# C-Clamps or F Clamps for face laminating Cauls



## NeophyteGrant (Jan 2, 2017)

I need a sanity check.

I'm making some nice oak cauls to last a while and got the oak from the BORG (long story-hardwood dealer is far away in Chicago and din't want to make the drive in traffic for a small thing). 2x being even more pricey at the BORG, I opted to laminate it to size.

I started by throwing down some 24 inch parallel clamps out of habit (and because I somehow have more of them than F clamps) but got tired of lugging those things around for such a small job. Overkill.

I do this kind of thing a lot and was wondering whether i should buy some more small F clamps specifically for it or…wait for it…C clamps could do just as well, since they're less expensive.

*C Clamps for face laminations? Yay, Nay, or Get outta here, you're a crazy man? *


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## Gene01 (Jan 5, 2009)

C clamps would worrk. I find them less handy than F styles, though. If you're going to do a lot, F styles would be my choice..


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## RichT (Oct 14, 2016)

+1 for F clamps. You'll spend less time screwing and unscrewing. They're still clumsy though. You can also add 1/4-20 hex head bolts and knobs to eliminate clamps altogether.


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## therealSteveN (Oct 29, 2016)

It's been a while, but Bessey seemed to be having their mid weight F styles on a card of 4 to 6 varied length clamps not long ago, for almost free.

These aren't bad, but I wanna say the ones I am thinking about were like 9 bux.


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## bondogaposis (Dec 18, 2011)

C clamps will work just as well as F clamps for the intended purpose. However, F clamps are a lot more convenient to use and in the long run are worth the extra cost in my opinion. Since I acquired enough F clamps for most purposes my C clamps remain mostly unused.


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## HokieKen (Apr 14, 2015)

I agree with the others. It's a PITA to screw and unscrew C-clamps so I'd go with F clamps for that reason. However, c-clamps will work just fine. There are quick-release C-clamps available but, they're usually either too small, too lightweight or too expensive to be a good option.


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## ChefHDAN (Aug 7, 2010)

The Harbor Freight 6 inch F clamps are $3 each. Another thread was just discussing F clamps and Lowes had a 6 pack on clearance for $21. I was able to get one using the ship to store on the website. I just peeked around a few of the nearby locations and don't see it here, but maybe there's still some around your area.


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## ClayandNancy (Feb 22, 2010)

I have probably 40 f style clamps from Harbor Freight in various lengths. I think they work better then most of the other manufacturers. And you can't beat the price.


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## bilyo (May 20, 2015)

I have a small collection of the trigger style clamps that are my "go to" particularly when working with cauls. I find them the most convenient because I can work them with one hand while holding my work aligned with the other. Frankly, I find no difference in convenience between F style and C clamps. They work the same way. F style just have a longer reach. When I run out of the trigger clamps, I'll reach for the F style or C clamps. Any of them will do the job.

Side note: Be sure to put a small curve on one side of your cauls. When using them to keep wide panel glue-ups flat, put the curve against the work and they will provide more even pressure against the middle of the panel.


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## WoodenDreams (Aug 23, 2018)

+1 on the Harbor Freight F-clamps. You can't beat the price. With the super coupon the HF 6" F-clamp is currently $2.19. When I use cauls, my go to clamps are the Irwin Quick-Grips.


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## pintodeluxe (Sep 12, 2010)

C clamps will give you the most clamping pressure. Use them when high clamping force is a priority.
Both C clamps and F clamps give the very worst distribution of force, because of the small clamping pad. 
Often, you'll have to add blocks or cauls to keep from damaging the workpiece.

That's where parallel clamps shine.

I use pipe clamps and parallel clamps and not much else. I personally can't stand most F clamps. 
One great everyday clamp is Bessey's Revo Jr. They're what I reach for for most light clamping jobs.


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## NeophyteGrant (Jan 2, 2017)

Thanks all. I went and picked up some Bessey F's from the BORG but I'm thinking I should check out the HF Fs due to the price. I actually have A LOT of the bessey parallels-forseeing they would be good for a number of things. I use them in a lot of situations and they are great.


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## therealSteveN (Oct 29, 2016)

I looked at the HF F clamps once, and came away thinking the very short ones could be used. At a foot and longer they had way too much flex across the bar for me to consider them a good deal. Use your Bessey's, and then just drop in a HF some time, and see what you think.

I had seriously wanted them to be good. The ones at 60" would be a great length, for that amount of money, but I don't think you could garner 100# of pressure with them.

Titebond woodworking glues, recommends 100 to 150 pounds per square inch (psi) for clamping softwoods and 175-250 psi for hardwoods.


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## PCDub (Sep 24, 2017)

> I looked at the HF F clamps once, and came away thinking the very short ones could be used. At a foot and longer they had way too much flex across the bar for me to consider them a good deal. ...
> - therealSteveN


Yes, the short ones are great, and I can attest to the bending of the longer ones when cranked tightly. Having parallel clamps and pipe clamps help when I'm doing glue-ups of larger projects, but most of my clamping has been small stuff that the short F clamps work well on. (That reminds me, I could use a few more…)


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## RichT (Oct 14, 2016)

> Titebond woodworking glues, recommends 100 to 150 pounds per square inch (psi) for clamping softwoods and 175-250 psi for hardwoods.
> 
> - therealSteveN


How do you measure that?


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## Lazyman (Aug 8, 2014)

At the risk of starting another debate about clamping pressure, the HF F-clamps will generate plenty of clamping pressure, IMO. If the clamps are flexing excessively, you may be applying too much pressure or the joints aren't mating well, especially on panel glue ups, or you simply need more clamps (don't we all). IMO, most clamp manufacturers misuse the "PSI" term when referring to their clamps. PSI is a function of the area of the glue surface and the number and spacing of clamps relative to the width or thickness of the material being clamped. Titebond's spec on clamping pressure also seems misleading to me. As long as the joint makes full contact and excess glue is forced from the joint, it really doesn't take a high PSI to get a strong joint. Of course we are probably all guilty of forcing joints together with too much clamping pressure when they don't quite fit perfectly, especially when we don't have enough clamps for the job.


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## MrRon (Jul 9, 2009)

Any clamp will work. Just use whatever clamp you have.


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## AndyJ1s (Jan 26, 2019)

Don't forget hand-screw clamps (the old-fashioned wood-bodied, two-screw kind). Incredibly versatile, and unless you are clamping pretty soft wood, you don't need pads, etc. Faster to adjust than a C-clamp. 4" - 14" sizes.

Some (e.g. Mirro-Moose by Dubuque Clamp Works) are still made in the USA. Woodcraft carries them (except the largest 14" size).

If we don't keep supporting US manufacturers when we can, we won't have any left.

Andy


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## therealSteveN (Oct 29, 2016)

> Titebond woodworking glues, recommends 100 to 150 pounds per square inch (psi) for clamping softwoods and 175-250 psi for hardwoods.
> 
> - therealSteveN
> 
> ...


Well it started before I was born. Dad instilled some incredible genetics, and I was born a certified measuring deeevice. I have clamp-o-meters in my hands, and they tell me exactly when I have achieved optimal pressure, and I stop there. Perfect glue ups every time.


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## therealSteveN (Oct 29, 2016)

> Don t forget hand-screw clamps (the old-fashioned wood-bodied, two-screw kind). Incredibly versatile, and unless you are clamping pretty soft wood, you don t need pads, etc. Faster to adjust than a C-clamp. 4" - 14" sizes.
> 
> Some (e.g. Mirro-Moose by Dubuque Clamp Works) are still made in the USA. Woodcraft carries them (except the largest 14" size).
> 
> ...


I use them all the time, but more for jigs to hold small stuff at the router table, and on the BS's. To glue a corner of a cabinet they are the next best thing to extra hands to clamp a corner, and sit them flat to the ground. A 12" one can hold most of a sheet of 3/4" plywood on edge. Two make a great board jack for a bench. They are incredible. I even use them sometimes to clamp stuff.


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## NeophyteGrant (Jan 2, 2017)

Handscrews are VERY underrated. So what prompted the question, first and foremost, was annoyance over weight. In addition, or instead of the f clamps, should I be thinking about dubuques alum bar clamps? They're lightweight and although the jaw reach is smaller, good for more things than more small f's it would seem (at least I don't find myself using the F's that often).

The comment on dubuque handscrews made me think of that.


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## RichT (Oct 14, 2016)

> Handscrews are VERY underrated. So what prompted the question, first and foremost, was annoyance over weight. In addition, or instead of the f clamps, should I be thinking about dubuques alum bar clamps? They re lightweight and although the jaw reach is smaller, good for more things than more small f s it would seem (at least I don t find myself using the F s that often).
> 
> The comment on dubuque handscrews made me think of that.
> 
> - NeophyteGrant


I love my Dubuque clamps. Light weight, rigid and the wing screw is easy to spin with my finger and comfortable to tighten. I don't recall the magazine that did the review, but they were far and away the highest rated of the aluminum clamps, not only in stiffness, but the jaws were the best in terms of being parallel, and the 5/8" spacing on the latches.

I just used my 10% birthday discount at Woodcraft to buy four more last week. I have six of the 72" clamps I bought about 20 years ago. A couple of them still have the price sticker-$28.80. Those were the days.


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## AndyJ1s (Jan 26, 2019)

I have more of the short, 24" Dubuque aluminum bar clamps. They are useful for a lot more things than panel glue-ups, because their smooth action works very well, and they are very light weight, yet very strong and rigid.

I don't think they would replace F clamps in all cases (not much depth of reach), but they will do many of the things F clamps get used for. In the longer lengths, their weight savings really shines, so you can position them easily with one hand.

Making furniture repairs, I have used hand screws to give me a purchase on the furniture parts, then use the Dubuque aluminum bar clamps to pull them together.

I am installing threaded inserts in the jaws of a small handscrew, to make a sight pusher for a pistol, with long, soft-tip set screws. Tighten the pistol slide in the hand screw, just below the threaded inserts, then use the set screws in the threaded inserts to push the sight sideways on the slide. The threaded inserts are slightly recessed, so I can still use the hand screw for clamping wood too.

I have seen people cut V notches in their hand screw jaws, so they grip round stock securely without rolling.

Mirro-Moose also sells kits with the screws, cross dowels and handle grips to make your own custom hand screw clamps.

Andy


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## rwe2156 (May 7, 2014)

+1 on the Harbor Freight clamps. Except for the longer sizes.

I actually like the handles better than the Besseys.


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## JackDuren (Oct 10, 2015)

If the thickness isn't too big simple Vice grip type clamps at $5 each work fine. I find they work faster and better than twisting the others tight…


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