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C-Clamps
C-clamps are the traditional workhorses of
the shop. Made of heavy iron, they never
wear out, and when you need some serious
squeezing power, these are the clamps of
choice. While they come in a range of sizes
(measured by their maximum opening), a couple
of 5 inch C-clamps will be the most handy.
Watch out for several quality
issues:
- in cheap versions, the swivel pad at the
end of the screw will not be the conventional
ball-and-socket design that is important
for allowing the pad to seat and rotate easily
as the clamp is tightened.
- also make sure that the screw fits the clamp
threads with reasonable precision so that
it does not wobble too far out of proper
alignment.
Clamps with any major amount squeezing force
are likely to mar the project surfaces when
they are tightened. The most significant
factor is the size of the clamp pads, with
larger pads spreading the crushing force
over a wider surface area. Almost invariably
you will need to use scraps of
wood between
the work piece and the clamp
to distribute
the clamping force, so don’t
overestimate
the significant of whether the
clamp you
are buying comes with rubber
or nylon pad
covers. |
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