Homemade Wooden Clamp

In this Instructable I want to show you how to make a cheap and effective wooden clamp. I have used wood chips and other materials that I already had in my workshop. As at first sight it may seem weak, this clamp has plenty of clamping pressure. It has a Norwegian style, as these type of clamping tool was traditionally used for Norwegian boat construction

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I would also apologise for my English as a non-native English speaker some terms are very difficult for me.

Forward, inscrutable!!

Step 1: Materials and Tools

Materials

• Elondo (African wood) & haya wood (Fagus grandifolia)
• Spring ( 4cm x 0.10cm)
• Hinge
• Metal sheet (8cm x 1cm x 0.2cm)
• Screws (3,5cm x 0.4cm)
• Leather
• Aluminum tubes (2,5cm x 0,6cm)

Tools

• Fret saw (4cm)
• Electric drill and hand drill
• Bit drill ( 6mm&10mm)
• Rasp half round
• Steel Rasp File
• Block Plane Stanley
• Scraper
• Sanding Paper grit 250
• Screwdriver
• Wooden clamp
• Chisel
• Engineers Square
• Soft-Faced Hammers
• Pencil
• Saw metal
• Hole saw

Step 2: Cutting the Main Pieces

I start cutting the pieces that I previously drew by hand and later I glue it on the wood. For cutting I use a fret sawl and for the rounded zone I use a hole saw.

I use a rasp half round and a block plane to flatten the irregular surfaces and for the final touch a sanding paper grit 250.

Here is thedrawing of the figure.

Step 3: Joining Pieces

For the join of the both pieces I use a hinge the most similar to the thickness of the wood and before screwing I drill the holes with a hand drill that afterwards I tightly screw.

As the hinge I used is wider I polish the sides to adjust it to the maximum.

Step 4: Clamping System

I use other type of wood for making a color-contrasting for the clamping system.

With the same hole saw I used previously I make a circle and after I use a homemade but very effective technique to polish it: it is about using a plane wood as a lathe with the help of a drill as you can see in the photos.

Then we drill the wood in order to insert the wooden stick that we will use to tight the clamp. For this I use a bit drill of the same size of the wooden stick and finally we cover with another little stick the hole that remains in the center of the circle.

Step 5: Spring

For making the clamp return to the open position I settle one spring making 2 holes where this is accommodate without the need of any supporting system.

Step 6: Metal Sheets and Aluminum Tubes

Now we have to mark the points for the 2 aluminum tubes and we drill it with a bit drill of the same size (6mm) and then we introduce them in the holes. Afterward, we cut 2 metal sheets (8x1x0,2cm) and we drill one hole in each end with the same size of the tube diameter (6mm).

I use a steal rasp file and sanding paper for a better shape and softness of the metal sheets.

Step 7: Leather Friction

I screw a piece of leather on the curve area for making strong friction against the wood as braking mode.

Step 8: Final Assembling

After a coat of oil onto all the pieces we start with the final assembling!

For this the images almost speak for themselves!

Comments

[jesses2003]

i cant download the drawing it wont load up is there another way to get it???

[ArthurJ5]

Very nice! I like how wooden clamps on wood seem to work better than metal on wood. Well, unless you are forcing the wood to do something it shouldn't.

[AlfieE2]

Veldig fint! Definitely a Scandinavian, almost sensual, shape.

I will attempt to make a few out of, more readily available in Canada,hard maple.

One improvement I will try is to make a couple of more holes in the aluminum bars in order to vary the grip range. And now I know what to do with that old leather belt (a bit too short now) I have been saving.

[Mikhandmaker.]

It's a good idea what you propose as improvement. I would love to show me your final result. Thanks for the comment!

[AlfieE2]

I am having difficulty reproducing the shapes from the photos. I suppose a DWG file of the outlines would be too much to ask, but perhaps you could include a sketch on a 1cm.x1cm. grid.

[blackpearlin]

It's a very useful tool. Your hand-made tools are an inspiration.

[Mikhandmaker.]

I am happy that my projetcs can be an inspiration for you, thanks

[cocosoft]

Great little project and well presented. Think this is a great project for a rainy day. Thanks I love the simplicity and using power tools it could be completed in no time at all with a useful tool at the end.

[Mikhandmaker.]

Thanks for your opinion!

[Maurilio-gm C.C]

Olá. A página onde você indicou que estaria o desenho está dando erro.

Hello. The page where you indicated the drawing would be giving error.

[Mikhandmaker.]

Hi, the hyperlink it's ok, I've just proved it. Just in case, I will re-copy here:

http://es.tinypic.com/view.php?pic=2qss6wy&s=9#.WSSYb2NgHsE

[ajayt7]

Wonderful, very good finishing, workmanship

[Mikhandmaker.]

Thank you, it's a pleasure to me to hear this.

[ajayt7]

It is the roller and its set position, I think, makes it remain close and decides the pressure

[Mikhandmaker.]

That's it! Thanks for the support.

[jbtech2]

what keeps the clamp closed? otherwise, very nice!

[Mikhandmaker.]

The friction of the wood against the leather. I can assure that the clamping pressure is very high. Thanks for the comment.

[wmrhoward]

An elegant little clamp, I'll pass this on to my boys too.

[Mikhandmaker.]

Thank you, it's a pleasure for me!

[StephanP1]

It's a great pleasure to find your project in the newsletter today. Congratulation Mikel.