What do YOU use C-Clamps for?

[muibubbles]

So ive been hooked on estate sales, my new fix seems to be c-clamps even though i dont really use them much lol. just curious what you guys use them for? Seems like i use clamps (quick release clamps and bar clamps) more often..

 

[bigbob302]

absolute must have when fabricating just about anything. have them in all shapes and sizes. several dogs that i made to weld on to my bench and clamp stuff down with too. with mock up you just tighten em up enough so you can move the metal with a hammer but it wont fall if you let go. I have a few HUGE clamps that will open about 24 inches and the c frame is about 4 inches thick. way a ton but they are great for pulling bent metal back in shape when dealing with thick stuff. I use a few for coat hangers haha, clamp them to the metal framework of my building and hang my coat on the handle. You cant have enough of them around when you work with metal...or wood

 

[G1GRANDEUR]

When you don't have 3rd hand.

 

[Outlawmws]

If you fabricate metal or make stuff from wood you can't have too many clamps...

I have a dozen or more of each of these, and I can guarantee I've missed some:

C Clamps
Pipe clamps
Spring Clamps
Vice grips


Also have a few Bar clamps, wood screw clamps, etc...

As for a "second hand" at least 31 vise's of different types and sizes.

 

[Tom Hintz]

Though I have many clamps in various designs in my shop I go to my collection of c-clamps when I need to apply a bunch of pressure to "coax" a piece into position. I even use c-clamps in my woodworking sometimes when I am gluing up stuff because they are easy to apply and keep the parts straight.
I wouldn't be without the old c-clamps. I just use them too much.

 

[WR250F]

Compress the caliper piston in a brake job

Set metal in place for welding

A third or fourth hand

Coat hanger rack

Temporary ground

Portable mini press of sorts

All kinds of things, most used are 3-8" opening versions

As stated above, I also wouldn't be without them

No really big ones on hand, but I wouldn't pass one up if I ran across a deal

 

[Steven67fr]

I use mine for the obvious fabrication work. Also for holding up tarps for painting, hanging stuff from from rafters, and depressing the piston on disc type brakes (I don't have a fancy piston compressor and my c-clamps have never let me down).

I have a favorite type of C-Clamp... In my opinion by far the best.

They are drop forged and heat treated. Williams made them... They can often be found at estate sales. This is now the only design of C-Clamp I will Purchase.
In my experience they are very strong clamps (have used to attach chain to forklift forks to lift engines/transmissions with no trouble)

Pics attached. Really, you can't have too many.
I have this style clamp in 3 and 4 inch versions... but they are in use holding the anodes of my electrolysis tank to the sides of the bucket. I believe Bonney also produced this style clamp for a while. (most likely a re-branding of the Williams clamps)

StevenFl.

 

[muibubbles]

thanks for the responses! I'm slowly getting into metal fabrication so ive only used them once or twice..

do most of you use them to clamp them to a table? or to hold edges together? (like if you have a miter cut corner, would you position them together and clamp them like that?

 

[Davefr]

Compress the caliper piston in a brake job

Yes!!

I bought the special caliper tool at Harbor Freight and it was total garbage. A C-clamp worked much better.

 

[Brad54]

All the time for fabrication projects.
I just used one to take a slight bow out of the 1/2-inch plate I made my welding table out of. Clamped it to the C-channel frame--the plate gave, the C-channel didn't. Couldn't have done that any other way.

Don't think it's possible to have too many C-clamps, welding clamps or vise grips.

-Brad

 

[fromnwmt]

Mostly use mine for brake caliper work, also a mini press and right now since my garage doors are not completely finished they are being used as roll up door "locks" gently placed in roller channel preventing anyone from lifting my doors

 

[Mmfh]

Clamps come in all shapes and sizes. I probably have them all. My most creative use so far is holding my satellite dish to the roof until I get the roof finished.

Had to unbolt it to rip off the old roof, Its held down with two c clamps until I get the roofing back down and it re-bolted.

Mm

 

[Mmfh]

Mostly use mine for brake caliper work, also a mini press and right now since my garage doors are not completely finished they are being used as roll up door "locks" gently placed in roller channel preventing anyone from lifting my doors

I do that when I go on vacation just to make sure everything is still there when we get back!

Mm

 

[muibubbles]

Clamps come in all shapes and sizes. I probably have them all. My most creative use so far is holding my satellite dish to the roof until I get the roof finished.

Had to unbolt it to rip off the old roof, Its held down with two c clamps until I get the roofing back down and it re-bolted.

Mm

LOL thats awesome haha i also use them from brake calipers too

 

[wafrederick]

I use them for brake calipers too,compressing the piston down.I have no use for the special caliper tool,the c clamp is the simple way.There are specialty tools you don't need to buy,the brake caliper tool compressing the piston down is one of them.

 

[dwm]

I do that when I go on vacation just to make sure everything is still there when we get back!

Mm

I do the same thing, but on a regular basis. Who knew that several of us would post about using C-clamps to secure our garage doors? I cut a small piece of scrap 3/4" oak plywood to drop in the channel and then put a 3" C-clamp in place. The plywood is just so I need fewer turns of the C-clamp to get it in/out. It brings the clamping surface flush with the edge of the channel, and lets me orient the C-clamp so the handle is not on the door side of the channel, making it easier to spin the handle. Saves time for my regular use.

 

[Monte]

buy F clamps

 

[dwm]

buy F clamps

Different tools for different purposes. An F clamp won't fit where I need it for the garage door that needs to be clamped. The track is literally inches from the side wall. Oriented the other way, I can't quickly spin the handle on any of the F-clamps I own (and I have lots of 'em). I could use one of the Quick-Grips, but I don't really trust them for this use and I like to keep them free for other things, like clamping what I'm working on.

As others said, you can never own too many clamps.

 

[rsanter]

for clamping wood or metal projects
and for installing U-joints

bob

 

[Jim C.]

I use them for woodworking applications all the time. They can deliver a lot of pressure. The good thing about C clamps is that they come in several different sizes, and they can be found at just about every garage sale and flea market on the planet, for almost nothing. The old saying that "you can never have too many clamps" is true. I'm always looking for more. I have purchased a few new C clamps over the years, but most of mine were garage sale and flea market finds. That being said, I don't buy them if they're missing the screw, if they've been damaged/welded, etc. There are so many on the used tool market, I'm a little picky. Some surface rust is okay, because they clean up without much trouble. I also look for "good ones" that were made in the USA, like Pony, Jorgensen, Adjustable.

Jim C.

 

[fflintstone]

I buy them when they are cheap, I have a lot.

 

[Shipfittin]

They are one of my most essential tools at work when I'm fabricating something. Usually just holding a piece in position or drawing two pieces together. I also use them for break piston jobs.

When I started out at the shipyard this tool led me to great confusion. We actually refer to them as thumb clamps and not c clamps. I'd go to the tool room and ask for a c clamp and they'd say, "no your a shipfitter, what you want is a thumb clamp." They'ed go open a drawer and had me what we all call a c clamp. Leave it to the government to cause confusion, right? lol

 

[Outlawmws]

If you fabricate metal or make stuff from wood you can't have too many clamps...

I have a dozen or more of each of these, and I can guarantee I've missed some:

C Clamps
Pipe clamps
Spring Clamps
Vice grips


Also have a few Bar clamps, wood screw clamps, etc...

As for a "second hand" at least 31 vise's of different types and sizes.

Pics of most of the collection:

This used to be C-Clamp central until I move a bunch of the vintage/antique clamps out, and recently sold 3 huge bridge clamps to a guy here on GJ. two 8" and one 4", the three of them weighed near 50 lbs...

The one that looks like it has a spacer - those are a set of "dies" for U-Joints. I have another one in my 4x4 rig with the same die set I made up.

Most of the rest of the Vintage/Antique C Clamps.

Welding Vise grips; there are more on the welding bench

Pipe clamps; there are at least a half dozen more here and there in the garage. You can also see the antique wood bar clamp, and some spring clamps that seem to take root all over the garage.

More Spring clamps; and there are more at the other end of the spray paint shelf as well as elsewhere.

Probably my least most populous clamp, Wood screw clamps; one really old one on top, and the newer steel screw, Jorgansons underneath...