Carpenter’s Clamps: AN EXTRA PAIR OF HANDS

Everything is going according to plan. There’s just one last hole to drill in the board. You insert the drill bit, start the screwdriver… The machine’s vibrations cause unexpected resistance and you can’t hold the board steady, and unfortunately, there’s no one nearby to help! Does this mean work has to stop? Most likely, unless you have carpenter’s clamps in your handy toolbox.

Carpenter’s clamps are useful for many tasks. Their design allows for stable fixing of the workpiece. Thanks to this, you can perform tasks on your own (with just one pair of hands), such as drilling a hole, adjusting dimensions, driving a screw, or performing other operations. Not to mention simple tasks like gluing shoes.

The most commonly used model of this practical tool is the so-called F-type carpenter’s clamp. It resembles the letter F in appearance. It works similarly to an adjustable wrench. Clamping is achieved using a threaded screw. The arm with the screw can be freely moved along the guide. You bring it close to the object being clamped and tighten the screw. The arm with the clamping screw locks onto the guide under pressure.

Another faster solution replaces the clamping screw with a special ratchet mechanism. You slide the arm with the mechanism to the object and pull the lever. Specially designed ratchet teeth prevent the jaws from opening on their own. To release it, you press the button on the lever.

An interesting type of clamp is the so-called automatic clamp, also known as a one-handed clamp. Compared to other similar tools, it stands out in that by reversing the jaw mounted on the guide, the clamp can be used as a spreader.

Carpenter’s clamps come in a wide range of sizes – from small (150 x 50 mm) to large (2000 x 120 mm). The first number refers to the length, and the second to the jaw width.

When working with clamps, it is especially important to ensure that the clamped materials are not damaged during tightening.

We invite you to our technical store Śrubex Chorzów, ul. Nowa 117 – here you’ll find PROLINE tools and many, many more (including screws, bolts, rivets, pins, tools, power tools, drill bits, technical chemicals, construction chemicals, PPE, fastening systems, non-standard bolts, taps, dies, and thousands of other items).