Anyone tried panel clamps?

Re: Anyone tried panel clamps?

Don Goodwin

I bought a pair 25 or 30 years ago and use them occasionally for just as you described. However, 2 doesn't seem to be enough when I am gluing up anything longer than 3 or 4 feet. I wish I had a couple more, but not enough to actually buy them. Mine have a plastic piece screwed into a 2 x 2. The plastic piece has broken on one of the clamps. Not a big deal, just have to plan where to hook the end piece to get around the broken part.

Re: Anyone tried panel clamps?

John McGaw

I have a four. Mine are not 2X2 but more like 4X1 when both halves are considered, maple I believe, with metal fixtures at each end. they are something over 40" long but I think the widest clamping width is around 36". To be honest, I haven't had them off the rack for quite a while but back when I was trying to build a house-full of furniture I did occasionally.

Biggest PITA was that glue squeeze-out remains trapped between the clamp bars and creates more of a cleanup mess than it should. As Don pointed out, multiple clamps are needed to keep things aligned.

Thanks and....

Barry Irby

Mine have the plastic blocks on them. I bought them on empulse and looked them up later only to realize not all of them have the blocks and you drill your own "notches" for the clamps.

I am thinking of making new bars for them. Wondering about making the bars curved slightly to spread the pressure from the center out. Could put a rib down the edge to minimize contact and make cleanup easier. If I make my own bars the notches would be more versatile than the relatively short plastic blocks.

I wanted to find out if anyone used these enough to make thinking it through and making new bars a worthwhile project.

Re: Anyone tried panel clamps?

roger lance

I've tried panel clamps. I am not much of an advocate of them however. If I have a large panel, I take my time and glue one joint at a time which reduces the mental pressure and helps to increase the quality of the glue-up.

In the using of panel clamps, you have to develop your own methods.....I addressed the glue squeeze out issues by waiting for the glue to get rubbery then I'd remove one clamp....clean up the squeeze out....clean the clamp.....reapply that clamp and then move on to the next clamp. Worked for me....YMMV.

I made my own bars by gluing together 2 pieces of 3/4" ply and facing the work side with some laminate to reduce glue issues. Mine are 1.5" x 3.5" x 36". No plastic parts.....all metal.

"Had" Some

Mark Mandell - Gone Round In New Jersey

Gave'em to a newbie as they were more trouble than worth.

Re: "Had" Some

Barry Irby

I thought they might be trouble.

And I thought about using plywood to avoid ripping the notches apart.

I may be over thinking this.

Re: Anyone tried panel clamps?

Joseph Mulherin

These clamps pictured are exactly like the ones one can purchase from Shopsmith from their catalog.

I bought my Shopsmith back in 1978 and have used these clamps in making several panels for furniture. They are only about 30" long, have the clamps on each end , and can be adjusted into the various notches

for the panels.

Re: Thanks and....

John McGaw

This is what the hardware on my panel clamps look like without the mating bar. Both ends have the same screw mechanism. That cross-piece is there to spread the clamping force and is 10" long. Notice my sophisticated anti-glue-sticking method of applying shiny duct tape to the bar. It didn't work but it might not come off after all these years so I don't bother trying.

I looked at the pictures on Rockler and Amazon

Barry Irby

One guy had what looked like walnut bars for his. Looked more like a gun stock material than a clamp. I have walnut, but not using it to make clamps.

Mine came with obviously homemade 2 x 2 pine cut from 2 x 4 studs. Used studs at that. I have been on a campaign for the last few days to clean up and reorganize my shop. I have WAY too many scraps. Considering using some to make new bars, but my Pack-rat gene is twitching. I really do need some projects to use up all the shorts I have.

I wanted to check in here and see if anyone had these clamps and used them and had some suggestions for improving them. I'm thinking a 1/4" of curvature in them might help even out the pressure across the panel. I liked the ones made of plywood. I think the plastic notches on mine will be a nuisance.

Seems these would require some forethought and setup to make them easy and useful.

Re: I looked at the pictures on Rockler and Amazon

Walt

I have some of those but haven't used them in years. They do work but require more than 2 hands. Mine have metal fittings but are not spring loaded so the both scissors have to be held in the notches until there is tension on them. They seemed like a good idea to a newbie. I haven't done many panels recently but have parallel bar clamps that seem to work fine. Another option would be to make some cauls and either wax the surface that touches glue or put packing tape on them.