I need to make a 76" table top, 16" wide out of plywood, with "breadboard"
ends. My biggest clamps are 72", and it is tough to justify buying bigger
clamps for one project.
There will be drawers under the center of the table; so I could screw a
cleat into the center of the table and clamp from the cleat to the end with
4' clamps. I could even do both ends at the same time, so the clamps are
opposing each other, rather than just pulling on the cleat. (I suppose I
could also make the ends 6" and glue one on normally first, and then use the
cleat for the second.)
Any comments on this? Will being slightly off axis make much difference?
Any other suggestion on how to clamp 78"?
Obviously I could use veneer edging tape, but will not look so great.
Rob West wrote:
> "toller" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> >I need to make a 76" table top, 16" wide out of plywood, with
"breadboard"
> >ends. My biggest clamps are 72", and it is tough to justify buying
bigger
> >clamps for one project.
> >
> > There will be drawers under the center of the table; so I could
screw a
> > cleat into the center of the table and clamp from the cleat to the
end
> > with 4' clamps. I could even do both ends at the same time, so the
clamps
> > are opposing each other, rather than just pulling on the cleat. (I
> > suppose I could also make the ends 6" and glue one on normally
first, and
> > then use the cleat for the second.)
> >
> > Any comments on this? Will being slightly off axis make much
difference?
> > Any other suggestion on how to clamp 78"?
> >
> > Obviously I could use veneer edging tape, but will not look so
great.
> >
> If you are using old style pipe clamps, you can turn the ends 90
degrees to
> clamp both ends like you suggest, with no problems. Otherwise, you
could
> try using scrap boards (2x4's or whatever) with cleats on each end.
Between
> the cleats and the breadboard, tap in wedges to tighten everything up
until
> the glue dries. I've used both methods before, and they seem to work
> equally well.
>
> Good luck,
> Rob
I believe you can also buy just the heads and feet of a sash clamp and
then provide your own shaft of suitable length to make any length clamp
you want.
FoggyTown
I recently made a table with breadboard ends and didn't even need
clamps. I put three pins (1/4" dowels) in each end. What I did was
drill the holes for pins in the end-cap piece first, then slightly
offset (1/64" - 1/32") the holes in the tenon. That way when you pound
in the pins, it will draw the two pieces together. When I did it the
joint was very tight and simply didn't need any clamps.
In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...
> Use the cheapest clamp ever. Get a length of rope, tie it in a loop and
> wrap it around your table. Tighten it by laying a stick across it and twist
> until you have the clamp pressure you need. Total cost? <$2.
>
I just read a lot of responses waiting for somebody to suggest that :-).
Thanks, Joe.
BTW, that's called a "spanish windlass".
And another suggestion is band clamps.
In both cases, a scrap piece to protect the ends is a good idea.
--
Homo sapiens is a goal, not a description
not sure if you can justify the cost for a couple of these, but you might
and they would do the job very well:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00005A1K2/qid=1104852126/sr=1
-19/ref=sr_1_19/002-5496868-6654455?v=glance&s=hi
or
http://tinyurl.com/6yjrs
Mike
"toller" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I need to make a 76" table top, 16" wide out of plywood, with "breadboard"
> ends. My biggest clamps are 72", and it is tough to justify buying bigger
> clamps for one project.
>
> There will be drawers under the center of the table; so I could screw a
> cleat into the center of the table and clamp from the cleat to the end
with
> 4' clamps. I could even do both ends at the same time, so the clamps are
> opposing each other, rather than just pulling on the cleat. (I suppose I
> could also make the ends 6" and glue one on normally first, and then use
the
> cleat for the second.)
>
> Any comments on this? Will being slightly off axis make much difference?
> Any other suggestion on how to clamp 78"?
>
> Obviously I could use veneer edging tape, but will not look so great.
>
>
I haven't used them either. I was just saying that if that type of clamp
that Mike mentioned was of interest to you then PS sells one like it for
less.
Here is another possible approach from PS for edge pressure, even though it
is not the application they show. If you have bar clamps that can reach
past the breadboard ends ...
http://www.pennstateind.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=PSI&Product_Code=S-PPP&Category_Code=CLPP
It's also much less expensive. My sense is that you might not be able to
generate quite as much edge clamping pressure, but for the breadboard end
how much force does one need? Anyway, it would seem to help you meet your
marring concerns -- it would be the pads on your bar clamps (and their
pressure) that would dictate. Then again, maybe this bar clamp approach
could create more marring (dents) since you would need to tighten the bar
clamps to grab onto the table top and bottom while the specially-designed
edge clamps use a cam. I don't know. BTW, I haven't used these either --
yet. I did buy a set of 4 some time back when they had a clamp sale and I
was close to the $100 free shipping deal they were offering. HTH. -- Igor
On Tue, 04 Jan 2005 20:39:17 GMT, "Mike in Mystic"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>just use a couple short bar clamps to hold a strip of 1/4" masonite or
>something along the top and bottom edges of the table end where you will use
>the clamps. This would keep the clamping parts off the table surface. I
>haven't actually used these types of clamps, though, but remembered them and
>they seemed like what you need. Igor's heads up about the PS version seems
>a cost-effective approach.
>
>Mike
>
>"toller" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>> Has anyone actually used these? I am a bit concerned about how
>> "non-marring" they really are, since the plywood won't allow much sanding.
>>
>> Thanks
>>
>>
>
"toller" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>I need to make a 76" table top, 16" wide out of plywood, with "breadboard"
>ends. My biggest clamps are 72", and it is tough to justify buying bigger
>clamps for one project.
>
> There will be drawers under the center of the table; so I could screw a
> cleat into the center of the table and clamp from the cleat to the end
> with 4' clamps. I could even do both ends at the same time, so the clamps
> are opposing each other, rather than just pulling on the cleat. (I
> suppose I could also make the ends 6" and glue one on normally first, and
> then use the cleat for the second.)
>
> Any comments on this? Will being slightly off axis make much difference?
> Any other suggestion on how to clamp 78"?
>
> Obviously I could use veneer edging tape, but will not look so great.
>
If you are using old style pipe clamps, you can turn the ends 90 degrees to
clamp both ends like you suggest, with no problems. Otherwise, you could
try using scrap boards (2x4's or whatever) with cleats on each end. Between
the cleats and the breadboard, tap in wedges to tighten everything up until
the glue dries. I've used both methods before, and they seem to work
equally well.
Good luck,
Rob
Yeah, nothing like coming up with a good solution, then watching that good
solution beat the hell out of your table top spinning at about a bajillion
rpm ;-)
Not that thats ever happened to me.....
Joe C.
"Robatoy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In article <[email protected]>,
> "Joe C." <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > Use the cheapest clamp ever. Get a length of rope, tie it in a loop and
> > wrap it around your table. Tighten it by laying a stick across it and
twist
> > until you have the clamp pressure you need. Total cost? <$2.
>
> Forgetting about the tension when you undo that rope clamp?...Priceless.
In article <[email protected]>,
toller <[email protected]> wrote:
>I need to make a 76" table top, 16" wide out of plywood, with "breadboard"
>ends. My biggest clamps are 72", and it is tough to justify buying bigger
>clamps for one project.
>
>There will be drawers under the center of the table; so I could screw a
>cleat into the center of the table and clamp from the cleat to the end with
>4' clamps. I could even do both ends at the same time, so the clamps are
>opposing each other, rather than just pulling on the cleat. (I suppose I
>could also make the ends 6" and glue one on normally first, and then use the
>cleat for the second.)
>
>Any comments on this? Will being slightly off axis make much difference?
>Any other suggestion on how to clamp 78"?
>
>Obviously I could use veneer edging tape, but will not look so great.
>
>
Pipe clamps are cheap and with a little scrounging you can get the
pipe for free.
--
Larry Wasserman Baltimore, Maryland
[email protected]
> Didja see the part where I said that the home centers would cut *and* thread
> the pipes at no charge? It's certainly true at Lowe's and Home Depot, anyway.
> I've had it done both places. Matter of fact, I have *never* encountered any
> hardware store, home center, or plumbing supply house that would cut pipe to
> length but *not* thread it. Some won't thread it for *free*, but IME every
> place that cuts it will also thread it.
>
>
When I had it done for my glorious $2.99 HF 1/2" pipe clamps, it was a local
single business, cheaper than any borg or other single business, both cutting
and threading was done on the same machine for free. Only the cost of the pipe.
toller wrote:
> Any comments on this? Will being slightly off axis make much
> difference? Any other suggestion on how to clamp 78"?
Build an inexpensive clamp. A cheap 2x4 stud with cleats 80"
apart and a pair of wedges is effective, inexpensive, quick, and
re-usable.
Want something fancier? Use a cleat on one end and a Lee Valley
"Wonder Pup" or "Panel Clamp" on the other.
--
Morris Dovey
DeSoto Solar
DeSoto, Iowa USA
http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto/solar.html
just use a couple short bar clamps to hold a strip of 1/4" masonite or
something along the top and bottom edges of the table end where you will use
the clamps. This would keep the clamping parts off the table surface. I
haven't actually used these types of clamps, though, but remembered them and
they seemed like what you need. Igor's heads up about the PS version seems
a cost-effective approach.
Mike
"toller" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Has anyone actually used these? I am a bit concerned about how
> "non-marring" they really are, since the plywood won't allow much sanding.
>
> Thanks
>
>
"toller" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I need to make a 76" table top, 16" wide out of plywood, with "breadboard"
> ends. My biggest clamps are 72", and it is tough to justify buying bigger
> clamps for one project.
>
> There will be drawers under the center of the table; so I could screw a
> cleat into the center of the table and clamp from the cleat to the end
with
> 4' clamps. I could even do both ends at the same time, so the clamps are
> opposing each other, rather than just pulling on the cleat. (I suppose I
> could also make the ends 6" and glue one on normally first, and then use
the
> cleat for the second.)
>
> Any comments on this? Will being slightly off axis make much difference?
> Any other suggestion on how to clamp 78"?
>
> Obviously I could use veneer edging tape, but will not look so great.
>
>
Longer pipes?
--
-Mike-
[email protected]
In article <[email protected]>, "David Radlin" <[email protected]> wrote:
>"Doug Miller" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
[snip]
>> It's cheaper (a LOT cheaper) to buy ten-foot sections of pipe at a home
>> center, than to buy two four-foot sections. And they'll cut and thread
>> them at no charge, too.
[snip]
>..... provided that that they can also thread all those pipe ends for you
>too, or you have the faculties to do it yourself.
Didja see the part where I said that the home centers would cut *and* thread
the pipes at no charge? It's certainly true at Lowe's and Home Depot, anyway.
I've had it done both places. Matter of fact, I have *never* encountered any
hardware store, home center, or plumbing supply house that would cut pipe to
length but *not* thread it. Some won't thread it for *free*, but IME every
place that cuts it will also thread it.
--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek-at-milmac-dot-com)
Get a copy of my NEW AND IMPROVED TrollFilter for NewsProxy/Nfilter
by sending email to autoresponder at filterinfo-at-milmac-dot-com
You must use your REAL email address to get a response.
Use the cheapest clamp ever. Get a length of rope, tie it in a loop and
wrap it around your table. Tighten it by laying a stick across it and twist
until you have the clamp pressure you need. Total cost? <$2.
Joe C.
"toller" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I need to make a 76" table top, 16" wide out of plywood, with "breadboard"
> ends. My biggest clamps are 72", and it is tough to justify buying bigger
> clamps for one project.
>
> There will be drawers under the center of the table; so I could screw a
> cleat into the center of the table and clamp from the cleat to the end
with
> 4' clamps. I could even do both ends at the same time, so the clamps are
> opposing each other, rather than just pulling on the cleat. (I suppose I
> could also make the ends 6" and glue one on normally first, and then use
the
> cleat for the second.)
>
> Any comments on this? Will being slightly off axis make much difference?
> Any other suggestion on how to clamp 78"?
>
> Obviously I could use veneer edging tape, but will not look so great.
>
>
In article <DuvCd.15922$P%[email protected]>, "Rob West" <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>If you are using old style pipe clamps, you can turn the ends 90 degrees to
>clamp both ends like you suggest, with no problems.
Or you could just get a longer pipe.
--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek-at-milmac-dot-com)
Get a copy of my NEW AND IMPROVED TrollFilter for NewsProxy/Nfilter
by sending email to autoresponder at filterinfo-at-milmac-dot-com
You must use your REAL email address to get a response.
trucker's tiedowns with a ratchet tightener
"Joe C." <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Use the cheapest clamp ever. Get a length of rope, tie it in a loop and
> wrap it around your table. Tighten it by laying a stick across it and
> twist
> until you have the clamp pressure you need. Total cost? <$2.
>
> Joe C.
>
>
> "toller" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> I need to make a 76" table top, 16" wide out of plywood, with
>> "breadboard"
>> ends. My biggest clamps are 72", and it is tough to justify buying
>> bigger
>> clamps for one project.
>>
>> There will be drawers under the center of the table; so I could screw a
>> cleat into the center of the table and clamp from the cleat to the end
> with
>> 4' clamps. I could even do both ends at the same time, so the clamps are
>> opposing each other, rather than just pulling on the cleat. (I suppose I
>> could also make the ends 6" and glue one on normally first, and then use
> the
>> cleat for the second.)
>>
>> Any comments on this? Will being slightly off axis make much difference?
>> Any other suggestion on how to clamp 78"?
>>
>> Obviously I could use veneer edging tape, but will not look so great.
>>
>>
>
>
In article <[email protected]>,
"Joe C." <[email protected]> wrote:
> Use the cheapest clamp ever. Get a length of rope, tie it in a loop and
> wrap it around your table. Tighten it by laying a stick across it and twist
> until you have the clamp pressure you need. Total cost? <$2.
Forgetting about the tension when you undo that rope clamp?...Priceless.
On Tue, 04 Jan 2005 10:11:14 GMT, "toller" <[email protected]> wrote:
>I need to make a 76" table top, 16" wide out of plywood, with "breadboard"
>ends. My biggest clamps are 72", and it is tough to justify buying bigger
>clamps for one project.
>
>There will be drawers under the center of the table; so I could screw a
>cleat into the center of the table and clamp from the cleat to the end with
>4' clamps. I could even do both ends at the same time, so the clamps are
>opposing each other, rather than just pulling on the cleat. (I suppose I
>could also make the ends 6" and glue one on normally first, and then use the
>cleat for the second.)
>
>Any comments on this? Will being slightly off axis make much difference?
>Any other suggestion on how to clamp 78"?
>
>Obviously I could use veneer edging tape, but will not look so great.
>
hmm.. hard to explain and my ass-key sucks, but here goes:
you can throw together a few plywood or other scrap extenders...
the simple ones are a 5 or 6" wide piece of ply with a cleat running
along the two sides, one cleat on "top", the other on the other end,
opposite side, or "bottom".. sort of like '-------, that??
make the bottom cleat to fit the breadboard, the top one to fit the
type of clamp you're using..
Sometimes these work best if you just use one at the end of the clamp
that's too short, most times, I like one at each end for equal
clamping angle.. YMMV
mac
Please remove splinters before emailing
On Tue, 04 Jan 2005 10:11:14 GMT, "toller" <[email protected]> wrote:
>I need to make a 76" table top, 16" wide out of plywood, with "breadboard"
>ends. My biggest clamps are 72", and it is tough to justify buying bigger
>clamps for one project.
Can you attach multiple pipe clamps together end to end with $.99
couplers?
Barry
In article <[email protected]>, "toller" <[email protected]> wrote:
>I need to make a 76" table top, 16" wide out of plywood, with "breadboard"
>ends. My biggest clamps are 72", and it is tough to justify buying bigger
>clamps for one project.
Pipe clamps.
Pipe clamps, and a bunch of three- and four-foot pipes (that's a good handy
size). And a few pipe couplers so you can combine sections to make
seven- or eight-foot clamps.
It's cheaper (a LOT cheaper) to buy ten-foot sections of pipe at a home
center, than to buy two four-foot sections. And they'll cut and thread them
at no charge, too. I'd suggest buying five, ten-foot pieces. Have one of them
cut 5 & 5, two cut 6 & 4, and two cut 4, 3 & 3. This will give you four each
of 3- and 4-foot clamps, and two each of 5- and 6-foot clamps. With
appropriate couplers, you can build clamps of almost any size you want.
--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek-at-milmac-dot-com)
Get a copy of my NEW AND IMPROVED TrollFilter for NewsProxy/Nfilter
by sending email to autoresponder at filterinfo-at-milmac-dot-com
You must use your REAL email address to get a response.
On Tue, 04 Jan 2005 15:23:46 GMT, "Mike in Mystic"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>not sure if you can justify the cost for a couple of these, but you might
>and they would do the job very well:
>
>http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00005A1K2/qid=1104852126/sr=1-19/ref=sr_1_19/002-5496868-6654455?v=glance&s=hi
>
>or
>
>http://tinyurl.com/6yjrs
Penn State has "comparable" clamps for about 1/2 that price:
http://www.pennstateind.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=PSI&Category_Code=CLEC
"Doug Miller" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In article <[email protected]>, "toller"
<[email protected]> wrote:
> >I need to make a 76" table top, 16" wide out of plywood, with
"breadboard"
> >ends. My biggest clamps are 72", and it is tough to justify buying
bigger
> >clamps for one project.
>
> Pipe clamps.
>
> Pipe clamps, and a bunch of three- and four-foot pipes (that's a good
handy
> size). And a few pipe couplers so you can combine sections to make
> seven- or eight-foot clamps.
>
> It's cheaper (a LOT cheaper) to buy ten-foot sections of pipe at a home
> center, than to buy two four-foot sections. And they'll cut and thread
them
> at no charge, too. I'd suggest buying five, ten-foot pieces. Have one of
them
> cut 5 & 5, two cut 6 & 4, and two cut 4, 3 & 3. This will give you four
each
> of 3- and 4-foot clamps, and two each of 5- and 6-foot clamps. With
> appropriate couplers, you can build clamps of almost any size you want.
>
> --
> Regards,
> Doug Miller (alphageek-at-milmac-dot-com)
>
.... provided that that they can also thread all those pipe ends for you
too, or you have the faculties to do it yourself.
Dave
On Tue, 04 Jan 2005 16:14:21 GMT, Kevin <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> "toller" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> My biggest clamps are 72", and it is tough to justify buying bigger clamps
>> for one project.
>
> That's more than enough justification for most of us.
>
> We're talking about $3.50 for a pipe clamp, and $12 for an 8 foot pipe. It
> will cost you more if you trying to rig something together that pops loose
> 10 minutes after you get it set and have walked away, and your project is
> ruined.
>
> Kevin in Bakersfield
>
>
I have five-foot pipe clamps (actually 66", owing to the vaguaries of
standard pipe lengths), plus a few nipple/coupling combinations I've
built up as the need arose.
Though all my projects lately have been rather large, making me think
that perhaps some 90-inchers are due me after my next big lottery win.
On Tue, 04 Jan 2005 10:11:14 GMT, "toller" <[email protected]> wrote:
>I need to make a 76" table top, 16" wide out of plywood, with "breadboard"
>ends. My biggest clamps are 72", and it is tough to justify buying bigger
>clamps for one project.
>
>There will be drawers under the center of the table; so I could screw a
>cleat into the center of the table and clamp from the cleat to the end with
>4' clamps. I could even do both ends at the same time, so the clamps are
>opposing each other, rather than just pulling on the cleat. (I suppose I
>could also make the ends 6" and glue one on normally first, and then use the
>cleat for the second.)
>
>Any comments on this? Will being slightly off axis make much difference?
>Any other suggestion on how to clamp 78"?
>
>Obviously I could use veneer edging tape, but will not look so great.
>
I just put two clamps together to make one long one.
tjwatson1ATcomcastDOTnet (real email)
http://home.comcast.net/~tjwatson1 (webpage)
"toller" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> My biggest clamps are 72", and it is tough to justify buying bigger clamps
> for one project.
That's more than enough justification for most of us.
We're talking about $3.50 for a pipe clamp, and $12 for an 8 foot pipe. It
will cost you more if you trying to rig something together that pops loose
10 minutes after you get it set and have walked away, and your project is
ruined.
Kevin in Bakersfield