7 cm wide to the main corners.

Then drill holes in the pieces of corners and weld one nut on each side. This design of clamps is good because it is possible to weld pipes at any angle; just unscrew the nut on the strips and set the desired angle, and the bolts that are screwed into the clamps from above will ensure reliable fastening of the pipe. This design can be clamped in a vice, which is available in every workshop, after setting the angle. If it is necessary to weld pipes with a large diameter, then the corners are taken thicker.

Quick-clamping method

If a regular screw clamp needs to be tightened and waste time, then a quick-clamping one will be able to press two surfaces very quickly. Required items:

• Plywood 3 or 4 mm.
• Springs (the stiffer the springs are used, the stronger the pressure will be).
• A small piece of plywood 1.5 or 2 mm, for making templates.

To begin, cut out the finished parts according to the templates. Then make cuts in the workpiece number 1 using a hand router.

The next step is to prepare the steel bar on which the moving part will move. It can be cut from sheet metal 5-7 mm thick.

Then assemble the mechanism itself; for this you will need springs and two steel strips with slots in the middle, which can be cut quite easily with a grinder. Assemble the mechanism as shown in Fig. 10.

Insert the trigger and place the second half of the part on top. Drill holes and fasten the two halves together. Make fixed jaws from sheet metal as shown in Fig. eleven.

Weld the stationary part of the jaws onto a pre-prepared strip 50 cm long and 3 cm wide. It is necessary to make wooden tips for the jaws themselves so as not to scratch the product during clamping.

All wooden parts can be impregnated with superglue to increase the service life of the tool. The final version looks like this:

This type of clamp is very convenient and allows you to compress fairly large parts together, and the compression force can reach up to 400 kg.

Thus, for fixing various parts in a stationary state and during welding work, various types of clamps are suitable, which will make the work more comfortable.

A clamp is a tool that allows you to fix a part during processing. Craftsmen often use various types of 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 corner 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.

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 enough 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.

Hi all brainiacs! In today's project we will make with your own hands wooden clamp.

All elements used are of standard size and can be enlarged to produce larger clamps. This will give you a set of several clamps!

You may not have any special equipment like I do - don't worry about that! Almost any problem can be solved in one way or another, any craft can be improved. I made 3 prototypes before getting the perfect clamp for myself. Don't be afraid to experiment and make mistakes!

Step 2: Materials Used

In this project, a set of four clamps is made, but the volume of materials is indicated for one clamp. Just multiply by the number of clamps you require and get the amount of materials you need.

- Hardwood that is 1.9 cm thick and at least 2.5 cm wide (I used pecan wood)
— 1/2 inch steel rod (12mm)
- 1/4 inch pin 20 threads per inch
— 1/2 inch nuts (12mm) x2 pcs.
- 3/32 inch spring pins (2.38mm) 3/4 inch (19mm) long x2 pcs.

You will also need a 1/4" 20 TPI tap for the barrel nuts, and a drill bit for a 13/64" (5mm) tap.

Step 3: Splitting the Wood Piece

The best way I have found to make something is to try to make all the required parts in one operation. So first, cut the material needed for the jaws and handles. The handles are made from a 3/4" by 3/4" (19x19mm) square piece, and the jaws will be 1" by 3/4" (25x19mm).

Step 4: Cutting the Handles

Set your machine to a 33 degree angle to cut the handle blank to the desired shape. You can use a 1/2 inch nut as a spacer to get the thickness you need.

I used my band cutter for this task. Just go around one side, then flip from one side to the other and make a second cut. This will ensure that one side you cut will have a hexagonal shape. Next, trim the second side in the same way.

When finished, move your machine back 90 degrees and cut the handle blank to 2 1/2 inches (64mm) long.

Step 5: Clamp jaw blanks

Now cut off a corner on the jaws. Cut as you wish. I cut my miter a little long and then used it to cut a 15 degree miter on one side for the other pieces.

For those of you who like to use a bevel to cut, consider that the slope of the line (steepness) is 2 inches (50mm) by 2 3/4 inches (70mm). The angle is installed at 1/2" (12mm) spacing or centered in a 1" (25.4mm) piece. I recommend cutting the corner first, then cutting the jaws to 4 inches (102mm). This way there is less chance of making a mistake.

When finished, mark A and B on the jaw halves.

Step 6: Drilling Jaw A

Start with Jaw A. Drill two 1/2" (12mm) holes through one side and two 1/4" (6mm) holes through the top.

The first 1/2" (12mm) diameter hole is located 3/4" (19mm) from the back and is centered in the jaw blank. The second hole is located 1 3/4" (44mm) from the back of jaw A. Two 1/4" (6mm) diameter holes are located in the center of the top of jaw, 3/8" (9.5mm) from each side and intersect with the centers of the 1/2 inch (12mm) diameter holes.

Step 7: Sponge B

Jaw B is slightly different from Jaw A. It does not have the 1/2" (12mm) holes drilled, and the 1/4" (6mm) hole in the back is only 1/2" (12mm) deep.

Place Jaw B in the same manner as Jaw A previously, drill 1/4" (6mm) diameter holes 3/4" (19mm) and 1 3/4" (44mm) from the back. Be careful not to drill the entire passage through the back hole like I did. That's why I labeled the sponges A and B.

Step 8: Threaded Studs

Take a good hacksaw and cut the 1/4" (6mm) threaded rod into the required length. You will need a 4 1/2" (114mm) blank and a 5" (127mm) blank for each clamp you make. Put them aside for now, we will return to them at the stage of making handles.

Step 9: Roll Nuts

Cylinder nuts are drilled round pieces of steel with 90 degree threads inside them.

I made mine by cutting 1/2" (12mm) long stock into 3/4" (19mm) long pieces, then drilled the holes and tapped the threads with a 1/4" (20 thread) tap.

Step 10: Creating Chamfers on the Clamp Handles

All handles will have a chamfer on one end. This makes them more attractive, removes sharp edges, and makes them easier to hold in your hand.

If you have strong hands, then use a sharp chisel to create chamfers. Simply clamp the handles as shown in the photo and trim the edges to 1/8 inch (3mm).

Step 11: Continue finishing the handles

In order for the handles to accept a 1/2" nut, they must be cut to a diameter slightly larger than the hole in the nut so that the threads of the nut will engage securely with the wood surface and create a secure connection. This is where a wood lathe would come in handy, but in the absence of one, you will have to do it manually.

Press the fence block against the saw guard and use a 1/2-inch nut to adjust the depth of cut to ensure the desired distance from the fence. Next, take a piece of wood and make the necessary cuts.

As a result, you should end up with a design that looks a little like the Jewish Star of David. After this, cut off the excess protrusions.

Step 12: Handles and Corner Removal

The 1/2 inch nuts will not fit on the handles unless you file the corners on them. At this stage, practice on some unnecessary workpiece, and only after that use a real handle.

Clamp the handles and grind until you get a perfect round shape.
Next, screw the nut onto the tip of the handle. Do this carefully.

Step 13: Finishing the Handles

Thread two 1/4 inch (6mm) nuts onto the threaded rod until it is securely seated in the jig. Next, round off the ends using a metal file so that the handle moves smoothly. Make sure at least one inch of material protrudes from the jig, then screw the wood handle in as far as possible. Use a wrench to tighten to the base and align with the handle. Do not overtighten, lower the nut until it stops, and then align it with the handle.

Finally, you need to insert the pin into the handle. Drill a 3/32-inch (2.38mm) hole in the center of the nut, threaded rod, and tap the pin in with a hammer.

Step 14: Shutdown

Well, that's almost all. You have made all the necessary preparations. Now they need to be connected all together to get a completed product. We just need to sand the surfaces to remove any sharp edges, edges and apply the finishing coat. This is the most enjoyable simple step to follow.

Put on rubber gloves and rub some drying oil into the surface, then finish the process by waxing the wooden surface and enjoy the result!

I hope you enjoyed this project. You can also upgrade a manufactured clamp to clamp different sized items.

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, large quantities of clamps are required. Especially if the wooden products are made 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.

Diagram of the clamp: a - parts, b - assembled, 1 - rectangular hole, 2 - pusher, 3 - body wall, 4 - protrusion, 5 - hole in the body, 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 saw boards smoothly, make routing for a hacksaw, connect various parts and elements, etc. At the same time, homemade clamps are in no way inferior to purchased ones. To understand the principle of making a clamp with your own hands, you should understand its design.

Such clamps consist of 2 elements - the “body” (frame) and the 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, both 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 tightly fix a hacksaw, you should use 2 pcs., to fix wooden boards - 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.

This completes the production of the wooden clamp.

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 of the 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 and 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 jaws 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 degrees. 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.