Sacrificial Fence Clamps were mentioned on a post a while back and a
link to Rockler or similar site led to a pair of clamps that featured
what looked like a "C" clamp with one of the pads replaced by a
quarter-inch bit of steel rod. With postage and handling, they seemed
a bit too pricey considering I'd been able to work around the problem
previously with jury-rigs and scraps.

Tonight I thought, why not modify a regular old clamp?

So I dug about and found two little (four-inch) Ratchet Bar Clamp/
Spreader (s) from Harbor Freight Tools (SKU 46805) which I seldom used
but never threw out.

The clamp end is removable so one can stick it at teh opposite end of
the clamp and make a "Spreader."

So, I removed the one end and took a quarter-inch bit of steel rod and
ground a bit of flat at one end to match the flat end of the clamp's
bar and brazed them together at 85 degrees or so. I did it twice and
drilled a couple holes in a bit of wood that fit alongside my Sears
Fence and clamped it up with my new gadgets.

And, they ratchet tight and have a quick release rather than a
threaded approach as in the "factory" versions.

As I recall, the two clamps cost me under three dollars with the tax.
I'd upload an image but I don't know how. If you want a picture,
please e-mail me and I'll send one.

"Hoosierpopi" wrote in message
...
Sacrificial Fence Clamps were mentioned on a post a while back and a
link to Rockler or similar site led to a pair of clamps that featured
what looked like a "C" clamp with one of the pads replaced by a
quarter-inch bit of steel rod. With postage and handling, they seemed
a bit too pricey considering I'd been able to work around the problem
previously with jury-rigs and scraps.

Tonight I thought, why not modify a regular old clamp?

So I dug about and found two little (four-inch) Ratchet Bar Clamp/
Spreader (s) from Harbor Freight Tools (SKU 46805) which I seldom used
but never threw out.

The clamp end is removable so one can stick it at teh opposite end of
the clamp and make a "Spreader."

So, I removed the one end and took a quarter-inch bit of steel rod and
ground a bit of flat at one end to match the flat end of the clamp's
bar and brazed them together at 85 degrees or so. I did it twice and
drilled a couple holes in a bit of wood that fit alongside my Sears
Fence and clamped it up with my new gadgets.

And, they ratchet tight and have a quick release rather than a
threaded approach as in the "factory" versions.

As I recall, the two clamps cost me under three dollars with the tax.
I'd upload an image but I don't know how. If you want a picture,
please e-mail me and I'll send one.

Ingenious! And thrifty too.
I love it.
Art

"Hoosierpopi" wrote in message
...
Snip


And, they ratchet tight and have a quick release rather than a
threaded approach as in the "factory" versions.

As I recall, the two clamps cost me under three dollars with the tax.
I'd upload an image but I don't know how. If you want a picture,
please e-mail me and I'll send one.

Several years back I bought a pair of the Rockler "Blue" aluminum fence
clamps for $15. They work great. Wood craft sells a not so elegent looking
set for about $30.

I was thinking D A N G when you mentioned too expensive.

Then I read your solution and thought again D A N G.... good on you!