# Why buy short clamps?



## ToddJB (Jul 26, 2012)

I am getting ready to do my first joinery project and will need to really bone up on my clamps (I only have 12" irwin quick clamps mostly for construction projects). While investigating what I want I keep coming back to asking "Why would someone buy a short clamp?"

So I pose the question "Why do people buy short clamps"? A 36" F or bar clamp will clamp a 6" glue up right?

Is it just awkward to have the extra overhanging bars? My wallet doesn't mind awkward


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## mds2 (Jan 28, 2013)

I have some 6" bar clamps that get used WAY more than my long clamps. Need to buy about 20 more of them.


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## Dal300 (Aug 4, 2011)

I like my 6" and 12" clamps. 
When glueing up narrower pieces a bunch of 6" clamps 3" apart is much easier to handle than a bunch of 18", 24", 30" or 36" clamps.


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## wapakfred (Jul 29, 2011)

You'll get pretty tired handling that extra weight (and having those long bar in the way)using those larger clamps when a small one would do. My shorter ones get used far more often than the longer ones.


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## JayT (May 6, 2012)

Awkward, yes, but also do not discount what having all that extra weight as a long lever can do when you are trying to get everything aligned on glue-up.

I'm with the others, I use the shortest clamps that I can get away with and can always use more shorties. Your wallet may not mind awkward, but mine can buy more short clamps than long ones for the same amount of money, too.


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## SnowyRiver (Nov 14, 2008)

Even though long clamps will work for short items, it's more convienient to use short clamps on small items On small items they are much easier to use. I have clamps from 12 inches to 50 inches and I can double them up to make longer ones. When making a small box for instance, I like to use small clamps because they are easier to handle and not so heavy and they dont take up a lot of room. I use a lot of Bessey Revo clamps since they clamp nice and square…nice for cabinet work, and I also use a lot of Jorgensen ISO clamps because they are great for clamping things to the bench and they work great for clamping things like mouldings etc.


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## LeeBarker (Aug 6, 2010)

Todd-

You ask a very good question!

Too-long pipe clamps stick out the backside of the assembly table or bench. No big deal. Too long bar clamps stick at you-not good.

I keep six 6" bar clamps on each side of the table. I have to take a step or two for the 18s, 24s and 35s.


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## TimberFramerBob (Feb 18, 2013)

was just going to post pretty much the same thing as JayT…......use the shortest clamps you can. the money you save by using all big ones is gonna be spent in time setting things up or fixing them when the heavy clamps pull it out of alignment….


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## Manitario (Jul 4, 2010)

I just bought a bunch of short clamps after struggling for the past couple of years using long clamps…makes life a lot easier when gluing up a 6" piece not to have 40" of bar overhanging…


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## ToddJB (Jul 26, 2012)

Got it. So they *can* function the same way, but it's just a hassle. This project will require the long boys, so they are the ones going to be purchased first - I guess we'll see how annoyed iI get once I start doing smaller glue ups.

Here's another question: I've read that you only need to calculate clamp pressure per inch for one face to be glued, and that it does not matter how many multiples you have after that. Is that correct?


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## TimberFramerBob (Feb 18, 2013)

I've made a lot of furniture…..youre better off getting a feel for your clamping pressure. Not sure I've ever calculated how many pounds per square inch of pressure a board should have on it….........if it falls apart clamp it tighter….......if all the glue comes out on the floor…..clamp it looser…..


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

If your buying bar clamps, get the pipe in 2 sections with a coupler. Then you have both.

you don't need to calculate anything. Just clamp it tight.


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## ToddJB (Jul 26, 2012)

Don, I'm not sure if you came up with that idea, but it's a genius one. Thank you.

I was just sitting here thinking, "How often am I really going to need like 6 or 7 48in clamps?"


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

I've got a pile of couplers but I doubt I thought of it. But maybe in a smarter life, who knows.


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## Earlextech (Jan 13, 2011)

Calculating clamp pressure? I have to ask, are you some kind of engineer? Trying hard not to be a smart ass (better than a dumb ass though) but in my experience engineers tend to overthink things and make them more complicated than they need to be. Even if you calculated how would you apply that calculation to the clamp? Am I underthinking? I'm with timberframerbob and don w, practice and experience will teach you more than a math problem in this case.


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## crank49 (Apr 7, 2010)

I buy short clamps so I don't need so many long ones.

For example: building my work bench. The legs and stretchers were built up as laminations. 
I needed a minimum of 6 clamps of 8" capacity each for each leg or stretcher.
I had to do two legs per night. I needed my longer clamps to built the top and I only had 6 long ones.

And yes, it is a point where the long bars sticking out get in the way or keep you from orienting something the way you might like to.


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## ToddJB (Jul 26, 2012)

Not an engineer, but note that this is also "my first joinery project". I have a desk job and I like to go into things as prepared as I can be, which means lots of reading. I have read that there are ideal pressures for different types of wood. It was not going to be an exact science, but I wanted to get a rough idea of how many clamps I would need (going off of stated clamp max, then throwing in a few extra for good measure). I would prefer to not have to glue up any project more than once, so if going into it educated means that I can shorten the trial and error experience curve, then I'll give it a go.


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## hairy (Sep 23, 2008)

The worst money I've spent on tools is Bessey 4 inch f clamps. Total crap. I bought 4, threw 1 in the trash.


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## Rutager (Feb 4, 2012)

Todd,

Also keep in mind that sometimes you need to clamp up or down and a tall clamp will hit your ceiling or floor.

Short clamps are also much cheaper than long ones, so buying a handful of the short Jorgensen "F" clamps or Bessey LM2 004s won't trash your wallet.

Rutager


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## TimberFramerBob (Feb 18, 2013)

Todd….get as much info as you can and have at it. The hardest thing I see a lot of novice woodworkers struggle with is getting all the "steps" perfect. Look at what you want to make, get a plan going, and make it. You'll lern more by "F-ing" stuff up than by taking a year to make the process perfect…....ALL the best woodworkers in here will probably have tons of stories about messing up. Im not saying dont learn proper ways to do things, but dont let the technical stuff intimidate you into not having fun…...remember….......its wood….if you mess something up…..they'll grow more


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## ToddJB (Jul 26, 2012)

Bob, thanks for permission to F up - But I've got that down. I'm just trying to learn to minimize it but going into things with a plan.


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## TimberFramerBob (Feb 18, 2013)

lol as long as you got it down you're all good


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## mojapitt (Dec 31, 2011)

Awkward means a lot! Long clamps = extra weight clamped items won't sit flat . The extra is always sticking out in the road. Bigger clamps have a larger clamping surface. I may not have that to give them. It just looks cooler having all sizes!


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## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

All 44 of my parallel jaw clamps are 48"s. I feel a little silly using them to glue up a 6" wide box top but I just couldn't pass them up (less than $3.50 a piece for Jorgensens).


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## Grandpa (Jan 28, 2011)

Andy, I would give you $4 each for those. LOL I use a LOT of pipe clamps. I go to the store and buy 3/4" pipe. It comes in 21' lengths. I had them cut it into 7 pieces 3' long. I had them thread all the pieces on one end. I have 2 pieces out of each length that has threads on both ends. I can have 6' clamps on some but not all. It works well for me. I have about 40 clamps that use 3/4" pipe and a good number that I can lengthen.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

I've got about 30 4'ers for the same reason. Paid $50 for 30 pony's with pipe or something obscene like that. Hardest part wad carrying those suckers to the car.


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## Grandpa (Jan 28, 2011)

Don, it was good that you had the car and not the bike!! LOL I bought 4 F style Jorgensen clamps gor $5 today. Fellow was downsizing. Couldn't help myself. He said $1 each and I talked him into $5 for the 4 clamps


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## waho6o9 (May 6, 2011)

http://www.bowclamp.com/

You can use bow clamps and save on some conventional style clamps.

Or, you can make some home made cauls, wrap them in cellophane to 
repel the glue. 
http://lumberjocks.com/topics/12302


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

... because long clamps are more money.

I have like 100 or more clamps (a lot of old, small
c-clamps). They all have uses, but if you are not
building stuff for a livelihood, longer clamps are not
a bad investment.

If you are making stuff for income, the weight and
awkwardness of long clamps is not cool and you'll
want clamps in a wide range of configurations.

The upside is metal clamps seldom wear out so 
over time one builds a collection with which many
interesting things can be squashed.


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## bondogaposis (Dec 18, 2011)

My most used clamps are my 12" Jorgensen "F" clamps. They are just handy, way faster than a c clamp. The next most used on is the 18" clamp. A lot depends on what you build. I used to think like you, why buy short clamps? I bought 48" clamps first. They work great when you need a long clamp but most of the time you need a shorter clamps and the long bars are unwieldy and clumsy to use on a smaller project especially when doing a glue up that you need 3 hands for. I started working my way down the food chain buying smaller and smaller sizes. I stopped at 12", but sometimes I think I should get me some sweet 6 inchers.


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

I totally want to acquire some 6-8" bar clamps at this
stage in my collecting. For a beginner clamps in that
size range are not a good investment though.

18" and 30" are about the most useful sizes for bar
clamps I would say, for general furniture work.

Rectangular dining tables fall in the 42" range. Pipe
clamps suffice though. I have a bunch - I do not
like them but they do the job for odd sizes and
are a great way to get started. The pipes flex
a lot, which makes a problem for a speed-oriented
shop but is not a big minus otherwise.


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## TCCcabinetmaker (Dec 14, 2011)

also f clamps aren't really the way to go for most glueing projects, they have their uses yes, but the bars tend to bend causing uneven glue up pressure which is kinda a problem.


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## RussellAP (Feb 21, 2012)

I use 3/4" bar clamps for strength, but I have about 40 6" and about 25 12" clamps and only about 10 of the other lengths up to 36". 
The Blue clamps at HF are really nice clamps if you do glue ups. I use them to keep the board flat while the bar clamps hold it tightly together. My glue ups have come out much truer since I started using the 6" clamps. 
I guess I could use the longer clamps but why have all those bars in the way?


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