Clamp Turnaround
Most woodworking bar clamps allow you to flip the ends to use the tool for spreading instead of clamping.
We recently installed an Ipe deck and ran into a problem with a curved board that wouldn’t lay straight. So I turned the stationary end of a clamp we were using around and installed it on the other end. This turned it from a traditional pull-together clamp into a clamp that pushes pieces apart. I screwed temporary scrap to a couple of joists, and used the clamp to push the board into place before fastening. It was pretty handy in a pinch.
—Sam Durdaller, Levittown, N.Y.
Edited and Illustrated by Charles Miller
From Fine Homebuilding #284
More clamp tips:
Use a Pipe Clamp to Push Instead of Clamp
Make a Quick Job-Site Clamp for Small Pieces
How to Make a Simple Shop-Built Edge Clamp
Installing Kitchen Cabinets, Smooth and Solo