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How To Make a Woodworking Spring Clamp out of PVC Drainpipe
comments (8) April 24th, 2012
Chuck Miller, editor at large
Video Length: 1:15
Produced by: John Ross
If you're building a solid-surface countertop with a thickened edge, you could buy a bunch of spring clamps to glue that edging on, but there's a better way.
Jim Chestnut from Miami, Florida, discovered that you can make very servicable spring clamps from 3-in. PVC drainpipe. He cuts the pipe into rings on the chop saw, and then he makes kerfs in the rings using a bandsaw or hack saw (don't use a tables saw!). Now you can spread them apart and clamp a whole length of countertop edging. A half dozen clamps costs less than a dollar.
Watch the video above to get more details on how to make and use these homemade clamps.
Watch more video tips:
Make a Custom Holesaw to Remove Stripped Screws
Plane Doors More Easily with a Shopmade Jig
Keep Your Truck Tailgate Clear with a Simple Gravel Shield
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posted in: clamps
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Comments (8)
Yes, I think a jigsaw could work, and it wouldn't pose the table saw kickback problem. Give it a try and let us know how it works. Thanks for the feedback.
Chuck
Posted: 5:26 pm on May 1st
Posted: 11:59 am on May 1st
DON'T use a table saw to cut a lengthwise kerf in a piece of PVC pipe. The pipe will act as a clamp on the blade, and you'll run the risk of a big-time kickback.
Skyhammer
yes, the wider the pipe cutoff, the more the clamping pressure
Posted: 5:24 pm on April 30th
Especially when you claim you stretched the board an additional 12 inches.
Come on guys whats the deal.
Posted: 4:18 pm on April 30th
Especially when you claim you stretched the board an additional 12 inches.
Come on guys whats the deal.
Posted: 4:18 pm on April 30th
Posted: 10:34 am on April 30th
Do you increase the clamping pressure by cutting the pipe slices WIDER, and decrease the pressure by cutting THINNER slices? Or did I miss something?
Thanks.
Posted: 11:53 pm on April 29th
If you drive screws in at an angle to the clamp kerf/opening, you can use the clamps as miter clamps.
And you can use foam-core PVC, ABS and HDPE pipes to make clamps too.
Recently I made some 2 in. wide clamps to hold plastic sheets on a greenhouse frame.
I'm always scrounging through the plumbers' waste pile for more clamp stock.
Posted: 10:23 am on April 25th
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