All, I am curious as to what length of bar clamps that you find yourself using the most? It seems to me that you can always shorten a longer clamp to fit a smaller project, but not vice versa. Your thoughts. ---------- Re: What's the favorite length of bar cl Ernie Miller Topeka -- Friday, 9/28/01, at 12:06 p.m. You would think that wouldn't you but I hate having to weild around clamps that are to big Especialy if you are having to hold somthing together and hold a clamp that is ten times to long and then somthing slips ro the clamp heads arn't in the right place. My favorite sive is the one that is just right solution for you is to have two dozen of every size and then go buy a couple extra just to make sure you have enough. ---------- Re: What's the favorite length of bar cl Ted Michon -- Friday, 9/28/01, at 12:32 p.m. The only advantage of a larger dado is that you can make deeper dados, but I rarely see the need to go anywhere near the limit of a 6 inch dado. The advantages of smaller dado (i.e., 6 inch) is that they cost less, get you closer to the end if making a stopped dado, and require less HP for the same cut. -Ted ---------- I agree with Ernie Dave Arbuckle, Plano, TX -- Friday, 9/28/01, at 12:34 p.m. Overlong clamps are too, too heavy. Heavy enough to pull a glueup out of kilter in the worst case. I edgebanded some panels recently (I don't recall if you saw the Anigre ones or not?), took eleven clamps. As it was, the clampup must have been 75 pounds. Couldn't have moved it if all the clamps were long ones. Dave ---------- Re: I agree with Ernie Mike Mastin -- Friday, 9/28/01, at 1:17 p.m. I saw it Dave, but when it was in the clamps. Me being a tightwad, I always try to go cheap :-) You of all people should know that! ---------- I shoulda had you Dave Arbuckle, Plano, TX -- Friday, 9/28/01, at 1:23 p.m. Try to pick it up. Then you'd understand.... ;-) Dave ---------- Re: What's the favorite length of bar cl Dan Moening -- Friday, 9/28/01, at 1:41 p.m. My recent projects have ranged all over the size spectrum from a full sized bed and kitchen cabinets to small decorative boxes. I'm in agreement with Ernie and Dave about having clamps that are too long/heavy but sometimes you can't get around it (had similiar issues when edge banding the shelves for the kitchen cabinets Dave). However I have found that I use clamps that are either around 12" or in the 24-31" range the most. Dan. ---------- I couln't tell you Forrest Addy -- Friday, 9/28/01, at 1:53 p.m. I couln't tell you. All of my bar and pipe clamps have been too short at one time or another. ---------- 12" is the size I use most Tom Sontag - St. Louis -- Friday, 9/28/01, at 1:57 p.m. Since you phrased it that way, the ones that simply glue two boards together get the most use. I have more of the 24-31" ones though because those glueups take more clamps. ---------- Re: What's the favorite length of bar cl Ernie Miller Topeka -- Friday, 9/28/01, at 2:22 p.m. Yes the 24-31" are the most often grabed for. Last night the 12" ones were an 1" to short for checker boards heck I even used the 60" ones just so I could get about a third of them glued up. I hosed one real bad the outside squairs on one will have two sides 1/8" narrower than all the other squairs. ---------- Ideal clamp size..... Robert Lemon - Sacramento CA -- Friday, 9/28/01, at 2:26 p.m. is about 3" longer than the item being clamped!! Our bar clamps start at 4" and go to over 5'. Larger clamps probably should be pipe clamps with pipe couplings and extensions to handle larger work. Bob ---------- All of 'em... Dave Tribbett - Pa -- Friday, 9/28/01, at 2:30 p.m. Most popular size ? I need every size I have which is everything from small C-clamps to the K-Bodies. I use all of them all of the time except for the 6 footers I have. So, the question is (at least for me) what is my least used clamp size - that would be 6'. All of the others are used constantly...however...I do almost ALWAYS use my quik-grip 18" at least as a start to the clamping process - yep they are my most used 18" Quik-Grips. Reminds me, I saw a really neat trick for using two clamps to effectively double the reach - may seem obvious but the technique wasn't. It's described in 200 Jigs for the Workshop book along with other pretty cool clamping techniques - an art for sure. The most nervous time for me in the construction process is clamp/glue-up, I've learned how important it is to have the right size and type of clamp for the job by screwing so many up (can you say belt sander ?)...I've found the quik-grips are great for the initial positioning then replace with the appropriate clamps. I have made a dozen or so sets of 3/4" pipe clamps from pipe my father-in-law gave me - lengths from 2' to 6'. These clamps are a little dangerous since enough pressure can be applied to actually dent (or split) hardwood - and I'm talkin 8/4 oak! Simple answer, huh ? ---------- Re: What's the favorite length of bar cl Steve Jenkins, Dallas, TX -- Friday, 9/28/01, at 2:38 p.m. years ago I started by buying 16 3 footers and 16 5 footers for glue ups. It didn't take long before I was buying more in different sizes. The 5' were too long to comfortably glue up 37". and so on. I suggest buying as you need them unless you run across a really good deal then buy them all.Have a great weekend. Stop by and say hi sometime Steve @ Furniture Crafters ---------- Re: What's the favorite length of bar cl Mike Mastin -- Friday, 9/28/01, at 2:43 p.m. I will stop by once the shop is completed Steve. Thanks, Mike ---------- 18" - 24" is used most in my shop *NM* Gordon Sampson (cool in Pearland, Texas) -- Friday, 9/28/01, at 3:17 p.m. ---------- Yeah, me too... Tony - Memphis -- Friday, 9/28/01, at 3:18 p.m. One of the catalogs has the German made clamps with the red handles that you can get 5 for $20 or some kind of deal like that. I use the heck out of those. The 24" get use a lot too. Tony ---------- Re: What's the favorite length of bar cl Ken Salisbury - Huntsville AL -- Friday, 9/28/01, at 3:41 p.m. 24" to 30" are probably used the most - at least in my case. However, my favorite length clamp is the one that will span the area I am getting ready to clamp. You need a wide variety of lengths, a smaller number of the shorter and longer lengths and more of the medium length (24" - 30") "GOD BLESS AMERICA" ---------- Don't Know About Favorite, But... Dave Anderson, SoCal - Tools Need Wood -- Friday, 9/28/01, at 4:06 p.m. ...the size you need is probably the size you don't have! But, to answer your question, I use 24" more than any other. Work Safely! ---------- Re: What's the favorite length of bar cl Robby W. in San Marcos, CA -- Friday, 9/28/01, at 4:56 p.m. I tend to use the 18" mini-bar clamps for small glue-ups, 30" for clamping cabinets front to back, and 4 footers for side to side. Most of my big clamps are pipe clamps, so I can add the lengths together if I need a really long one. ---------- Re: What's the favorite length of bar cl Jeremy Osner -- Friday, 9/28/01, at 5:15 p.m. Yeah I agree about too-big clamps being unwieldy -- it is especially a problem if you're working near a wall. I like 18" and 12" clamps best for most of the stuff I do, obviously for bigger stuff I need bigger clamps. ---------- The one that's 2" longer than ... Rusty Hughes, Indy -- Friday, 9/28/01, at 5:35 p.m. the ones I have that don't fit! Always seems to be the case that I'm building something that needs a clamp just a bit longer than the ones I own. Rusty ---------- You need a variety of sizes depending on *With Pic* Mike in Ajax -- Friday, 9/28/01, at 10:50 p.m. what you are building! I would say that I use 12" and 24" inches the most but it depends. If you are building small stuff then smaller clamps. If you are building lots of cupboards, entertainment centers , dining room tables then you will need longer clamps. All the comments about not have too long a clamp are correct. When they are too long they over balance the work and are a PITA to use. You will end up with all kinds of different sizes of clamps and when you go to do something you will still not have enough of the right size! ---------- Re: What's the favorite length of bar cl Anthony in Cincinnati -- Saturday, 9/29/01, at 9:15 a.m. Mike, I do like the longer clamps for your same reasoning. However there are times when smaller clamps really come in handy. Right now I'v got 12", 18", 24", 36", and 50" bar clamps. Anthony ---------- ----------