Clamps for box building

[jdawg90 10+ year member]

What does everyone use?

I tried those cheapo 24" and 36" clamps from harbor freight and they were useless (wouldn't hold tension).

I need some new clamps- I've got a couple bar clamps but they are pretty heavy. Are there any (good) alternatives than shelling out 30 dollars a piece for the irwins?

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[mlstrass 5,000+ posts]

I use the 36" clamps from harbor freight, never had an issue...

 

[phemps 10+ year member]

Bar clamps and corner clamps

 

[Boomsday 10+ year member]

Dewalt blue ones from HD or lowes...

 

[JKDriver]

I use pipe clamps. You can get the 3/4 pipe clamp hardware for $13-16, then what ever length of 3/4 inch pipe you want. Grab some scraps of thin wood (or cut some) and use double sided tape to hold the scrap wood to the clamp surface to keep from marring the box, and these things can apply a lot of pressure.

 

[tc300 10+ year member]

I got the metal ones from harbor freight... silver and blue

no problems

 

[thatguy12 10+ year member]

i like the harbor freight ones also, nd i own probly five different kinds. when glueing wood you dont need a stupid hardcore amount of force. you just need services to be touching to the point they cannot move. so having extremely forcful clamps isnt that important when workingwith wood. as long as it can hold the two pieces together semi hard, than your good.

 

[Full Tilt 10+ year member]

Our school shop has an entire collection of Irwin clamps, work really really well.

 

[JKDriver]

i like the harbor freight ones also, nd i own probly five different kinds. when glueing wood you dont need a stupid hardcore amount of force. you just need services to be touching to the point they cannot move. so having extremely forcful clamps isnt that important when workingwith wood. as long as it can hold the two pieces together semi hard, than your good.

Yeah for boxes you shouldn't. I am always bending and twisting wood into the shapes I need, so strong clamps are a must.

 

[fasfocus00 5,000+ posts]

i use the harbor freight clamps all the time. what you trying to clamp 2" bent steel beams? if you're cuts are so far off that those clamps can't hold them together, maybe you should invest in a better saw instead of clamps.