I have been cleaning up my workshop/garage lately. last night I counted up
my clamps.

I have 50 spring type clamps of various sizes, but only about 30 clamps of
other type. Amazing how one accumulates such things over time. i would
never have guessed I had more than 80 clamps.

"Michael Baglio" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 4 Sep 2004 22:33:30 -0500, "Robert Rushing"
wrote:

I'm in need of some clamps. I was looking at pipe clamps and have a few
questions. I will be gluing up a small cabinet and need atleast six
clamps.
Working in the 36 to 48" range is 3/4 pipe clamp necessary are will a 1/2
work ok?

No disrespect intended to those who say 1/2 inch clamps bend under
use, but I've not had that experience.

The clamping force necessary to edge glue boards together isn't
anywhere near the amount exerted by 1/2" clamps, so in that
application 3/4" clamps are overkill.

I suppose it's possible to bend 1/2 inch clamps by yoinking hard
enough on them to try to straighten badly out-of-square casework
carcasses, but before I loaded up on 3/4 inch clamps I think I'd spend
the time adjusting my machinery and my technique so that the joints
I'm gluing up are square to begin with.

Fwiw, I've got a rack full of cheaper'n'dirt HF 1/2" clamps that have
done everything I've asked of them. Yeah, they can be frustrating at
times but you can't beat em for bang-for-the-buck.

Part of it's a space issue, too. Since my workbench/outfeed table/
table saw is also my "assembly table", anything I clamp up has to be
moved. Which means it needs to be picked up. By _me._ Know how much
8 pieces of 3/4" pipe, each 4' long, _weighs?_ Add to that the weight
of the project, and it's a lot of damn weight to be picking up and
carefully avoiding hitting things with. Just something to consider.

Michael